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Aggression is intentional behavior aimed at causing physical harm or psychological pain to another person. Some people refer to aggression as people who stand up for their rights and rights of others or make complaints. True aggression is intent to physically harm another human being.
Based on the evidence provided there are different types of aggression. Hostile aggression stems from feelings of anger and aimed at inflicting pain or injury. Instrumental aggression has a means of a goal other than causing pain as in speaking to someone in an inappropriate manner.
Understandably psychologists believe that physical aggression is genetically programmed into men because enables them to defend their group and perpetuate their genes. Culturally,
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Biologist Zing Yan Kuo’s experiment with the cat and the rat, was not able to prove that the aggression is innate. The cat and rat became close compaations and therefore the cat on every occasion did not chase down or have the innate embedded aggresstion to hunt and kill. This experiment failed to prove aggressive behavior is not instinctive in cats. Therefore aggressive beahavior can be modified by experience some kinds of aggressive behavior does not need to be learned.
We can have better insight on animals that have genetic simalrities to humans. Are closest genetic relatives are the chimpanzees and the bonobo species. 98% of their DNA is in common with human beings. Although the chimpanzee is known for its aggressive behavior; the females can be mean as well (Watts, Nuller, Amsler, Mbabazi, Miani, 2006). Male chimpanzees aret he onl nonhuman species in groups of males members that will hunt and kill a member of their own kind. Based on the research of chimps, we ma concluse that humans especially males are genetically programmed for aggressive behavior.
Over time cultures have changed their social conditions have changed and so has aggressive behavior. Therefore innate aggression has evolved as it is cross cultered and depends on the situation that you are in or strong beleifs that have been instilled in certain
This also leads into the fact that people interpret male violence and aggression as natural. They’ll pin it as something hardwired from ‘the hunter-gatherer days’. Often times they’ll also blame it on media violence, such as graphic video games, movies and TV shows. This is something much broader than that.
Aggressive individuals often act in ways that will result in having personal gain, rather than focusing what impact they have on others. Aggression is pervasive. It affects the rich as well as the poor, the upper and lower classes, it defines us. This means that most sole individuals will behave in certain ways to promote their well being, instead of how they affect others. Michael Crichton uses characters in Jurassic Park to portray the negative physical, social and intellectual impact they can have on society. This is evident in everyday life because society has molded individuals into looking out for their well being with no considerations of the impact that it has on others.
Sexual violence is sometimes thought of as a natural part of life. That men have an inherit biological trait that predisposes them to violence and that it cannot be helped. The famous quote is “boys will be boys” meaning that men have no control over their actions and that if they sexual assault someone, that it is just human nature. This is in fact false. There is nothing in the biological makeup of males that can explain away sexual violence. It is a learned cultural behavior generated by gender norms and the medias perpetuation of sexual violence.
Aggression is defined as any behavior intended to harm another person who is motivated to avoid the harm according to Baumeister & Bushman (2014). A study was conducted in 1967 by Leonard Berkowitz and Anthony LePage, to determine whether the presence of weapons would elicit aggressive behavior from an individual (Baumeister & Bushman, 2014). They hypothesized that participants were likely to associate weapons, particularly firearms, to aggression and violence, which would cause observing a weapon to elicit an aggressive response. The experiment determined that the presence of weapon can elicit an aggressive response from people ready to act aggressively. In the study, participants were shocked up to seven times then given the opportunity to
According to National Geographic, scientists have sequenced the genome of the chimpanzee and found that humans are 98.5% similar to the ape species. The chimpanzee is our closest relative in the animal kingdom; however, some people are not aware of our resembling traits with chimpanzees. Jane Goodall’s, In the Shadow of Man, describes some similar traits humans and chimpanzees have, such as their facial expressions and emotions, use of tools, and diet. Chimpanzees portray their emotions through a number of facial expressions and mannerisms. Just like humans, they undergo mood swings, jealous rages, and laughter.
Chimpanzees (Figure 1) are the closest living relatives to us, and they share 99 percent of our DNA (1). Chimpanzees have distinct group territoriality. Male chimpanzees “patrol” near the boundary between the two ranges, at that time they move very carefully and quietly, and they can cease to listen and observe the range of their neighbors. Patrolling individuals are likely to face cruel and violent attacks, injuries, and even deaths. Intense excitement and aggressive display can occur if the two parties of two communities encounter each other. Usually, the larger group holds its ground, and interaction between different chimpanzees communities may also lead to gang attack. Expanding the community range is necessary to their social organizations, the males cooperation can defend the territory and increase the reproductive rates of the resident females by excluding female and male competitors. Body contact is common in their social life such as grooming (1). Usually, chimpanzees groom each other as a way to show harmony and solidarity in their society (Figure 2). Grooming each other demonstrates the deep bonds and close relationship between them. In addition, they can even hug, hold hands, touch, kiss each other as a way of emotional expression (2).
