Material on psychology on the topic: “Aggression and aggressiveness: the difference between concepts”

InterpretationTranslationIndirect aggressionEtymology.Comes from Lat. aggressio - attack. Category.A form of aggressive behavior.Specificity.With indirect aggression, the direction against a person or object is hidden or not realized by the subject of aggression. Psychological Dictionary. THEM. Kondakov. 2000.

See what “indirect aggression” is in other dictionaries:

• INDIRECT AGGRESSION - in international law, aggression committed by armed gangs, groups, regular forces or mercenaries that are not formally part of the regular armed forces of any state or hide their affiliation with them, although they ... ... Legal Encyclopedia
• Indirect Aggression is aggressive behavior, the direction of which against some person or object is hidden or not realized by the subject of aggression himself... Psychological Dictionary
• Indirect aggression is aggression directed in a roundabout way at another person... Human psychology: dictionary of terms
• INDIRECT AGGRESSION - in international law, aggression committed by armed gangs, groups, regular forces or mercenaries who are not formally part of the regular armed forces of any state or who hide their affiliation with them, although they ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary of Economics and Law
• INDIRECT AGGRESSION - INDIRECT AGGRESSION ... Legal encyclopedia
• AGGRESSION - (lat. aggressio attack) in international law, the unlawful use of armed force. The formulation of the concept of aggression is contained in the “Definition of Aggression” adopted on December 14, 1974 by the UN General Assembly, according to Art. 1 whose aggression... ... Legal encyclopedia
• Indirect aggression, displaced - indirect aggression, aggressive actions addressed to objects belonging to or dear to one or another person (persons) to whom the aggression is ultimately directed. This, in particular, is vandalism (from the Latin Vandali tribes, known for their... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary of Psychology and Pedagogy
• Aggression (politics) - This term has other meanings, see Aggression. Aggression (from the Latin aggressio attack) is a concept of modern international law, which covers any use of force, unlawful from the point of view of the UN Charter, by one ... ... Wikipedia
• Aggression - (lat. aggredi attack) 1) individual or collective behavior, action aimed at causing physical or psychological harm, damage, or destruction of another person or group of people. In a significant proportion of cases... ... Dictionary-reference book on educational psychology
• Aggression - (lat. aggredi attack) 1) individual or collective behavior, action aimed at causing physical or psychological harm, damage, or destruction of another person or group of people. In a significant proportion of cases... ... Dictionary of educational psychology

Verbal aggression is verbal insults, a negative statement from one person to another. In common parlance it is called swearing. The attacker has one goal - to humiliate the opponent, to subjugate him to his will.

Verbal conflicts are no less dangerous than physical confrontation

Definition in psychology

Regular insults can lower a person’s self-esteem and cause negative thoughts and depression. Nonverbal aggression is expressed by intonation, facial expressions, and gestures. In this case, the attacker makes a threatening face and takes an appropriate pose.

Verbal aggression is verbal abuse. They can be expressed in different forms: shouting, threats, derogatory statements, and this is an incomplete list of options.

The main feature is that physical force is not used in conflict. But this does not make the impact any less harmful.

Verbal and nonverbal aggression

Verbal aggression is a verbal attack on another person , which is expressed in outbursts of anger, screaming, threats or other acts that can cause psychological trauma to another person. However, verbal aggression does not cause harm to physical health in most cases.

She is simply unpleasant and you also need to be able to resist her. After all, verbal aggression can sometimes cause more harm than non-verbal aggression. A person can even throw himself into a noose, upset by the attitude of a certain person towards himself. This is naturally not good.

If a person knows how to resist verbal aggression, then he gets a second wind. In addition, he looks much better in the eyes of others. After all, if you are able to competently fend off attacks from other people, even verbal ones, then such a person seems more confident in himself. And this personality trait is very useful for a person and his achievement of success.

The more successful a person is, the more he has to deal with verbal aggression. After all, he gets a lot of envious people and just people who are not afraid to express their opinions. If you get offended by every person who shows aggression and don’t know how to react to him, then you can really go crazy.

Nonverbal aggression is actions that are not related to a person's words . A person does not encounter it so often, since words can often be connected to nonverbalism. It can be of varying intensity and nature, so nonverbal aggression may or may not cause harm.

Nonverbal aggression poses a danger to another person when it is active. Then various dangerous objects and other goodies can be used. If it is hidden, then it does not pose a danger to humans.

Such aggression is expressed only in certain gestures, complexion, posture, and gaze. Moreover, the rule works that if somewhere a person suppresses the external manifestations of his aggression, then they still creep in in other gestures or poses.

What is the danger

Aggression - what is it in psychology, the concept of
Aggression, even verbal, is dangerous for the wearer. It depletes the resources of the nervous system, makes you worry, and the level of communication skills decreases.

An aggressive person gets along especially poorly in a family. He may deliberately insult or humiliate relatives. This greatly affects the quality and strength of bonds, especially with a partner.

Verbal aggression manifests itself in the form of threats, insults, accusations, etc. An individual consciously does so in order to humiliate and hurt another. Gossip and slander are also types of attack.

How verbal aggression manifests itself: types, forms

How does verbal aggression manifest itself?
Aggression is behavior that is aimed at causing harm to a person, regardless of whether it is physical or mental. This is a normal reaction when a person feels threatened, but if such manifestations become a habit, then such a trait as aggressiveness develops in the individual.

Aggressiveness is a readiness to show aggression when a person feels threatened wherever possible.

