1. Menan Abd El Maksoud Rabie,
MBBCh, Msc, Arab Board, MD,
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams
University,
Member of the Egyptian Psychiatric Association (EPA),
International Member of the American Psychiatric Association (APA),
Associate Member of the International Federation of Psychiatric
Epidemiology (IFPE).
Psychology of Aggression and Violence
2. Contents
Definition of aggression
Classification of aggression
Models of aggression
Determinants of aggression
Methods for reducing aggression
3.
4. Definition
Aggression is a form of behavior directed
towards the goal of harming or injuring or inflicting
damage upon other individual who is motivated to
avoid it. It intends to increase social dominance.
People can avoid such treatment or may fight
back.
It is not a motive e.g. revenge.
It is not a negative attitude e.g. ethnic or social
prejudice.
It is intended not an accident.
It is not an emotion e.g. anger.
5. Violence
It is the pursuit of aggression by force.
It is form of destructive behavior that
endanger life or produce adverse effects
on victims.
Excitement
It is the increased psychomotor activity,
with verbal and physical aggression,
often accompanied by autonomic
hyperactivity.
6. Types of Aggression:
Hostile Aggression: defined as aggression stemming from feelings of
anger and aimed at inflicting pain or injury
Instrumental aggression: Aggression as a means to some goal other
than causing pain.
Physical or verbal aggression.
Relational aggression such as bullying and social manipulation;
Direct or indirect aggression. .
Forms of Aggression:
Tendency to be physically assaultive.
Indirect expressed hostility.
Irritability.
Negativism.
Resentment.
Suspiciousness.
Verbally expressed anger.
Humors.
Rumors.
8. Models Of Aggression
1-Biological Basis of Aggression
Genetic factor
Twin Studies: Concordance rates for
monozygotic twins is higher than dizygotic as
regards aggressive behavior.
Pedigree Studies: Some study showed that
persons with FH of aggression are prone to
violent behavior.
Chromosomal influence: More researchers
concentrated on XYY syndrome (tall, below
average IQ, more likely to engage in criminal
behavior).
Inborn errors of metabolism: It is reported to be
associated with aggression, e.g. Lish Nyhan S,
Phenyl ketonuria, etc…
9.
10. Models Of Aggression
1-Biological Basis of Aggression
B) Anatomical Basis (Neural Substrates):
Amygdala, temporal lobes and limbic system:
Stimulation of the amygdala results in augmented
aggressive behavior, while lesions of this area greatly
reduce one's competitive drive and aggression.
Hypothalamus: regulatory role. The hypothalamus
causes aggressive behavior when electrically stimulated,
but also has receptors that determine aggression levels
through the neurotransmitters serotonin and vasopressin.
Frontal lobe dysfunctions alter neurochemistry, neuro-
metabolism. Impaired function of the prefrontal cortex
leads to aggression as aggressive individuals have
reduced prefrontal activation. Lesions in the frontal cortex
are characterized by aggression, irritability and short
tempers. Hypo function of the frontal lobes (which helps
11. Evidence
Clinical:
Temporal lobe lesion: may be associated with explosive
aggressive behavior.
Temporal lobotomy alleviates aggression.
Birth trauma, head injury and intra-cerebral infections affecting
temporal lobe limbic system lead to aggression.
Experimental:
Overstimulation of amygdala in temporal lobe leads to
aggressive behavior.
Lesion or removal of temporal lobes or amygdala decrease
aggression (Kluver Bucy syndrome) the animal becomes
hypersexual, apathetic, and over eating behavior.
Sham-rage reaction: loss of inhibition on amygdala.
Pharmacological evidences: antiepileptic drugs may be used in
12. Models Of Aggression
1-Biological Basis of Aggression
C)Biochemical factors of aggression
Testosterone has been shown to correlate with
aggressive behavior in mice and in some
humans.
Progesterone, LH, and Prolactin (in birds)
increase aggression. Estrogen decreases
aggression.
Thyroid hormones: increase aggression.
Serotonin: Low serotonin could contribute to
aggressive behavior.
Alcohol disinhibits an individual. Over half of all
acts of rape occur while the aggressor is under
13. Psychological Theories of aggression
Psychoanalytical Theory (innate theories).
Humanistic Theory (drive theories).
Social Learning theory.
14. Psychological Theories of aggression
Psychoanalytical Theories
1- Sigmund Freud is well known as the father of
psychoanalysis. In his early theory, Freud asserts that
human behaviors are motivated by sexual and instinctive
drives known as the libido, which is energy derived from the
Eros, or life instinct. Thus, the repression of such libidinal
urges is displayed as aggression.
Later, Freud added the concept of Thanatos, or death force,
to his Eros theory of human behavior. Contrary to the libido
energy emitted from the Eros, Thanatos energy encourages
destruction and death. In this conflict between Eros and
Thanatos, some of the negative energy of the Thanatos is
directed toward others, to prevent the self-destruction of the
individual. Thus, Freud claimed that the displacement of
negative energy of the Thanatos onto others is the basis
of aggression.
Freud's psychoanalytic theory demonstrates that
aggression is innate, inevitable, common to all humans,
leading to self or others destruction.
15. Psychological Theories of aggression
Psychoanalytical Theories
According to Freud:
Aggression may be due to impaired mother-child
relationship (children of punitive parents are more
aggressive)
Aggression is developed during the oral stage when
the pleasure of biting is added to that of sucking.