Aggression is very common with primates, especially for competition of resources, such as mating partners or food. Competition between makes usually results in injury or death while competition between females results in chasing the subordinates away or taking their food. Certain amount of aggression does help keep groups in order and to protect each other from group or individual resources. Physical contact is one of the most important factors in primate development. Not all primates are
Social psychologists conclude that the frustration-aggression hypothesis remains tentative and that multiple factors may be associated with the expression of aggressive behavior. Critics of the frustration aggression theory point out that frustration does tend to lead to aggression in some circumstances but not always (Berkowitz, 1990). Theorists also suggested that a broader term than frustration should be used as the source of aggression because aggression can be elicited or instigated by other factors, such as the character and perceived intent of the instigator, personality factors and life experiences of the frustrated individual, and environmental conditions (Meyer,
Campbell, A. (1993). Cultural Lessons in Aggression. Men, Women, and Aggression: From Rage in Marriage to Violence in the Streets – How Gender Affects the Way We Act. New York. Basic Books, 1-18.
Aggression is a sub-field under social psychology because social psychology is the study of how individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behavior changes in groups while interacting with other people. In comparison, aggression falls directly under this category because psychologist’s main goal is to try to understand how aggressive people tend to change in their behavior and mentality when their objective is to cause pain. People who are aggressive either physically or psychological educe pain and suffering upon an individual by verbally assaulting someone, berating them, spreading vicious rumors, or even name calling. Everyday schoolchildren are getting bullied, spouses are facing domestic violence, families encounter arguments, and the list continues because everyday aggressors react negatively to these scenarios. However, they are levels of extreme aggressive behavior compare to the others, such as violence being the highest form of aggression. Kassin et al. states compared to violence, the other forms of aggression, such as anger and hostility are less harmful compare to violence because “people can be angry with others and regard them with great hostility without ever trying to harm them” (2014). When someone is angry, they are usually experiencing irritation, hate, or other displeasing feelings. Similarly, those who express hostility, which are negative feelings the aggressor
By definition aggression can mean a wide range of behaviors that occur for a large number of reasons under many different circumstances. Just about all wild animals are aggressive when guarding their territories, protecting their offspring and themselves.
Aggression is a critical part of animal existence, which is a driving force to humans, as we too are animals. The source of aggression within humans is an ongoing list so therefore, we must understand the definition of aggression. Aggression in psychology defined by the World Book Encyclopedia is hostile behavior that may hurt or upset other people. Such behavior may take the form of physical attack against people or their possessions, or verbal abuse (Larsen, 2000). There are many types of aggressive behaviors which we must differentiate from. Aggression may be an automatic response to such experiences as pain or danger. In other cases, it is a deliberate action with a definite purpose (Larsen, 2000). Some people act out of hostility to gain money, pleasure, power or prestige. Other aggressive behavior is intended to cause physical or psychological injury (Larsen, 2000). For example, an aggressive behavior can be negative or positive, accidental or intended and physical or mental.
In cities, suburban areas and even small towns, people are fearful and concerned that violence has permeated the fabric of their communities and degraded the quality of their lives (Albert J. Reiss). There is aggression everyday and it can be seen in all different forms. Where ever you go there will be some type of aggression. While doing research, I learned new things about psychological aggression and affects aggression has on people.
The first thing to look at is what human aggression is. It is defined as any behavior toward another individual that is carried out with the proximate (immediate) intent to cause harm (Anderson & Bushman 2002). Not to get confused with violence, all violent acts have aggression but not all aggressive acts are violent. For example kids often aggressive behavior towards each other but without the intent to hurt them. So now it’s time to look at the different types of aggression. Affective aggression (also labeled 'hostile' or 'emotional' is usually conceived as impulsive, thoughtless (that is, unplanned), driven by anger, having the ultimate motive of harming the target, and occurring in reaction to some perceived provocation. Instrumental aggression, in contrast, is usually conceived as a premeditated means of obtaining some goal other than harming the victim, being proactive rather than reactive, and resulting from cold calculation rather than hot affect. Impulsive aggression is usually conceived as thoughtless (automatic, fast, and without consider...
In all of these possibilities--instinct, heredity, hormones, or brain dysfunction--the aggression occurs without apparent provocation from the environment (although there is almost always a "target"). According to some of these theories, the need or urge to be aggressive is boiling within each of us and seeks opportunities to express itself. There is also clear evidence that alcohol consumption and hotter temperatures release aggression, but no one thinks there is something in alcohol or heat that generates meanness. The socialization process, i.e. becoming a mature person, involves taming these destructive, savage, self-serving urges that probably helped us humans survive one million years ago but threatens our survival today.