People who constantly use verbal aggression may not even realize it. It’s just that in our society it is customary to consider only physical violence as aggression, but words can cause no less harm, and sometimes even more.

Through verbal aggression, we can greatly hurt the soul of another person. This can lead to a deterioration in moral and even physical condition. In addition, the relationship with the person deteriorates or ends completely.

Typically, verbal aggression manifests itself in the form of:

• Threats
• Insults
• Accusations
• rude expressions
• Reproaches
• Curses
• And so on

In addition, verbal aggression can be of several types:

• Direct and active . In this case, a person humiliates and insults another during a conversation
• Active and not direct . Expressed in the form of slander, gossip and rumors spread behind the victim’s back
• Passive and direct . A person refuses to engage in conversation and pointedly ignores a potential interlocutor
• Passive and not direct . A person refuses to speak up in defense of another who is being criticized for no reason.

Differences from nonverbal aggression

Victimization - what is it in psychology?
Nonverbal aggression is physical impact, as well as threatening facial expressions, posture, and gestures. It can be expressed in an attempt to throw any object at another person.

Nonverbal aggression poses a threat to life, since in the heat of the moment an individual can start fighting

It is impossible to completely protect against such influence, since any form of aggression is inherent in society. You can encounter verbal abuse on the street, at work, or at school.

Reasons for appearance

Consciousness - what is it in psychology?
In a person, anger appears due to the protective mechanisms of the psyche. A simple option is that the individual strives with all his might to defend his rightness. Sometimes the reasons for everything are nervous tension, stress, fatigue.

Important! People with a low level of culture, immoral and asocial are prone to verbal aggression.

A person's behavior can change throughout life. Sometimes the boundaries of morality and morality may blur. Aggravating factors: drug and alcohol addiction, dysfunctional family. During adolescence, children are more prone to aggression due to hormonal fluctuations and separation from their parents.

In rare cases, this behavior appears due to the onset of mental disorders. Then problems arise with empathy, self-criticism, and destructive behavior begins.

Sometimes verbal aggression is a consequence of overwork. A person accumulates negative emotions, collects them and suppresses them. As a result, any little thing can trigger an explosion.

People of sanguine and choleric temperaments are most prone to this. In these types of nervous system, excitation processes predominate over inhibition processes. Therefore, a person can easily get wound up and have a hard time calming down.

An aggressive personality type can develop against the background of a crisis situation. In the absence of timely help, everything can go into the stage of self-destruction: alcoholism, drug addiction, etc.

Causes

Sigmund Freud believed that aggressiveness is innate. It seems to be part of the instincts that ensure survival. But not everyone can curb their instincts. It has also been scientifically proven that it is inherited. Kirsty Lagerspetz conducted an experiment on mice. She, having divided more than two dozen generations into calm and fierce ones, eventually received pure litters. That is, violent mice and those who did not seek to harm others.

High blood sugar also affects the sensitivity of the nervous system to external stimuli. Any chemicals in the body can trigger destructive behavior. Everyone knows that most crimes or fights are committed while intoxicated.

In addition to the above factors that influence an individual’s behavior, there are a number of other reasons why aggressiveness makes itself felt.

Self-control

At the moment of frustration, that is, when a situation arises that prevents the satisfaction of some need, a person experiences a lot of tension. To cope with it, the psyche has created so-called restraining mechanisms. They block the natural reaction - to destroy what prevents you from achieving your goal. Or the one who interferes.

So, all people have different levels of self-control. There are individuals who are completely unable to control themselves, which is why they constantly commit violence towards other people and animals. The slightest stress and they “flare up”. But the most dangerous are those who have overdeveloped inhibitions. Such a person will show restraint and composure even at critical moments when anyone would “lose their head.”

Due to restraint, emotions and energy are not realized, but accumulated. The body's resources fail one day, which is not surprising. And then it can “break through.” Often such moments become fatal when the force of rage and destruction does not correspond to the situation at all. Everyone who is nearby or on the way suffers.

Family system

From a psychological point of view, aggression is mostly the result of family upbringing. The conditions in which a child grows up leave an indelible mark on his future life.

For example, parents who physically punish their children give them the idea that using force against those who are weaker is normal. That if you are not in the mood, you can release your anger on those who are nearby. And the stricter the punishment, the more actively cruelty and insensitivity will develop. A defense mechanism comes into force so as not to suffer because of injustice, it is easier not to feel anything at all.

Children take their behavior model from their parental family. Why, being constantly suppressed and enduring, or constantly observing violence, they will behave the same way with the people around them, not realizing that this is not right. For them, humiliation, physical violence in case of disobedience, etc. are the norm.

Another important factor is the lack of inclusion in the upbringing process. When an adult does not care about his child, he is not interested in what happens to him and in general, where he is and what he is doing. Or there are often situations when the mother provides all the physiological needs of the baby, but is not able to give him love. That is, she is functional, but emotionally indifferent. Then there is a desire to attract attention to yourself in any way. And most often destructive methods are chosen, that is, vandalism, self-harm or fights with peers.

Direct and indirect aggression

There are two types of verbal aggression. The direct form is aimed at the opponent, it has a powerful effect. Those who are unable to fight back become victims. In psychology, this behavior is called victimization.

The direct form is more unpredictable and can develop into a nonverbal attack

It is difficult to resist this type of aggression. Children are especially vulnerable to it. The child is lost from such attacks, he becomes scared and begins to get nervous.