Fixation on the oral stage of psychosexual development
may lead to sadistic personality.
Aggression may be due to impaired development of
superego.
Aggression may be due to defense mechanisms:
Projection
Narcissism
16. Psychological Theories of aggression
Lorenz Theory- The evolutionary
theory of aggression:
Lorenz looked at instinctual
aggressiveness as a product of
evolution.
Aggressiveness is beneficial and
allows for the survival, territory
protection and success of
populations of aggressive
species since the strongest
animals would eliminate weaker
ones and over the course of
evolution, the result would be a
stronger, healthier population.
More optimistic, individual may
17. Psychological Theories of aggression
Adler’s view:
Aggression is due to the striving for superiority
and perfection.
Mc Dougall’s view: Aggression is an instinct.
A civilized man modifies and replaces physical
aggression and destruction with sarcastic smiles,
polished insulting words.
Only when these methods fail, may the individual
regress to the primitive and childish way of
behavior.
18. Theories of
aggression
Humanistic
Theory
Frustration-aggression
hypothesis
Aggression is a drive
(basic concept). It arises
from deprivation of basic
needs (Abraham Maslow)
The drive theory attributes
aggression to an impulse
created by an innate need.
In this theory, frustration and
aggression are linked in a
cause and effect
relationship. Frustration is
the cause of aggression and
aggression is the result of
frustration.
Frustration may cause
apathy, depression, anxiety,
19.
20. Psychological Theories of aggression
Social learning Theory
Albert Bandura and his colleagues were able to demonstrate
one of the ways in which children learn aggression. Bandura's
theory proposes that learning occurs through observation and
interaction with other people
The experiment involved exposing children to two different
adult models, an aggressive model and a non-aggressive
one. After witnessing the adult's behavior, the children would
then be placed in a room without the model and were
observed to see if they would imitate the behavior they had
witnessed earlier. He predicted that children who observed an
adult acting aggressively would be likely to act aggressively.
Aggression is initially learned from social behavior and
maintained by reward, which encourages the further display
of aggression.
Aggressive responses are acquired so they are evitable
21. Media violence:
Although most young people
who are exposed to violence in
TV and movies and playing
violent video games do not
become violent criminals, they
can become more open to acts
of violence. However, media
violence is explicitly not
considered a causal influence
of aggression, but in a
combination with genetic and
early social influences could
have an influence.
23. Determinants of
aggression
1- Social determinants
Frustration. Aggression
increases if a person feels
blocked from achieving a
goal.
Direct provocation from
others (physical abuse or
verbal insults) serve as a
powerful determinant of
aggression.
Exposure to aggressive
models (observational
learning, disinhibition,
desensitization)
Lack of social skills
(inability to communicate
or negotiate.
24. Determinants of aggression
2- Environmental determinants:
Air pollution: noxious odors, fumes, cigarette
smoke produce irritability and aggression. Up to a
certain limit, when the odor becomes foul the
aggression tends to decrease to escape from the
unpleasant environment.
Noise: Exposure to loud irritating voice may
increase aggression.
Crowding: over crowding may increase
aggression.
Heat: increased temperature (>32ºC) facilitate
aggression but to a limit.
25. Determinants of aggression
3- Situational determinants (psychological)
Heightened physiological arousal due to
stress, anxiety, competition, vigorous exercise or
exposure to films that produce arousal.
Sexual arousal: Minimal levels of aggression
occur in presence of mild sexual stimulation and
stronger levels with higher degree of stimulation.
Pain: Physical pain may arouse aggressive drive
but up to limits. Severe pain may hinder
aggression.
27. Methods for reducing aggression
1- Punishment
Physical punishment is itself
aggressive, it actually models such
behavior to children and may
engage greater
aggressiveness, punishment often
fails to reduce aggression because
it does not communicate what the
aggressor should do, only what he
should not do. Sometimes it may
be effective deterrent to overt
aggression if it is non-physical and
delivered immediately after
aggression.
28. 2- Catharsis
The theory of catharsis predicts that venting one’s
anger would serve to make one less likely to
engage in subsequent acts of aggression. Guided
by this theory, many educators encourage
aggressive person to express aggression in
another form as contact sport.
29. 3- Defusing anger through apology
Apology plays an integral part to reduce
aggressive behavior but the first question is
whether the person believes an apology is even
necessary and here a gender difference is seen,
many men think that apology is not “manly“.
30. 4- Modeling Non aggressive
Behavior
Exposing children to non-aggressive models, to people
who, when provoked, express themselves in a
restrained, rational, pleasant manner. Later, children
will behave peacefully and gently if put in a provoking
situation.
31. 5- Training in communication and
problem solving skills
People are not born
knowing how to express
anger non-violently,
teaching people
techniques how to
communicate anger in
constructive ways, how to
negotiate and
compromise when
conflicts arise and how to
be more sensitive to the
needs and desires of
others
32. 6- Building Empathy
Empathy has shown significant effect in reducing
levels of aggression among school children while
raising social/emotional competence and
reducing anger.
33. 7- Aggression Replacement Training
(ART)
cognitive behavioral intervention focused on
adolescents, a program that has three components:
Social skills, Anger Control Training, and Moral
Reasoning.
