PSYCH 2C03 Chapter Notes - Chapter 6: Pole And Polar
16 Dec 2015
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Aggression is intentional behaviour aimed at causing either physical or psychological pain. Whether or not this succeeds in its goal, it is aggression. Hostile aggression: an act of aggression stemming from feelings of anger and aimed at inflicting pain or injury. Instrumental aggression: there is an intention to hurt the other person, but the hurting takes place as a means to some goal other than causing pain. Hobbes" view elaborated by freud: human beings are born with an instinct towards life (eros) and an equally powerful death instinct (thanatos) which leads to aggressive actions. The aggressive energy needed to be let out to prevent illness. Society performs an essential function in regulating this instinct and in helping people in sublimate it- to turn the destructive energy into acceptable or useful behaviour. Aggressive instinct can be inhibited by early experience. Conclude that humans, especially males, are genetically programmed for aggressive behaviour.