Indirect aggression is hidden. This may mean that the attacker is spreading rumors, gossip, slander and other defamatory information. This type does not cause direct damage, but indirect aggression can destroy the victim's reputation. This especially affects media and popular personalities. It is almost impossible to get rid of bad information, especially due to the proliferation of Internet resources.

Important! Identifying the type of aggression is necessary in order to learn how to resist negative influences.

The two forms of verbal aggression can have very different effects on the victim. Some people tolerate shouts and insults indifferently, but worry about gossip.

Sometimes confrontation can be expressed in a passive form. The aggressor refuses to engage in conversation and pointedly does not pay attention. Another option is that an individual does not defend another when he is actively criticized.

Gender manifestations of aggression have no scientific evidence. In layman's terms, women are thought to be more prone to verbal attacks; in fact, men often do this too. Some scientists believe that it’s all about the development of society. The use of force is prohibited by law; all that remains is to express anger verbally.

How to cope

There are several ways to help resist aggression. They will come to the rescue when faced with rudeness at work or on the street. First of all, you need to not react. You should not give any reaction: neither positive nor negative. Ignoring is the best option to stop an attacker.

You need to not just remain silent, but not show emotions, this is already more difficult. It's not easy to stop taking words personally. Overcoming yourself begins with recognizing the right of another person to express their opinion, even if it is negative.

If the aggressor does not receive emotional support, then it is more difficult for him to continue active attacks. There is another option for confrontation. Having heard orders and insults from a person, an individual must ask himself: is he obliged to follow his instructions; if not, then he can calmly ask why the aggressor orders.

If the attacker chooses the tactic of ignoring, then you can do the following. The right of silence is reserved for him, but an important aspect is emphasized: such behavior will not achieve anything.

Strong personal boundaries are the best defense against attack. To do this, they develop self-esteem, self-confidence and abstract themselves from people.

Parents or other individuals should not be allowed to push feelings of duty and responsibility.

If the aggressor uses intimidation tactics, then it is worth considering: will this really harm the victim? If the answer is negative, you don’t have to worry.

Important! When attacking, you need to be able to separate the boundaries of your own and others' responsibility.

Identifying verbal aggression plays an important role in maintaining mental balance. If a person knows who he may encounter in life, it is easier for him to develop self-defense mechanisms. It will not be possible to completely avoid encounters with aggressors, but you can reduce the damage from them.

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—> Indirect aggression
Source: Human psychology from birth to death. Dictionary

—> Indirect aggression is behavior aimed at causing harm to another person without overt face-to-face conflict.

Source: Social psychology. Understand yourself to understand others. St. Petersburg Prime Eurosign 2002

—> INDIRECT AGGRESSION

Source: Golovin S.Yu. Dictionary of a practical psychologist. 1998

—> Indirect aggression

Source: Kondakov I. Psychological Dictionary. 2000

—> INDIRECT AGGRESSION

Source: Antsupov A.Ya., Shipilov A.I. Dictionary of conflict specialist. 2009

—> Indirect aggression - aggressive actions presented in a hidden, disguised form. They are indirectly aimed at a specific person (group, offspring, cultural norm, moral principle, religious dogma, etc.) - the true victim of aggression. Examples of indirect aggression can be vandalism, slander, unkind rumors, etc. A special kind of indirect aggression, from the point of view of the “greens,” is environmental damage. Those who cause it usually realize that the damage they cause to nature threatens, first of all, future generations, but the pests themselves are more important than the motives of their own enrichment or some other, equally personal or narrow group motives. Sometimes, indirect aggression refers to actions characterized by their lack of direction and disorder, such as explosions of rage or beating the table with fists (Meshcheryakov, Zinchenko, 2004). At the same time, the direction of such actions is carefully hidden or not realized by the subject of aggression.

Source: Dictionary of terms of aggression and violence

Show more...Personality psychology Author of the article: Ivan Ivanovich Ivanov Ivanov I. I. —>
Contents of the article:
Aggression is a very complex and destructive emotion that is harmful not only to the person who manifests it, but also, of course, to those to whom it is directed . In psychology, there are several types of aggression, and almost all of us have encountered it in one way or another. You will learn how to control this condition and how to respond to its manifestations in this article.

Correction of aggressive behavior

In some cases, aggressive behavior can be corrected on your own, but sometimes you need to resort to face-to-face help from specialists. There are different methods for correcting aggression in children, adolescents and adults. To reduce aggression in children, the following actions are relevant:

• proper organization of the child’s daily routine and leisure time
• active physical education, sports, dancing
• prevention of fatigue
• normalization of sleep and wakefulness

As for psychological methods for correcting aggressive behavior in children, a number of them are relevant. The first technique is called “fist toy”. The baby is asked to close his eyes, a toy is placed in his hand and he is asked to squeeze it tightly. After which the baby is asked to open his eyes and check what is held in his palm. The second current technique is called the “bag of anger.” Grains or sand with small pebbles are poured into a small fabric bag. A child can be kicked, hit, thrown when he feels a surge of anger, anger, irritation within himself.

Factors to reduce aggressiveness

The following strategies can be used to correct aggressive behavior in children:

• orientation to the experiences and emotions of others
• to stimulate and demonstrate humane feelings in an aggressive child and victim
• experiencing a feeling of joy and pride when the child has mastered himself and does not show aggressiveness
• switching the child from experiencing feelings of failure and aggressive behavior
• response to feelings of resentment in an aggressive child and the one towards whom his aggressive behavior is directed
• modeling a situation of failure in order to overcome the feeling of failure, etc.

