FREE ESSAY ON AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR

AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR

Aggression is a behavioral characteristic that refers to forceful actions or procedures
(such a deliberate attack) with intentions to dominate or master. It tends to be hostile,
injurious, or destructive, and is often motivated by frustration (The Merriam-Webster
Dictionary, 1995). For an individual, aggressive behavior is considered understandable
and normal under appropriate circumstances, but when it is frequent, intense, lasting,
and pervasive, it is more likely to be a symptom of a mental disorder. Likewise,
aggression between groups, can be in the form of healthy competition, but can become
harmful when unfair or unjust disadvantage or frustration is perceived, leading to
hostility (Brown, 1986).
Psychopathy is a mental disorder that is characterized by egocentricism, impulsivity,
irresponsibility, shallow emotions, and lack of empathy, guilt, or remorse. Pathological
lying, manipulativeness, and persistent violation of social norms and expectations are
also typical of psychopathic behavior (Hare, 1996). This selfishness, manipulativeness,
and continual social deviance are often displayed by aggressive behavior that is
psychopathological, due to its connection with psychopathy.
As a manifestation of the disorder itself, the factors that cause psychopathy result in
its aggressive behavior. Hare (1996) theorized that psychopathy may be related to
cerebral dysfunction "reflecting structural or functional abnormalities in the brain
mechanisms and circuitry...responsible for the coordination of cognitive and affective
processes (Intrator et al., 1995)." Damage to the medial temporal cortex, amygdala, and
particularly of the orbito/ventromedial frontal cortex, has been correlated with
"dissociation of the logical/cognitive and affective components of thought(Damasio,
Grabowinski, Frank, Galaburda & Damasio, 1994), or even what Damasio, Tranel, and Damasio
(1987) refer to as acquired sociopathy" (Hare, 1996, pp 46).
Likewise, Oltmanns, Neale, & Davison (1991) indicate that there is evidence of a
genetically inheritable predisposition for psychopathy, possibly involving the autonomic
nervous system, which is connected to emotion. This idea is based on studying
psychopaths' particular adeptness at ignoring stimuli.
Research has also supported the theory that psychopaths fail to appreciate the emotional
significance of an event or experience. This, along with unwillingness or inability to
"process or use the deep semantic meanings of language," may be causal in psychopaths'
apparently subtle form of thought disorder. This apparent lack of central organization of
behavior and logic may be a factor in the aggressiveness of their behavior (Oltmanns,
Neale, & Davison, 1991).
Furthermore, the family environment of psychopaths may contribute to their abnormal
behavior. A lack of parental affection and severe parental rejection may cause
influential adjustment problems. Inconsistency in discipline, and a failure of parents to
teach children their responsibilities may additionally play a causal role in the
development of psychopathy (Emery &Oltmanns, 1998).
Finally, avoidance learning may contribute to psychopathy. People suffering from this
disorder seemingly feel no need to avoid the negative consequences of social misbehavior.
Therefore, they may have few inhibitions about committing antisocial acts since they have
been shown to lack symptoms of anxiety. This lack of learning from negative experiences
may contribute to psychopathy. 
All of these factors may contribute to psychopathy somewhat. The resulting lack of
anxiety and emotional affect may lead psychopaths to seek excitement in ways that are
more aggressive. Since they are apparently unaffected by the consequences of these
impulsive and often criminal behaviors, their appears to be little to deter them from
this destructive thrill-seeking.
Aggression between groups, in contrast, is the result of different variables than for an
individual psychopath. Ethnocentrism is the view of one's own group as superior and looks
down upon other groups as outsiders. It is an ineradicable psychological process, caused
by each individual's effort to achieve and maintain a positive self-image. Another
factor, stereotypes, are shared conceptions of the character of a group. Due to
ethnocentric influence, the in-group profiles tend to be more favorable than those of the
out-group, often becoming the explanation for intergroup aggression. Finally, an unfair
or unjust disadvantage or frustration is perceived between two groups, when they are
similar enough to compare their outcomes (Brown, 1986).
As a contributing factor to intergroup aggression, the application of stereotypes is
important. The formation of stereotypes is apparently a result of a human need to
categorize, and tends to reflect some characteristic that is somewhat prevalent among the
observed group, and is therefore seen as a base rate within the group. Without any
information about individual group members, stereotypes tend to influence behavior toward
the group and its individual members. When additional information is known about members
of the group however, stereotypes may still affect decisions concerning the treatment of
members of the group. When stereotyping does affect behavior, ideological and social
beliefs tend to determine whether its influence is implicit or explicit (Brown, 1986).
Implicitness, is a result of "spontaneous, effortless activation of knowledge contents
that is driven by cues in the stimulus environment rather than by an active memory
search." (Wittenbrink, Judd, & Park, 1997, 263). Explicitness, in contrast, is due to
"intentional control and conscious thought processes" (Wittenbrink, Judd, & Park, 1997,
263). Ideological beliefs about equality and fairness, as well as beliefs about the
relative importance in our society of the stereotyped category, tend to determine the
implicit and explicit applications of stereotypes to behavior toward group members
(Wittenbrink, Judd, & Park, 1997).
Implicit stereotypic influence may incite aggression in different ways. One way it may
have an effect is by creating expectations about victims and perpetrators of aggression.
Perceptions of bias may be determined by our images of prototypic perpetrators and
victims, based on stereotypical views. This sensitivity to bias, in turn may affect the
aggressiveness of one's reactions to prejudice (Inman, & Baron, 1995). Another influence
of implicit stereotypes may be related to social roles. Stereotypes based on social roles
may be incorrectly attributed to the individuals fulfilling the role. When a group tends
to fill a particular role, it is therefore subject to the implicit influence of the
stereotypes that are associated with that role (Geis, Brown, Jennings, & Corrado-Taylor,
1996).
Since the aggression of individuals and groups often results in harm to the individuals
it is directed towards, mitigating this behavior can be an important goal. Aggression
between groups may be reduced by the combination of noncompetitive contact and a
superordinate goal, valued by both groups, that is attainable only by cooperation,
especially when the two groups are of equal status. When their status is unequal however,
differences between the groups will remain validated as stereotypes as long as the
group's status remains unequal. Therefore, media portrayal of role-reversals in a
supportive social context may create a social consensus effect that can invalidate
stereotypes based on the typical status of a particular group (Brown, 1986).
Individual aggression, when linked to group identity, would be mitigated by reductions in
group aggression. When aggressive behavior is not tied to group membership however, such
as with psychopaths, it may require a different approach. Unfortunately, no
methodologically sound treatments have been shown effective with psychopaths (Oltmanns,
Neale, & Davison, 1991). Cognitive behavioral therapy aiming to convince psychopaths of
their responsibility for their behavior and to suggest more prosocial ways of seeking
satisfaction with their strengths and abilities may have some effect (Hare, 1996).
Nevertheless, only time has been correlated with the lessening of aggressive behaviors of
psychopaths.
Bibliography
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