TOPIC INFO (UGC NET)
TOPIC INFO – UGC NET (Psychology)
SUB-TOPIC INFO – Social Psychology (UNIT 8)
CONTENT TYPE – Detailed Notes
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1. Introduction
2. Meaning and Forms of Aggression
3. Theoretical Approaches to Aggression
3.1. Biological Approaches
3.2. Drive Approaches
3.3. Social Learning Approaches
3.4. Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis
3.5. Excitation Transfer Theory.
3.6. General Aggression Model (GAM)
4. Causes of Aggression
4.1. Personal Factors
4.2. Interpersonal, Social and Cultural Factors
4.3. Situational and Environmental Factors
5. Reducing Aggression
5.1. Social Learning: Punishment and Modelling
5.2. Catharsis
5.3. Cognitive Strategies
6. Bullying Behaviour
6.1. Motives behind Bullying Behaviour
6.2. Steps to Reduce Bullying Behaviour
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Aggression
UGC NET PSYCHOLOGY
Social Psychology (UNIT 8)
Introduction
Aggression is one of the most primitive and adaptive behaviour observed not only in human beings but also in other species. In primitive societies, survival often depended on the ability to dominate others through hostility and aggressive actions.
However, with technological advancements, aggression has taken new and more dangerous forms. Today, there are highly advanced weapons that make it easier to express aggression in more destructive ways. The development of weapons of mass destruction has further increased global concerns, as their potential use by nations poses serious threats to humanity.
As a result, aggression, anger, and hostility represent extreme forms of social behaviour. Social psychologists have therefore focused on studying various aspects of aggression, including how aggressive behaviour is expressed, the factors influencing aggression, and the strategies and techniques that can be used to reduce aggression.
Meaning and Forms of Aggression
Contrary to pro-social behaviour and interpersonal attraction, aggression, anger, violence, and bullying represent the opposite end of social behaviours. Aggression is defined as behaviour aimed at causing physical or psychological harm to another person. Craig A. Anderson and Brad J. Bushman (2002) defined human aggression as any behaviour directed toward another individual with the immediate intent to cause harm, where the aggressor believes the act will harm the target and that the target wants to avoid it. Albert Bandura (1973) described aggression as harmful behaviour that violates social conventions and may involve deliberate intent to injure others, while Arnold H. Buss (1961) defined it as a response that delivers something unpleasant to another person.
Thus, aggression includes a wide range of behaviours in social interactions intended to harm others, either directly or indirectly. It may involve physical aggression, such as hitting or using weapons to cause injury. It can also take the form of verbal aggression, where individuals use hostile language to hurt others emotionally. Sometimes, aggression is expressed through threatening non-verbal gestures or through passive aggression, such as deliberately performing tasks poorly or refusing to cooperate.
Often, aggressive behaviour is driven by anger and hostility and is intended to directly harm another person. This is known as hostile aggression. In contrast, some aggressive acts are carried out to achieve a specific goal, even if harm is caused in the process; this is called instrumental aggression.
In the modern, digitally connected world, new forms of aggression have emerged. People may harm others by sharing defamatory or embarrassing content online, making online aggression an increasingly significant aspect of social behaviour.