To correct aggression in adults, you can use special psychological techniques if the aggressor himself has a desire to change. If the desire is small, inconsistent or non-existent, it is worth motivating the person to seek a face-to-face consultation with a psychologist or psychotherapist. Only regular practice will help you adjust your behavior for the benefit of yourself and others.

Source

What is aggression

The word "aggression" comes from the Latin "attack". Characterized by a cruel and emotional attitude towards the opponent. An aggressive person is ready to inflict psychological or physical damage without thinking about the consequences.

Aggression is also called a pattern of behavior (verbal or physical) aimed at causing harm to the interlocutor. Aggression usually manifests itself as a reaction to a situation created by someone else. A person becomes angry at the fact that certain obstacles arise on the way to his goal. He does not delve into whether this situation was deliberately provoked or whether it happened by accident.

There is a straight line

and
indirect
aggressiveness, as well as
hostile
,
destructive
,
verbal
and others - they will be written about in more detail later. You can often hear that aggression is a form of response to negative life situations that cause depression and stress. This is true, but the matter is not limited to these situations - aggression can also be a conscious choice of human behavior.

Definition of the concepts aggression, aggressiveness and aggressive behavior.

It must be recognized that the terms “aggression”, “aggressiveness”, “aggressive behavior” are used in a variety of contexts and, often, their meanings are understood as synonymous and interchangeable. Therefore, it is necessary to clearly separate these concepts by defining their specificity.

In everyday everyday use, the concept of “aggression”, as a rule, reflects actions that carry varying degrees of destruction of both the physical and mental integrity of another person, and also cause material damage and can prevent him from realizing his intentions.

In understanding aggression, the aspects of complementarity, motivation and conventionality are of great importance. The word aggression has Latin roots and comes from the word “aggregi”, which means “to attack” [129]. Its semantic meaning has not always been the same, although it has long been actively used in European languages. Until the beginning of the 19th century, aggression was understood as any active behavior of both a benevolent nature and a hostile orientation [126, p. 17]. Later, the semantics of the word narrowed and acquired specificity. Aggression began to be understood as any hostile, “harmful” behavior directed at people around [83, p.46].

The concept of “aggression” is used by many authors to combine acts of behavior that differ in form and consequences - from ridicule, cruel jokes, gossip to banditry, terrorism and murder [9, 15, 54, 81, 90]. Adolescents often display such qualities as cockiness, pugnacity, touchiness, and cruelty [23, 66, 98]. These manifestations of violent behavior also fall under the category of aggressive actions [131, 132]. These actions are harmful in nature, but the degree of their danger depends on the individual characteristics of the aggressor and the resistance that is shown to him.

In aggression research, different authors define aggression differently. K. Lorenz understands aggression as a biologically determined human reaction intended to “protect the area” [99, p.94]. For J. Morrison, aggression manifests itself as a desire for dominance (cited from [118, pp. 46-47]). K. Horney and E. Fromm understood aggression as an individual’s reaction to the surrounding reality that is hostile to him (cited from [83, p. 3]). K. Dollard linked aggression and frustration (cited from [22, p. 125]).

Modern researchers understand aggression as motivated external actions [11, 38, 56, etc.], causing harm and causing pain and suffering to people due to violation of social norms and rules. Aggression is often combined with hostility, however, some people, being in conflictual relationships, do not show any aggression towards each other.

S. Fischbach in his works noted the need to take into account motivational factors for determining aggression (cited from [126, p. 18]). Under motivational factors E.I. Rogov implies a causal background to the actions performed by an individual. These same factors include needs and instincts, drives and emotions, attitudes and ideals [99, p.143].

E. Fromm defines aggression as actions in which a harmful intention towards another animal or inanimate object can be traced [149, p.367].

In "Psychological Dictionary" edited by V.P. Zinchenko gives the following definition: “Aggression is a motivated destructive behavior that contradicts the norms and rules of coexistence of people in society, harming the objects of attack (animate and inanimate), causing physical harm to people or causing them psychological discomfort (negative experiences, a state of tension, fear, depression)" [111, p. 36].

For D. Richardson and R. Baron, “aggression is behavior aimed at causing harm or damage to another living being who has every reason to avoid such treatment” [37, p. 78]. In this definition, the provisions on intentionality and purposefulness of actions that cause harm to the victim become basic for understanding aggression. The authors call aggression only that harmful behavior that is aimed at living organisms that are motivated to avoid aggression towards themselves [ibid., pp. 79-81].

It is worth noting that it would be wrong to perceive aggression only as a “destructive reaction”. Aggression always underlies creative activity and is the basis for a person’s desire for self-affirmation. Summarizing the approaches to understanding aggression existing in psychology and philosophy, we can distinguish aggression as a form of behavior that is a biologically expedient factor for the survival of the individual and his adaptation. And at the same time, aggression is regarded as a kind of evil.

There are also approaches in which aggression is considered as a mental state. In this case, aggression can manifest itself in the form of mental release, or as mental defense [110, p. 24]. In this context, it is advisable to use the concept of “aggression”, which considers the psychological state (situational, social) directly during the act of aggression [83, p.46].

