Social Psychology: What Is Aggression Effective?

The term aggression is generally defined as any behavior that is intended to harm another person who does not want to be harmed (e.g., Baron& Richardson, 1994). Aggression is an external behavior that you can see. For example, you can see a person shoot, stab, hit, slap, or curse someone. Aggression is not an emotion that occurs inside a person, such as an angry feeling. Aggression is not a thought inside someone’s brain, such as mentally rehearsing a murder. Aggression is a social behavior that is it involves at least two people. In addition, aggression is intended to hurt. Aggression is not accidental, such as when a drunk driver accidentally runs over a child on a tricycle. Not all intentional behaviors that hurt others are aggressive behaviors.

Impulsive aggression: it is also known as affective aggression, is characterized by strong emotions, usually anger. This form of aggression is not planned and often takes place in the heat of the moment. For example, when another car cuts you off in traffic and you begin yelling and get furious on the other driver then you are experiencing impulsive aggression.

2. Instrumental aggression: it is also known as predatory aggression, are marked by behaviors that are intended to achieve a larger objective. Instrumental aggression is often carefully planned and usually exists as a means to an end. For example, hurting another person in a robbery or car-jacking is an example of this type of aggression. The Aggressors goal is to obtain money or a vehicle, and harming another individual is the means to achieve that goal.

Physical violence

Physical violence occurs when someone uses a part of their body or an object to control a persons action. Physical violence includes, Using physical force which results in pain, discomfort or injury, hitting, pinching, hair-pulling, arm-twisting, strangling, burning, stabbing, punching, pushing, slapping, beating, shoving, kicking, choking, biting, force-feeding, or any other rough treatment, assault with a weapon or other object, threats with a weapon or object, deliberate exposure to severe weather or inappropriate room temperatures and murder.

2. Sexual violence

Sexual violence occurs when a person is forced to unwillingly take part in sexual activity. Sexual violence includes, touching in a sexual manner without consent (i.e., kissing, grabbing, fondling),forced sexual intercourse, forcing a person to perform sexual acts that may be degrading or painful, forcing a person to view pornographic material, forcing participation in pornographic filming, making unwelcome sexual comments or jokes, leering behavior and forced prostitution.

3. Emotional