Freud

• psychodynamic

  Eros - life instinct - desire to preserve life and enjoy it

  Thanatos - death instinct - towards death and destruction

  Human behaviour as an interaction between these two instincts - aggression when redirect the destructive nature of Thanatos away from self and on to others

  Freud argues aggression originates from Thanatos
• ID - pleasure principle - Unconscious insatiable set of instincts with which people are born
• Ego - reality principle - conscious rational part of the personality that arbitrates between the demands of the ID and the demand of the superego
• Superego - morality principle - concerned with what is right and wrong developed through socialisation
• Catharsis - releasing animations/internal drive of aggression in ID - have a few negative emotions and are less aggressive

  Aggression can occur when you can’t catharsis release
• Displacement - aggression towards is not acceptable eg - teacher redirected to a more available substitute
• Sublimation - individuals able to displace his or her emotions in a constructive socially acceptable way
• Evaluation strengths of Freud

  • research evidence - Beneficial to process aggression - Graham et al 2008 - sample 51 - ranted + process emotions - improved in control over pain + depression - expressing anger may lead to health benefits - catharisis
  • Freud theory explain hot blooded and cold blooded aggression - hot blooded Is impulsive and angry - cold blooded actions deliberately planned out - Ego successfully controls plus guides ID impulses
• Weaknesses of Freud

  • Bushman 2002 - catharsis heightens aggression - 600 students are angered by confederate criticising their essay - Found students who vented by hitting punching bag more aggressive
  • Counterpoint - Freud theory - not scientific or empirically observed - lack of scientific evidence all linguistic information