Considering aggression as a form of behavior that is aimed at insulting another person, causing harm to a living being that avoids such treatment, it is necessary to consider a number of concepts:

- Form of behavior. In this context, aggression is expressed not in isolated emotions, attitudes, motives, but in a complex pattern of behavior. The term “aggression” evokes associations with negative emotions of anger, anger, with motives to offend or harm an object, with negative attitudes manifested in racial or ethnic prejudices.

- Intention. In this context, when understanding the term “aggression,” it is assumed that there are certain actions in which the aggressor intentionally causes harm to the victim. It is important to note that intentions are often hidden, inaccessible to direct observation, personal motives that can be judged by the conditions preceding the act of aggression, or its consequences.

Aggressiveness of R.S. Nemov defines it as hostility, i.e. human behavior aimed at other people and characterized by the desire to cause harm [112, p.376].

Aggressiveness in research by L.M. Semenyuk is described through qualitative and quantitative characteristics. Aggressiveness, according to the author, has levels of expression: from its absence as a property to its maximum development [126, p.22]. Thus, hypothetically, each personality, to one degree or another, has aggressiveness, since its absence means passivity, conformity, lack of individuality, etc. But at the same time, excessive development of this quality can determine the entire appearance of the personality, determining its conflict, etc. [133, p.9].

According to S. Freud’s concept, aggressiveness determines a person’s adaptability and is an inherent characteristic that determines activity [147, pp. 143-145].

M. Klein sees in aggressiveness healthy traits necessary for an active life and inherent in leaders. Such traits are persistence in overcoming obstacles, perseverance in achieving goals and initiative (cited from [22, p. 145]).

A.A. Rean considers some cases of aggressiveness as “an adaptive property associated with getting rid of frustration and anxiety” [120, pp. 59-60]. The state of frustration is understood by the author as “a mental state characterized by the presence of a stimulated need that has not found its satisfaction” [ibid., p. 62]. This condition can be accompanied by a complex combination of feelings and emotions: anger, irritation, anger, indignation, despair.

As noted by O.M. Shabalin and N.D. Levitov, when analyzing the concept of “aggressiveness” for a deeper understanding of the essence of the problem and the possibility of carrying out its comprehensive characterization, it is necessary to highlight the cognitive, volitional and emotional components of an aggressive state. Aggressive manifestations can appear at the earliest stages of development as reactions of protest, dissatisfaction, and expression of one’s desires. These manifestations are unconscious for quite a long time and, therefore, the child does not have the opportunity to adequately assess the social situation. Therefore, aggressive manifestations in childhood occur against the background of a limited ability to control one’s emotions, objective difficulties in regulating behavior and the inability to foresee the consequences of one’s aggressive actions. The emotional components of an aggressive state manifest themselves in the form of affective outbursts of anger and rage and are the factor that contributes to the loss of control of consciousness over the actions performed by a person. The cognitive component represents a person’s orientation in a social situation and in his personality. The volitional component of an aggressive state is associated to a greater extent with the ability to control one’s aggressive actions and state rather than with the ability to “restrain” aggression [157].

According to A. Bas, “hostility is a narrower state that always has a specific object” (cited from [126, p. 11]). J. Delgado argued that “...human aggressiveness is a behavioral reaction characterized by the manifestation of force in an attempt to cause harm or damage to the individual or society” (cited from [ibid., p. 17]).

In "Psychological Dictionary" edited by I.P. Zinchenko reveals the following definition of aggressive behavior: “...motivated destructive behavior that contradicts the norms (rules) of coexistence of people in society, harming the objects of attack (animate and inanimate), causing physical harm to people or causing them psychological discomfort (negative experiences, a state of tension, fear, depression, etc.)” [111, p. 38].

It should be noted that aggressive behavior in the ordinary sense becomes “malicious” at the moment when the motive for destruction appears. S.N. Enikolopov understands aggressive behavior as “... one of the forms of response to various unfavorable physical and mental life situations that cause stress, frustration, etc. conditions. Psychologically aggressive behavior is one of the main ways to solve problems associated with the preservation of individuality and identity, with the protection and growth of a sense of self-worth, self-esteem, level of aspirations, as well as maintaining and strengthening control over the environment that is essential for the subject” [62, p. 6].

In the structural characteristics of aggressive behavior S.N. Enikolopov identified several levels:

— the affective level is represented by negative emotional states and feelings of anger, anger, rage;

- behavioral level includes statements, aggressive gestures, actions;

— at the cognitive level, negative expectations, inadequate ideas and attitudes of the individual appear;

— the motivational level determines both unconscious aggressive aspirations and conscious goals.

In a close to normative meaning, the concept of “aggressive behavior” is understood as “...individual or collective behavior aimed at causing physical or psychological harm, damage, or destruction of another person” [123, p. 79].

Types of aggression in psychology

Psychologists distinguish several types of aggressiveness.

Direct or indirect

Direct aggression is directed directly at a person, while indirect aggression is a reaction in the form of an action directed at someone (unkind jokes, unfair gossip) or in the form of uncontrolled actions (explosions of rage, throwing things, punching a wall or table, and so on) .

Physical and Verbal

Physical aggression involves the use of physical force against another person or object. With verbal aggression, negative emotions manifest themselves in the form of screaming, swearing, screeching, and so on.

Provocative and protective

With defensive aggression, a person tries to repel an opponent and his aggressive actions. When provoking, the first “attack” in the conversation occurs.

External and auto-aggression

The vector of external aggression is directed at others. Internal – on one’s own personality. The second case is expressed by self-flagellation, and in critical cases - even suicide.

