Why Are Individuals Aggressive?

Below is a free term papers summary of the paper "Why Are Individuals Aggressive?." If you sign up, you can be reading the rest of this term papers in under two minutes. Registered users should login to view this term paper.

Term Paper Title	Why Are Individuals Aggressive?
# of Words	2078
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	8.31

Why Are Individuals Aggressive?

Why Are Individuals Aggressive?

Aggression is difficult to define, it is a complex phenomenon, and depending
upon the context the term can be made to carry either positive or negative
connotations, it can be attacking behaviour that may be either self-protective
and self-assertive or to the infliction of injury toward oneself or toward
others, to the total destruction of others. Is aggression biological determined
or the product of learning and environmental influences.?  This essay, will
consider instinctive theory, the frustration - aggression hypothesis, and social
learning theory.  It should then be possible to draw a conclusion to see if any
or all of the theories discussed are the cause of aggression. Brain disorders,
hormonal and chemical imbalances, environmental factors, such as heat, noise,
air pollution and overcrowding, although contribute to the causes of aggression
will not be discussed during the course of this essay.   No universally adopted
definition of aggression exists, for the purpose of this discussion, the
definition of Gross will be used.

Gross defines aggression as :-"The intentional infliction of some form of harm
on others"  (Gross page 444)

Freud proposed that aggression is an instinctive biological urge.  According to
Freud  this instinct, is made up of the libido (pleasure) and "Thanatos" (the
death wish) (pain).  This basic instinct is present in the Id from birth, at
first the aggression is relatively uncontrolled, but with the development of the
Ego and superego it becomes channelled into socially acceptable behaviour  If
these impulses are not released periodically in safe ways, they soon reach
dangerous levels capable of producing acts of violence.  Sometimes it is
released in the form of physical or verbal abuse against another, (where the
anger is displaced onto another).  Sometimes the aggressive impulse is turned
inward and produces self - punishment action, even suicide.  The best that can
be hoped for, according to Freud, is that aggressive impulses will be
"channelled into socially acceptable forms." such as football, sport etc.
(Bernstein et al page 715).  However, this theory does not explain why some
people are aggressive and others are not, and if aggression is dissipated into
sport, why is there football violence and  violence  at other sporting events?

Lorenz, like Freud believed that  aggressive energy builds up in the individual,
and eventually has to be discharged in so...

This is not the end of the termpaper! Register below to see the complete version of this term paper.

Membership Plans	Credit Card	Check

1 month membership

3 month membership (You Save 50%)

6 month membership (You Save 67%)

Copyright © 2002-2007 Mid Term Papers. All rights reserved. This term papers website is used for research purposes only.
If you have forgotten your username or password, please click here.
If you like to cancel your account, please click here.

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 20 - 21 - 22