Aggression is ... Aggression: types of aggression. Aggressive behavior of adolescents

A daily roundup constantly scares the average layman with the number of acts of violence in all corners of the world. And everyday life is replete with quarrels, screams and other manifestations of hostility.

Aggression in modern society is perceived as evil and is publicly condemned. However, there are many examples of hostile behavior of both individual individuals and entire groups of people.

Why do people cause suffering to each other, what are the causes of interpersonal and global conflicts? There is no clear answer to these questions, but studying the phenomenon of aggression in various aspects of human life will help to better understand the problem.

What is aggression?

In the world there are many approaches to determining the cause of occurrence, content and types of opposition to such behavior. So, some psychologists believe that aggression is an innate quality of a person associated with instinctive impulses. Others relate this concept to the need for individual detente (frustration), while others perceive it as a manifestation of a person’s social learning arising from past experience.

Thus, this type of personality manifestation is a deliberate behavior that is destructive in nature and leads to physical or psychological damage and discomfort in other individuals.

Aggression in psychology, and in everyday life, is often associated with anger, anger, rage, that is, extremely negative emotions. In fact, hostility can arise in a calm, cold-blooded state. Such behavior can be the result of negative attitudes (desire to harm or insult) or be unmotivated. According to many experts, a prerequisite for aggressive behavior should be its focus on another individual. That is, punches on the wall and breaking dishes are manifestations of not hostile, but expressive behavior. But flashes of uncontrolled negative emotions can subsequently be redirected to living beings.

Historical approaches

The definition of aggression is carried out through various approaches. The main ones are:

1. Regulatory approach. Particular attention is paid to the unlawfulness of actions and violation of generally accepted standards. Behavior is considered aggressive, which includes 2 basic conditions: there are harmful consequences for the victim and at the same time, the norms of behavior are violated.
2. Deep psychological approach. The instinctive nature of aggression is affirmed. It is an integral innate feature of the behavior of any person.
3. Target approach. Explores hostile behavior in terms of its intended purpose. According to this direction, aggression is an instrument of self-affirmation, evolution, adaptation and appropriation of vital resources and territories.
4. Productive approach. Emphasizes the consequences of this behavior.
5. Intentional approach. Evaluates the motivations of the subject of hostility that prompted him to such actions.
6. The emotional approach. It reveals the psycho-emotional aspect of the behavior and motivation of the aggressor.
7. A multidimensional approach includes an analysis of all factors of aggression with a thorough study of the most significant, from the point of view of an individual author.

A large number of approaches to the definition of this psychological phenomenon does not give an exhaustive definition of it. Too vast and multifaceted is the concept of “aggression”. Types of aggression are very diverse. But nevertheless, it is necessary to understand and classify them in order to better understand the causes and develop ways to deal with this serious problem of our time.

Aggression. Types of aggression

It is rather difficult to create a unified classification of the types of aggression and its causes. However, in world practice its definition is often used according to the method of American psychologists A. Bass and A. Darki, which includes five components:

1. Physical aggression - a physical effect is used on another individual.
2. Indirect aggression - occurs in a hidden way (unkind banter, the creation of gossip) or is not aimed at a specific person (causeless screams, stamping feet, other manifestations of outbursts of rage).
3. Irritation - increased irritability to external stimuli, which often leads to a surge of negative emotions.
4. Verbal aggression is the manifestation of negative feelings through verbal reactions (screeching, screaming, scolding, threats, etc.).
5. Negativism is opposition behavior that can manifest itself in both a passive and an active form of struggle against established laws and traditions.

Types of Verbal Reactions

The manifestation of aggression in verbal form according to A. Bass is divided into three main types:

1. Rejection - a reaction that is built on the type of "go away" and more gross forms.
2. Hostile remarks - are formed on the principle of "your presence annoys me."
3. Criticism is aggression directed not specifically at a person, but at his personal objects, work, clothes, etc.