Hostile and instrumental

Hostile aggressiveness is based on anger, and its ultimate goal is to cause harm. If causing harm is not an end in itself, but only a means of achieving another goal, we are talking about instrumental aggression.

Healthy (reasonable) and unreasonable (destructive)

The boundaries of aggression are difficult to define, and everyone has their own idea about it. Some people call aggression what others call energy. If there are good reasons for such behavior (example: protecting the weak) and it evokes sympathy, then such aggression is called healthy.

Types of aggression

There are 5 types of aggression:

• physical (direct infliction of moral or physical harm);
• verbal (verbal aggression);
• expressive (expression through non-verbal means);
• indirect (directed and undirected aggression towards not the true object of irritation, but a more accessible one);
• direct (impact on the object of stimulation itself);
• irritation (readiness to show aggression);
• negativism (opposition, passive resistance before active struggle).

There are other classifications of aggression. They can be summarized through a description of the key properties of aggression around which the classifications are built:

• orientation (at oneself, at an object, at a living object);
• observability (hidden or open aggression);
• measure of severity (frequency, duration);
• manifestation space (house, street);
• the nature of mental actions (physical, in dreams, in words);
• by social danger (legally punishable or non-punishable aggressive actions).

In addition, aggression can be individual or collective. Hatred, envy, and resentment are also variants of aggression.

Also, aggression can be directed at the external world (heteroaggression) or at the internal world, that is, the person himself (autoaggression). Depending on the cause of its occurrence, aggression can be reactive (a response to irritation from a quarrel or conflict) and spontaneous (unexpected outbursts as a result of mental problems or the cumulative effect of patience). In terms of direction, aggression can be targeted (causing harm) or instrumental (winning in competitions, working as a doctor).

Forms of aggressive behavior

Aggression is the experience of certain emotions that trigger aggressive behavior. Emotions on this spectrum come in several forms.

Disturbance

Usually the response is not to the unfair or absurd behavior of others, to the absurdity of the situation, etc. (violation of the law, disregard for decency, failure to comply with agreements, etc.).

Irritation

It occurs when we cannot justify or justify someone's behavior. We don't know how to more accurately formulate our dissatisfaction with the situation. Sometimes we cannot even determine to whom the experience is specifically directed - it is addressless and diffuse.

Anger

The brightest emotion of aggression that accompanies its behavioral manifestations. Characterized by discontent, rage, anger. Often it is a response to the actions of the other party.

Aggressive behavior

The word “aggression” has Latin roots (“attack”). Statistics show that children and adults are becoming more and more aggressive every year. This is mainly due to the increasing pace of life, psychological stress and poor sleep and rest schedules. Aggressive behavior can arise both due to the characteristics of a person’s character and upbringing, and due to mental illness.

Aggressive behavior is destructive actions and statements that lead to psychological and physical harm to the person or group of people at whom it is directed. Unreasonable aggression may indicate that the body's hormonal balance is disturbed, in some cases this is a manifestation of Alzheimer's disease. There can be a lot of reasons, so you need to be examined by qualified specialists. The earlier the diagnosis is carried out, the higher the chance of eliminating the causes without consequences for the person himself and for others, including those closest to him.

Causes of aggressive behavior

Aggressive behavior has prerequisites and reasons.

In children

Are you seeing aggression in your child? It is important to understand its reasons. Sometimes it helps in achieving goals, self-defense and satisfaction of needs.

When it comes to aggression in children, it is worth considering that in some situations aggression is necessary for every person. Aggressiveness helps in self-defense, achieving one’s goals, asserting rights and satisfying desires.

Aggression in an acceptable form makes it possible to adapt socially faster and move more confidently towards success. We are not talking about aggression characterized by hatred, causing damage, or the formation of negative character traits.

Attacks of aggression are often observed in children over 4 years of age. Its main reason: family, aggressive behavior of loved ones in everyday situations. It happens more often in families where swearing, insults, humiliation, and rudeness are acceptable. The second reason: indifference or too domineering attitude of parents. Methods to overcome the problem: know how to listen to the child, surround him with kindness, affection, convey your experiences.

In teenagers

The peak of adolescent aggression occurs during puberty. Traits characteristic of aggressive teenagers: lack of serious interests and hobbies, narrow-mindedness, lack of finances for basic needs.

They are prone to imitation and suggestibility. They feel embittered towards parents and peers. They are characterized by low self-esteem, increased anxiety, and egocentrism. They don’t know how to overcome difficulties or control behavior. All these facts together lead to aggression.

Aggressive teenagers and children can be seen not only in dysfunctional families - they are found at different social levels, being a means of demonstrating independence and maturity. If we are not talking about a mental disorder, then a heart-to-heart conversation or consultation with a psychologist can be a treatment method.

In adults

Common causes of aggression in adults:

• Abuse of drugs and alcohol, which weaken the nervous system and cause an inadequate reaction to minor events.
• Mental trauma acquired in childhood.
• Overwork, lack of proper rest.
• Personal problems, dissatisfaction with personal life, feelings of loneliness, intimate problems.
• Excessive passion for computer games and violent films.
• Strict upbringing.

Classification

By direction

• Outside. That is, destruction of surrounding people, objects, animals, etc. occurs.
• To myself. The vector of anger is directed towards one’s own personality. Such a person may experience not only irritation and dissatisfaction, but also disgust. He will blame himself and try to destroy himself through prolonged actions. For example, lead an immoral lifestyle, abuse alcohol or drugs, get involved in dangerous sports, stop eating or, conversely, constantly overeat. In general, lead an addictive lifestyle.

