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How can aggressive
behavior be explained? - Psychology makes a distinction between two classic
explanations: drive theory and frustration theory. Learning theory provides a more general approach and is also useful for explaining
aggression; we have also dedicated a special page to
learning theory, which explains the ideas behind it in a little more detail.
Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis (1856-1939) |
"The basic premise of drive theory
is that within the organism there is an inborn source of energy that continually
produces aggressive impulses. It is important that these impulses are able to express themselves as part of
behavior in one way or another, though not necessarily in a destructive way
(...), otherwise they lead to emotional disturbances. The most prominent supporters of this theory
are Sigmund Freud and Konrad Lorenz. It should be pointed out,
however, that Freud's drive is ultimately targeted at self-destruction
('death urge') and is only steered outwards though mixing with sexual drive, while Lorenz means a specific drive to fight against members of the same
species. Hardly any supporters of drive theory exist in modern psychology (...).
Frustration theory
states that aggressive behavior is based on aggressive impulses, which are created by so-called
frustrations. Originally this was taken to mean disturbance of a targeted
activity; this was later expanded to encompass all unpleasant events to which people have an aversion
(attacks, harassment, deprivation etc.). The most important thing in this
connection, however, is that the need for aggression is created, unlike the drive
theory, reactively rather than on its own. However, once it has been created it must find expression in some form or another (...). It's also worth pointing out that
the idea that aggressive impulses are created out of frustration and that
once created they have to find release in the same way as built up energy
also strikes a cord among the general population. |
The frustration theory has been modified on a number of
occasions, which has served in quantifying the role of frustration as a trigger for aggression
substantially. Today it is undisputed that frustrating events can trigger constructive
effort, resignation, a desire to get out of the way, day dreaming, humor, self-daze
inducement (alcohol etc.) and other behavioral patterns and that aggressive reactions are only to be expected under certain
circumstances. To trigger an aggressive response the individual must interpret the event as seriously
'annoying' (e.g. 'improper' behavior) and it is then, and only then, that real feelings of anger
are created. And even then these feelings are only automatically translated into aggressive
behavior when the person involved has either learned to react like this and is displaying a behavioral
habit, has no sense of aggression inhibition or has a tendency to act like this
when others are present or not etc.
This means, then, that by no means
does frustration always lead to aggressive behavior. Indeed, it's also important to qualify further the frustration theory
with regard to another aspect. That is that it's not always a reaction to
frustration that causes aggressive behavior and that aggression has other
sources. Acts of violence are carried out when obeying an order, for instance, or when thoughtlessly
imitating a group or when trying to profit (murder with robbery, blackmail etc.).
Nevertheless, when it comes to identifying the possible and most common cause of aggressive
behavior, frustration remains a significant factor. Avoiding frustration, then, remains an important approach for reducing aggressive
behaviors. On a personal level, this might be achieved by adopting a
more sensitive approach with with others, while at a community level this might be achieved by
introducing more just living conditions. Given, however, that frustrations are unavoidable to a certain
extent, it is also important that we learn 'to deal' with them in a different way (...). It is well known that people differ a great deal in the way in which they deal with frustration and it's quite possible that learning plays a decisive role in
this."
[... to the section on "leaning theory"]
[aus: Hans-Peter Nolting, Aggression ist nicht gleich Aggression. Ein Überblick aus psychologischer Sicht; in: Der Bürger im Staat 43, 2/1993, p. 92-93]
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