Human Aggression and Violence
Question A
In essence, aggressive behavior is the one intended to cause psychological or physical harm. Aggression can either be overt or covert acts of aggression. Overt aggression entails actions that cause physical harm to other individuals. Often, aggressive acts include punching, kicking, among other physical threats. Usually, the type of aggression incorporates both profound and direct behaviors (Allen & Anderson, 2017). In overt aggression, changes noted in the environment owes to the nature of practices. Overt acts result from observable responses illustrated in diverse forms of actions. Often, the overt aggressions transform and turned into reactions. Examples of overt aggression include utilizing body gestures and facial expressions.
On the other hand, covert aggression concerns concealed behaviors that necessitate manipulative actions. As such, covert aggression employs move that hinders the perception of expected outcomes. Similarly, covert aggression facilitates the manipulation of primary sensitivities of an individual that potentiates an individual from adverse effects. Covert behaviors are often not discerned immediately. It is because the aggressions constitute the incorporation of psychological, physical, and social practices that are not discernable Allen & Anderson, 2017). Thus, when the form of aggression conceals aggressive conduct. Therefore, in covert aggressive behaviors, the primary purpose of the acts aims at gaining an advantage over the victims. In covert aggression, there is a likelihood of covert hostility. Covert hostility constitutes anger as a result of social and individual deprecation. Thus, individuals no longer express their rage owing to the different forms of criticism. Examples of convert aggression situations include an entity playing innocent when summoned on their performance of unlawful actions.
b)
Reactive aggression constitutes an aggressive reaction to different forms of any form of perceived threat. Often, the behavior ought to be evoked by various acts, i.e., frustrations, among others. Thus, the understanding of varying behavior occurs in instances where individuals encounter devastating and hostile situations. In essence, reactive aggression manifests and escalates among the adolescents in their development. The reason for reactive aggression is due to the development of the regions of the brain responsible for self-control and other responses to threat (Allen & Anderson, 2017). Thus, with inadequate development for emotional regulations, and executive controls, reactive aggressions manifests. An example of an active type of aggression is a cat that is overly calm until when an action is perceived to cause undue harm. The cat may attack the party or not, depending on the extent of provocation.
As for proactive aggression, individuals execute behaviors with anticipation of different forms of reward. Often, aggressive behaviors follow limited to no provocation. The type of aggression remains to be goal-oriented since the practice directs towards the achievement of a specific objective. Besides, it persists in being an individual coping mechanism to different from perceived threats and fears. Proactive aggressors constitute entities that engage in various forms of destructive actions, for instance, robbery (Allen & Anderson, 2017). The aggressive behaviors committed by proactive aggressors may constitute both physical, and the operations may be repeated over a while. In proactive aggression, reason prevails in being the dominant the aggressors, which makes the individuals always in control of different situations they encounter—for example, a group of people encouraging masses to get the government to comply with their needs.
Question 2
Notably, aggression and violence constitute multiple complex traits. Often, violence results from personal attacks that result in severe physical injury. Aggressions comprise various behaviors that persist in being dynamic and presents complex expressions. Human beings depict inconsistent patterns of behaviors that play different roles in their development (Bushman, 2016). Often, the various forms of aggression and violence are acquired through different interactions among individuals. Thus, aggression can be controlled, as seen in professions such as wrestling, among others. It would, therefore, be a pessimistic view that humans are innately violent. Usually, individuals accomplish violent behaviors when provoked.
Besides, studies by different ancient psychologists depict that aggressions accrue following provocations. Therefore, it would be just a hypothesis made that human beings undertake different violent behaviors because of their genetically programmed nature. Also, human beings have their ability to constrain their violence and aggressive behaviors. Therefore, the perception that they are genetically programed contradicts their skills (Bushman, 2016). It is because the neurotransmitters in the human body are responsible for the conveyance of diverse information within the organization. Thus, the responses reflect the environmental provocation that drives human beings into different aggressive acts and hence violence.
Question 3
According to the American Psychology Association, aggression entails behaviors that cause harm to individuals unanticipated. In contemporary society, defining aggression persists in being a significant challenge. It is because behavior that seems like aggression may not mean the intended message. Besides, most harmful practices do not fall in the category of assault. Thus, the act of aggression depicts some difficulties in its definition since most of the aggressions are classified based on its intensity (Bushman, 2016). Besides, most behaviors that cause harm to different individuals often fall in the category of aggressive behaviors, which is often not the case. Violence and aggression usually go handy since intensity falls in a subset of assault. Therefore, the different forms of aggression ought to be adequately comprehended to avoid misinformation and behaviors that trigger it. Proper understanding of aggression and its forms aids in limiting the adverse outcomes associated.
References
Allen, J. J., & Anderson, C. A. (2017). Aggression and violence: Definitions and distinctions. The Wiley handbook of violence and aggression, 1-14.
Bushman, B. J. (Ed.). (2016). Aggression and violence: A social psychological perspective. Psychology Press.