By purpose

• Instrumental. Used to achieve your goals. Female dolphins punish their cubs for misbehavior by floating above them and not giving them the opportunity to surface to get a portion of oxygen. They do this not out of a desire to harm them, but as an educational process so that they finally learn some important rule. Ignoring it could cost them their lives in the future.
• Hostile. Here the situation is completely opposite. Not only the goal is well understood, but also the object to which they plan to cause damage. It doesn’t matter whether it’s material, moral or physical. Erich Fromm was of the opinion that this type of aggression is characteristic of indecisive people. When they are unable to voice their concerns or assert boundaries, then they want to hurt those who are great at it. Or because of whom life seems to be not working out.

By expression method

• Physical. That is, the use of physical force. This could be beating, wounding with a firearm or bladed weapon.
• Verbal. Simply put, when they insult, threaten, humiliate, or are rude. Or they use non-standard language and personal information to “hit” harder in weak spots.

By severity

• Indirect. Hidden, veiled. Another person may sometimes not realize that actions are being taken against him that will cause him harm. For example, gossip or slander. It is not always possible to understand who was the first to spread false information. Also jokes, but not the kind that cause joyful laughter and pleasant feelings. No, these are evil jokes that hurt and offend. Refusal to communicate, to explain the reasons for one’s condition, slamming the door, turning off the phone during a conversation... By the way, the one who uses unpleasant jokes may not realize what is happening and may not be able to track how he feels. But at the same time it causes pain.
• Straight. When they don’t hide, but act directly and declare their true attitude. Then you don’t have to guess about anything, everything is clear to everyone.

Based on initiative

• Defensive. It is used by the police to protect civilians from criminals. Parents will protect their child to the last, even if it means using violence. Animals protect their owners, the territory in which they live. And with their friendliness, they can attack someone who poses a threat.
• Provocative. Taking action to provoke another to attack.

How to deal with an aggressive person

For parents who want to extinguish their child’s manifestations of aggression, it is important to try to understand him,, if possible, accept his position and listen without criticism. It is important that aggression is eliminated from communication among household members and is not the norm of communication for adults. From an early age and during the period of growing up, parents, even on a subconscious level, are a guide for children. In a family of brawlers, the child absorbs similar qualities, even if they often try to hide aggressive behavior - it manifests itself at the level of sensations, the atmosphere in the house.

Even if a teenager grows up quiet and withdrawn, the consequences of family aggression in the future will manifest themselves in the form of tyranny and cruelty. Prevention of this result will be a consultation with a psychologist who can help correct behavior.

When communicating with an aggressive person, it is important not to “turn on” a similar response. If possible, leave the conflict zone, offer to talk when emotions have settled - do not provoke the conflict to escalate.

Prevention of aggression in children and adolescents:

• formation of positive hobbies (sports, music);
• absence of physical violence in the family;
• regular joint discussion of problems;
• attention to the child's feelings;
• absence of reproaches and harsh criticism.

How to deal with those who are faced with aggression from their interlocutor. In many cases, demonstrating non-aggressive behavior and not reacting to provocation will help.

If an angry person is not helped in time, this can lead to a dangerous outcome.

What you need to do to prevent this from happening:

1. Minimize the number of participants in the conflict and witnesses.
2. Give the aggressor the opportunity to “let off steam” in an acceptable way (talk it out).
3. Ask for help with physical work that helps you “blow off steam” and get distracted: shovel snow, chop wood, fix something.
4. Demonstrate a favorable attitude. Do you disagree with the actions of the aggressor? Don't write it off with accusations and reproaches. Invite him to find a way out of the situation together.
5. Lighten the atmosphere with funny comments (refuse to make offensive jokes or words that somehow harm an aggressive person).

What to do?

Substitution and discharge

Don't let negative energy build up. Holding onto anger, as already mentioned, does not lead to anything good. As well as its uncontrolled manifestation. Try to anticipate the consequences of your reactions and activities. If you understand that by speaking out, you will destroy, say, your career, and you cannot find the words to prevent such unpleasant events, then try to release the energy in a safe environment.

It is necessary to choose an object on which you can safely discharge. For example, hitting a pillow or a punching bag. If you don't mind - dishes. Shout into the water, it muffles the sound, which allows you to bring yourself back to normal even at home.

Sport

By playing sports, you will not only lose energy, but also realize your natural need for competition. Which is especially important for men with high testosterone levels, which means they are active and aggressive. In almost any sport, not only technical skills and intelligence are important, but also attentiveness, the ability to concentrate and control one’s reactions. Practice meditation, with its help you will improve not only your health, but also achieve emotional balance.

Mindfulness

Always strive to find the reasons for the occurrence of any experiences. By getting to know your own personality, you will understand at what moments you lose control, fly into rage, and so on. Listen to what they say about you. Feedback to your actions will help you understand what you should pay attention to in self-development.

Reconsider your value system; correctly set priorities will help you restrain aggression. Look for constructive ways to satisfy needs and get out of critical situations. Especially during conflicts. If you don't know how to resolve them, use the recommendations found at this link.

