Aggression

• Aggression- Intent to harm outside the rules of the event
• Assertion- Forceful behaviour within the laws of the event
• What is the instinct theory of aggression?

  Aggression is a natural response (innate) that is instinctive and hard to control
• Beliefs of instinct theory of aggression

  • Applied instincts of animals to humans
  • Humans generate aggressive energy that needs to be released through an anti-social act or via more acceptable behaviour eg during sports competition
• Frustration


  Leads to aggression because any blocking of goals increases individuals' drive which leads to aggression
• Potential aggression


  When an individual is frustrated, there is an increase in arousal levels which leads to a predisposition or readiness for aggression
• Cues


  Certain stimuli must be present that act as a cue eg place (opponent/sport) that the individual associates these cues with having to be aggressive
• Bandura's social learning theory


  • Aggression is a learned response rather than instinct
  • We learn by observing and copying behaviour of significant others (vicarious processes)
  • Or by direct reinforcement of our own behaviours
• Bandura disagrees that we have natural aggression that drives us towards goals
• Bandura's view is optimistic - if people can learn aggressive tendencies, they can learn non-aggressive tendencies
• Controlling aggression in sport

  1. Stress management - relaxation

  2. Avoid situations that initiate aggressive responses-change positions

  3. Remove aggressive players

  4. Reinforce non-aggressive acts

  5. Show non-aggressive role models + highlight success

  6. Punish aggressive participant - fine system

  7. Increase peer pressure to be non-aggressive

  8. Highlight player's position of responsibility - show how it can let the team down
• Positives of instinct theory

  • Early humans were not warriors but hunter-gatherers
  • Close evolutionary relatives such as gorillas, would also be expected to be highly aggressive, but they are not
  • Human aggression is often not spontaneous
  • Human aggression is often learned and many cultural differences back this up
  • This theory implies all humans are the same
  • People can learn to control it
• Negatives of instinct theory

  •It can be a natural human instinct to be aggressive

  •Aggression can be hard to control

  •Some people are ‘aggressive’ and thus it can be predictable

  •You can feel a release of aggression/catharsis when channelling aggression into sport
• Catharsis- the release of frustration which leads to a feeling of well-being
• Order of frustration-aggression hypothesis

  1. drive to goal
  2. obstacle to goal
  3. frustration
  4. aggression
  5. punishment and back to frustration
  6. or catharsis then success
• Explain frustration-aggression theory

  •frustration will always lead to aggression

  •If there is an obstacle in the way of a goal a performer can become frustrated which can lead to aggression.

  •Aggression once initiated, will then reduce frustration, leading to catharsis
• Evaluate the frustration-aggression hypothesis

  • frustration doesnt always lead to aggression
  • individuals can overcome aggression
  • aggression can still occur without an obstacle
  • Social learning theory not accounted for
• What is the aggressive cue theory?

  •Increased frustration = increase in arousal

  •This leads to a predisposition or readiness for aggression, i.e. it is the arousal level that leads to the potential for aggression

  •If aggression is going to occur, certain stimuli must be present that act as cues for the athlete, e.g. a particular place/opponent/sport

  •The athlete then associates these cues with having to be aggressive.
• Aggressive cues


  Weapons/objects

  Nature of game- rugby

  Places- injured before

  People- close rivals

  Nature of event- derby

  Perceived unfairness- incorrect referee decision

  Witnessing violence