Psychologists also highlight other forms of hostility. So, according to H. Heckhausen, there is an instrumental and hostile aggression. Hostile is an end in itself and directly harm another person. The instrumental is an intermediate phenomenon in achieving a goal (for example, extortion).

Manifestation forms

Forms of aggression can be very diverse and are divided into the following types of actions:

• negative (destructive) - positive (constructive);
• overt (open aggression) - latent (hidden);
• direct (directed directly to the object) - indirect (affect through other channels);
• ego-synthonic (accepted by the personality itself) - ego-dystonic (condemned by their "I");
• physical (violence against a physical object) - verbal (attack with words);
• hostile (the goal of aggression is direct harm) - instrumental (hostility is only a means of achieving another goal).

The most common manifestations of aggressiveness in everyday life are voice enhancement, slander, insult, coercion, physical impact, and the use of weapons. Hidden forms include malicious inaction, avoidance of contact, self-harm, including suicide.

Who can aggression be directed at?

Attacks of aggression can be aimed at:

• exclusively close people - only family members (or one member) are attacked, normal behavior with others;
• people not from the family circle - teachers, classmates, doctors, etc .;
• of oneself - both on one’s own body and on the individual, takes the form of refusal to eat, mutilations, biting nails, etc.
• animals, insects, birds, etc .;
• inanimate physical objects - in the form of property damage, eating inedible objects;
• symbolic objects - passion for aggressive computer games, collecting weapons, etc.

Reasons for aggressive behavior

The causes of human hostility are also diverse and cause controversy among professional psychologists.

Adherents of biological theory are of the opinion that aggression is:

• human innate reaction associated with the instinct of self-preservation (attack is the best defense);
• behavior arising as a result of the struggle for territory and resources (competition in the personal and professional spheres);
• hereditary property obtained with the type of nervous system (unbalanced);
• a consequence of hormonal imbalance (excess testosterone or adrenaline);
• consequence of the use of psychotropic substances (alcohol, nicotine, drugs).

According to the sociobiological approach, people with similar genes contribute to each other's survival even through self-sacrifice. At the same time, they are aggressive towards individuals who are very different from them and contain few common genes. This explains the conflict outbreaks between representatives of social, national, religious and professional groups.

Psychosocial theory associates increased aggressiveness with a person’s quality of life. The worse his condition (he did not get enough sleep, is hungry, is not satisfied with his life), the more hostile he is.

Factors affecting the level of aggressiveness

According to social theory, aggression is a property of a person acquired during a lifetime. Moreover, it develops against the background of the following factors:

• dysfunctional families (frequent quarrels between parents, the use of physical effects on children, lack of parental attention);
• daily display and propaganda of violence on television and other media.

Psychologists also closely associate factors of human aggression with such personal qualities:

• dominant style of behavior;
• increased anxiety;
• a tendency to identify hostility in the actions of other individuals;
• increased or, conversely, low self-control;
• reduced self-esteem and frequent self-esteem;
• a complete lack of potential, including creative.

How to behave with the aggressor?

Aggression is an action usually aimed at destruction. Therefore, it is necessary to remember some basic rules of behavior with a negatively tuned individual:

1. If a person is in a strong psychological arousal, and the problem is insignificant, try moving the conversation to another topic, postponing the discussion time, that is, avoiding the irritating conversation.
2. It will have a positive effect on mutual understanding if the parties to the conflict look at the problem from the side with an unbiased look.
3. You must try to understand the aggressor. If the reason is up to you, take possible measures to eliminate it.
4. Sometimes it’s useful to demonstrate sympathy and understanding to the aggressor.
5. It also helps to agree with him in those points where he is really right.

Determine which type the aggressor belongs to.