Treatment of aggression

Only working with a psychologist will help as an effective treatment for aggression, but there are simple methods that can help you periodically cope with it. Numerous studies demonstrate that a person who shows aggression must give vent to emotions, but look for the most acceptable way. This will reduce the level of aggressiveness, preventing it from moving to threatening forms. One of the main reasons for aggression and provoking conflicts is the lack of usual norms of behavior and communication skills. Solution: special psychotherapeutic programs that help you feel more confident in society and gain communication skills. Attend a variety of trainings that give confidence and increase self-esteem.

Watch the video

Let's continue our journey into the world of sign language. In fact, most of all nonverbal signs can be divided into several groups (language of aggression, shame, romance, joy, sadness, and so on). It is most convenient to consider them in groups. One of the most common is the language of aggression . It manifests itself in a variety of situations and, most often, in a kind of struggle or psychological competition between interlocutors. And in some cases, aggressive body language is the only way to express your feelings.

For example, if in a dialogue there are two people of different level and status: a child – a parent. Most often, a verbal dispute is not possible, but through body language the child most often expresses his dissatisfaction and disagreement, showing that he is angry. It is easiest to learn any type of sign language with children.

Sign language. Threat signals.

A significant threat can be shown in the face, non-verbally saying that “don’t touch me, just a little more and I’ll scream!”
Such signals include frowning, furrowed eyebrows, tightly compressed lips, and ridicule. An aggressive person may stare at one point or into the eyes of his interlocutor for a long time. When the interlocutor is in an aggressive mood, he clenches his fists (as if preparing for a blow), and stands evenly on both legs, distributing his weight for stability. One of the common poses is a straight stand, hands on the waist. In a mild version, this indicates a serious and strict attitude towards you, perhaps a disagreement with you on some issue. And in a more aggressive version (when the fists rest on the sides) about a real threat. Remember the television miniatures: a la a husband comes home drunk, and his wife meets him on the threshold with a frying pan (the wife has her hands on her hips, a gloomy face). An even greater threat is manifested by those who, together with this stance, “reveal”: they take off their jacket, outerwear, take off the bag from their shoulder, the scarf from their neck, and unfasten their buttons. Such signals say: “look, I’m ready to fight!”

And, to top it all off, when the “boiling point” is close , the person’s face and neck turn red and become covered with spots. If your interlocutor has reached this point, run before it’s too late!

Signals of this group also include lunging forward, protruding the chest, sudden movements, and punching the table.
Sometimes such signals include a demonstrative reversal in the other direction. There is also controlled aggression, when a person tries to restrain himself until a certain time .
The interlocutor closes himself, his hands are usually crossed, clenched into fists. The head is lowered or to the side, the face has a full set of facial expressions: knitted eyebrows, pursed lips, a gaze. All of the above are extreme and most threatening signals. But there are some other forms of aggression, which we will discuss in the next part of the article. Observe yourself and your loved ones throughout the day to see how often you notice signs of aggression and what they are associated with. Write your observations in the comments.

Sign language. Invasion

Invading another person's area is in some way an act of aggression. Invasion is often made under the guise of friendly relations, where a person invades the zone of another as if he were a friend, a friend, but without any right to do so. In such situations, the other interlocutor finds himself in an uncomfortable situation: he may be unpleasant and uncomfortable with this “friendly” gesture, but it is not entirely convenient to refuse. Intrusion manifests itself in reducing the distance to the personal (or intimate) zone . The person comes very close to you, so much so that it becomes uncomfortable.

The invasion may not be false, but quite open. In this case, the intruder deliberately enters the personal zone of another person, although the situation is not conducive to this (you are not friends, you are in an official setting). Then this is a sure sign of aggression. Except in some cases. It is important to remember that some people have a very short personal zone, and for them close distance is completely natural. What is an intrusion for you is perceived by such people as a completely normal phenomenon . This should not be forgotten.

Touching is another form of intrusion. Even touching social contact areas such as the hands can sometimes be aggressive (especially hard dominant touching), and touching other parts of the body is a deliberate invasion of personal space.

Sign language. Insult

There are many gestures, the sole purpose of which is the desire to offend a person , offend him, or provoke him into aggression. Oh yes, this happens! Showing your thumbs, especially if done with a sharp movement, is a demonstration of superiority and arrogance. A look from above, a crooked smile also indicate that the interlocutor wants to hurt you. Pushing your chin forward can indicate malevolent intentions.

Gestures and movements that are not classified as aggressive may be so in some cases. The size of the gesture is important. In a normal situation, a slight rotation of the hand is quite harmless, but if a person is aggressive, it turns into waving the entire arm.

But don't run away every time you see one of the signs of aggression. This is a completely normal phenomenon in a person’s life: when sorting out relationships, when talking with an unpleasant person . Signals of aggression are always present in athletes immediately before competitions, in those who are facing a difficult conversation. Thus, a person prepares himself for struggle, competition.

Signs of aggression can appear in the most ordinary conversation if you touch on a topic on which the interlocutor has his own special opinion or accidentally touch on a sore subject . But, having seen at the very beginning that the interlocutor begins to show some elements from this group, you can turn the conversation so as not to bring the matter to a boiling point.

Observe yourself and your loved ones throughout the day to see how often you notice signs of aggression and what they are associated with. Write your observations in the comments.

Like? Share the material Sources used:

• https://psychology.academic.ru/5327/indirect_aggression
• https://srazu.pro/teoriya/verbalnaya-agressiya-v-psixologii.html
• https://vocabulary.ru/termin/agressija-kosvennaja.html
• https://psylogik.ru/36-agressija.html
• https://razvitie-intellecta.ru/zhesty-agressii/