Aggression and Its Development: General Aggression Model Analysis

This report provides an overview of the General Aggression Model (GAM) and various psychological theories related to aggression. It defines aggression, explores cognitive neoassociation theory, and discusses the role of frustration. The report delves into psychological theories, including Social Learning Theory, Script Theory, Excitation Transfer Theory, and Social Interaction Theory. The core of the report focuses on the GAM, highlighting person factors (gender, beliefs, attitudes, and values), situational factors (aggressive cues, provocation, frustration), and social encounters as drivers of aggression. It also examines assumptions within personal, situational, and social factors as per the GAM, while also mentioning the role of pain, physical discomfort, and social environment on aggression. The conclusion emphasizes the interplay of personal, social, and situational factors in shaping aggressive behavior, while acknowledging limitations in explaining all instances of aggression.

PRESENTED BY
General Aggression
Model and Development
of Aggression

AGGRESSION
• Aggression is defined as
expression or extreme anger
• According to Anderson &
Bushman (2002) Cognitive
Neoassociation Theory,
aggression express hostility and
that is expressed in the form of
slamming of doors, loud noises
and ball temperament
• Aggression can also generates
from frustrations and this falls
under routes aggression (Kempes,
Matthys, De Vries, Van Engeland,
2005)

PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES OF
AGGRESSION
• Social Learning Theory:
Aggression is acquired instrument
or a behavior that is being
instigated
• Script Theory of aggression:
Situations and guide behavior
guides the expression of
aggression.
• For example a child raised under
adverse situations like domestic
violence is vulnerable to become
aggressive in later stages of life
(Anderson & Bushman, 2002)

PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES OF
AGGRESSION
• Excitation Transfer Theory: The rate of
physiological arousal dissipates slowly.
• If two events instigating by a sense of
arousing is separate by a short period
of time, the initiation of second event
might lead to expression of the anger
dissipated in their first event and this
arousal is aggression
• Social Interaction Theory: Aggressive
behavior is an expression of the
prevailing social condition and the
social influence
(Anderson & Bushman, 2002)

GENERAL AGGRESSION MODEL
 General aggression model is widely
accepted model of aggression
 According to this model, aggression is
driven by three factors namely
 Person factors
 Situation factors
 Social encounters
 Personal and Situational factors hamper
the present internal state mind leading to
change in aggression and development of
arousal
 The arousal is expressed as impulsive
action or thoughtful action
 Impulsive action is exacerbated in the
form of aggression
(Anderson & Bushman, 2002)

PERSON TRAITS AND
AGGRESSION
 Gender: Males are more aggressive than females and
they show more signs of aggression when dealing with
a person from same gender. The males prefers direct
aggression and female prefers in-direct aggression
 Beliefs: Those who are over-confident and are hopeful
about their level of self-efficacy in the domain of
outcome are more aggressive in comparison to people
who have poor to moderate level of confidence
 Attitudes: Positive attitude towards violence increase
the state of aggression
 Values: Increase level of self-respect, ego and having
strong religious values increase aggression
 (Anderson & Bushman, 2002)

SITUATIONAL FACTORS AND
AGGRESSION
• Aggressive Cues: Presence of guns or
patriotic debate or watching world war or
action-based movies can generate
aggression
• Provocation: Constant provocation or
instigation coming from another person like
insult, workplace bullying increase the
chances of verbal, physical aggression. This
is negative aggression
• Frustration: Failure in achieving goals leads
o frustration leading to increased sense of
aggression. This can be either negative or
positive aggression
•
Pain and physical discomfort along with
substance abuse increases the level
frustration

SOCIAL ENCOUNTERS
• Change in mood due to negative
social encounter generates
aggression
• People with expressive motor
responses are more likely to be
aggressive in social gatherings
• Arousal can influence aggression.
Arousal can come of relevant or
irrelevant sources. Arousal based
aggression is explained through
anger-motivated aggressive
behavior
(van Honk et al., 2015)

ASSUMPTIONS IN PERSONAL
FACTORS AND AGGRESSION
As per the General Aggression Model,
• A person having high level of expectation is
more likely to be aggressive as he is
desperate towards achieving success
• Failure in success will hamper his level of
self-esteem leading to the generation of
negative or destructive aggression
• However, repeated failure might also
damage his self-esteemed giving rise to
severe depression
(Anderson & Bushman, 2018)

ASSUMPTIONS IN SITUATIONAL
FACTORS AND AGGRESSION
• Pain of physical discomfort can create
aggression.
• However, I think pain or physical
discomfort might decrease the level of
aggression
• Gilbert et al. (2018) stated that increase
level of physical discomfort reduce the
psychological outburst
• In such cases there occur repeated mood
swings but not aggression
• Anderson and Bushman (2018) also
stated in their review that a person who
is suffering from long-term disease can
show aggression

ASSUMPTIONS IN SOCIAL FACTORS
AND AGGRESSION
• Under social satiation where anger
management becomes difficult can
lead to development of aggression
• A child who is victims of negative
social environment like domestic
violence or negligence can be
aggressive
• However, opposing views indicate
that victims of domestic violence
can lead to depression
(van Honk et al., 2015)

CONCLUSION
• Aggression is driven by
several factors like personal,
social and situational factors
as defined by the general
aggression model
• However, here are few cases
where the expression or
development of aggression
can never be explained
under the existing
psychological theories