Specific methods of countering hostility depend directly on the personality variety of the aggressor:

1. Type "Tank". Very rude and direct people who, in a conflict situation, stick straight ahead. If the issue is not very important, it is better to yield or adapt, let the aggressor let off steam. You can not question his rightness, your own opinion should be expressed without emotion, because calm usually suppresses the fury of such a person.
2. Type "Bomb". These subjects are not evil by nature, but can flare up like children. With an outbreak of hostility, it is necessary to let the emotions of such a person go out, calm him down and communicate normally further, since this does not happen from evil and often against the will of the aggressor himself.
3. Type "Sniper". In the absence of actual power, it creates conflict through intrigue. It is important to show the culprit evidence of his backroom games and then look for a solution to this issue.
4. Type "Shout". These people criticize everything in the world, from real problems to imaginary ones. They want to be heard. In contact with such a plan, the aggressor must be allowed to pour out his soul, agree with his opinion and try to transfer the conversation in a different direction. When returning to this topic, you should switch his attention from the problem to its solution.
5. Type "Penknife". Such people are often ready to help, inferior in many matters. However, this happens only in words, but in practice the opposite is true. When communicating with them, you must insist on the importance for you of the truth on their part.

How to get rid of discomfort after communication?

In the modern world, people have a fairly high level of aggression. This implies the need for a correct response to other people's attacks, as well as control of one's own psycho-emotional state.

At the time of the hostile reaction, you need to take a deep breath, exhale, count to ten, which will allow you to abstract from a momentary flash of emotions and rationally look at the situation. The opponent’s story about his negative feelings is also useful. If all this does not help, you can throw out an excess of anger with the help of one of the classes:

• sports, yoga or active games in the fresh air;
• a picnic in nature;
• rest in a karaoke bar or in a disco;
• general cleaning (it is possible even with rearrangement) in the house;
• writing all the negativity on paper with its subsequent destruction (it is necessary to tear or burn it);
• you can beat dishes or just a pillow (this option is much cheaper);
• conversation with the closest and, most importantly, understanding people;
• crying also gives a tangible emotional release;
• in the end, you can just do your favorite thing, it will certainly cheer you up.

In more severe cases, a person alone can not cope with negative emotions. Then you need to contact a therapist or psychologist. The specialist will help to identify the causes of this condition, define aggression in each specific case, and also find individual methods for solving this issue.

Reasons for child aggression

A very important aspect that cannot be ignored is adolescent aggression. It is very important for parents to figure out what caused this behavior, because this will provide an opportunity to further correct the reactions of the child. Children's animosity has reasons similar to that of an adult, but it also has some peculiarities. The main ones are:

• desire to get something;
• desire to dominate;
• attracting the attention of other children;
• self-affirmation;
• defensive reaction;
• gaining a sense of self-superiority by humiliating others;
• revenge.

Aggressive behavior of adolescents in half the cases is the result of miscalculations in upbringing, insufficient or excessive influence, unwillingness to understand the child, or a banal lack of time. This character is formed under the authoritarian type of parental influence, as well as in dysfunctional families.

Aggression in adolescents also occurs in the presence of a number of psychological factors:

• low level of intelligence and communication skills;
• primitivism of game activity;
• poor self-control skills;
• peer problems;
• low self-esteem.

Abandoned aggression on the part of the child in the future can develop into open conflicts and even asocial behavior in adulthood. Child psychology identifies almost the same types of hostility as an adult. Therefore, we will dwell in more detail on the issues of combating it, which has some differences from cases with adults.

How to deal with child aggression ?

The most important rule in education is to observe a personal example. The child will never react to the demands of parents who disagree with their own actions.

The reaction to aggression should not be momentary and brutal. The child will frustrate others, hiding his real emotions from his parents. But there should be no connivance, since children very well feel insecurity on the part of their parents.

Aggressive behavior of adolescents requires timely prevention, namely the systematic and controlled formation of trusting and friendly relations. Strength and weakness on the part of the parent will only aggravate the situation, only sincerity and trust will really help.

The specific steps to combat aggression in a child include the following:

1. To teach him self-control.
2. Develop skills in conflict situations.
3. To teach the child to express negative emotions in an adequate form.
4. To instill in him understanding and empathy with other people.