PSY004-1: Situational Causes and Aggression - A Comprehensive Analysis

This essay delves into the intricate relationship between situational causes and aggression, a frequently observed behavioral trait in humans. It examines various psychological perspectives, from historical viewpoints of thinkers like Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau to Sigmund Freud's concept of the 'death instinct.' The essay highlights how deprivation of liberty, autonomy, and fundamental rights can trigger aggressive behaviors, particularly in the context of modern society's constraints. Furthermore, it references Bandura's 'Bobo Doll Studies' and theories like the 'Cognitive Neoassociation Theory,' 'Social Learning Theory,' and 'Script Theory' to explain how situational factors, societal influences, and media exposure contribute to aggressive tendencies. The analysis concludes that aggressive behavior often stems from a sense of injustice and resentment arising from situational causes, making it a response to circumstances that hinder individuals from living according to their own desires. Desklib provides access to a wealth of similar essays and study resources for students.

Running head: SITUATIONAL CAUSES AND AGGRESSION
Situational causes and Aggression
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The concept of human behavior has formed the lacuna of many critical debates as
well as studies since the traditional times. More important than concept of behavior are the
factors which affect the behavior of the human beings and also the reasons why the human
beings react to certain events or incidents for that matter in certain particular ways (Li et al.,
2016). In this particular context it needs to be said that aggression is one of the most
commonly witnessed behavioral traits of the human beings and it is generally seen that in
almost all the human beings there is a tendency towards the use of this particular behavioral
traits in dominant or suppressive form (Overall et al., 2016). In the recent times it is seen that
various psychologists as well as scholars have tried to explain the aggressive behavior of the
human beings on the basis of various kinds of hypotheses. One of the most important
hypotheses on the basis of which the psychologists try to explain the aggressive behavior of
the human beings are the situational causes which in their opinion are most likely to propel
the human beings to aggressive kind of behaviors (Overall et al., 2016). This essay will try to
analyze the extent to which situational causes propel the human beings to aggressive kind of
behavior.
The 21st century researchers as well as psychologists have tried to pin down the
aggressive behavior of the human to the various kinds of situational causes which propels
them to various kinds of aggressive behaviors. However, scholars as early as in the 16th
century like Thomas Hobbes have stated that the human beings by their very nature are evil
and that the various refineries of the society help the human beings to keep the aggressive
traits of these human beings in check (Kovácsová, Lajunen & Rošková, 2016). Jean-Jacques
Rousseau, on the other hand, had a milder view of the nature of the human beings and stated
that the human beings by their very nature are meek and mild and it is only the injustices and
also the nature of the society which tries to curb down the liberties and other natural rights of
the human beings which compels them to resort to various kinds of aggressive behaviors

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(Kovácsová, Lajunen & Rošková, 2016). However, the major change in this debate with the
articulation of Sigmund Freud of the concept that human beings just the “life instinct”
which they posses they also have a “death instinct” and it is this particular instinct of the
human beings that propels them to various kinds of aggressive behaviors as was evident
during the First World War (Kovácsová, Lajunen & Rošková, 2016).
A detailed analysis of the factors which contributes to the aggressive behavior on the
part of the human beings becomes especially important in the light of the terrorist activities
that are plaguing the world at the current moment. The most important hypothesis which tries
to interpret the aggressive behavior on the part of the human beings is the situational causes.
Some of the most important situational causes which beget these kinds of behavior on the
part of the human beings are the deprivation of liberty, autonomy, goods, heterosexual
relationships, security, the right to live their lives on their own terms and others (Wyer Jr,
2014). For example, the scholar Sykes has famously defined the situational causes which
propel the human beings to various kinds of aggressive behavior are the various kinds of
environmental deprivations (Wyer Jr, 2014). The comment made by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
during the eve of the French Revolution is important to note in this particular context when
he said that “Man is born free but everywhere he is in chains” (Kovácsová, Lajunen &
Rošková, 2016). Thus, it would be apt to say that the deprivation of some of the most
important fundamental as well as basic rights is one of the major causes for the demonstration
of the aggressive behavior on the part of the human beings.
The modern world it is true not only provides better quality of financial opportunities
and has at the same time much improved the standard on life of the human beings. However,
one of the banes of the modern civilization is the fact that it deprives the human beings of
some of most basic rights and utilizes them for furthering the interests of the society
(Greitemeyer & Sagioglou, 2016). The most pertinent example of this particular aspect finds

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expression in the works of Jacques Lacan wherein he states that the modern society
suppresses the free will of the individuals and uses the same to further the interests of the
capitalist society (Greitemeyer & Sagioglou, 2016). It is a reflection of this particular aspect
that a close analysis of the major terrorists of the world would reveal the fact that the most of
them have been the victims of the evil machinery of society and also that they have been the
victims of society. Furthermore, another important factor which can explain the correlation
between situational causes and aggressive behavior on the part of the human beings is the
behavioral aspect and also the inherent desire of the human beings to resort to aggressive
actions (Anderson & Bushman, 2002). A pertinent example of this particular fact was the
results which were derived by Bandura and his colleagues in the 1960s after the “The Bobo
Doll Studies” which were conducted by them on a group of 72 children of both the sexes
(Bandura, 1978). The results of the studies conducted by Bandura and his colleagues clearly
indicated that violence begets violence and that the people who have witnessed aggressive
behaviour are more likely to resort to it than others and also the fact that gender plays a
significant part in the process (Bandura, 1978). For example, boys are more likely to adopt
aggressive behaviour towards other boys rather than girls and vice versa.
In the recent times, psychologists as well as scholars use various kinds of theories to
explain the correlation between the aggressive behaviour on the part of the human beings and
the situational causes. For example, the “Cognitive Neoassociation Theory” of Berkowitz
(1989, 1990, 1993) have showed that there is a direct correlation between the various kinds of
situational causes like “frustrations, provocations, loud noises, uncomfortable temperatures,
and unpleasant odor” and others and the aggressive behavior of the human beings (Caspi,
2015). Berkowitz was of the opinion that the individuals generally consider these situational
causes to be unjust events which the modern society has inflicted and it directly affects the
cognition of the individuals as well (Caspi, 2015). The net result is that the concerned

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individual comes to the conclusion that the violent or aggressive behavior which he or she is
adopting towards the other individuals is totally justified on the score of the injustices which
has been meted out to them (Caspi, 2015). The “Social Learning Theory”, on the other
hand, emphasis on the role of the society as well as the individuals who are a part of the
society for the aggressive actions of the human beings (Rajchert, Konopka & Huesmann,
2017). The theory states that the human beings acquire the trait of aggression from the society
to which they belong in the same manner in which they acquire the other important traits of
their character (Rajchert, Konopka & Huesmann, 2017). Thus, it would be apt to say that the
learning ability as well as the social behavior of not only the individuals but of the society as
a whole is responsible for the aggressive actions of the human beings. The “Script Theory”
of Huesmann (1986, 1998) is another important theory which tries to explain the aggressive
behavior of the human beings (Breuer, Scharkow & Quandt, 2015). The theory states that the
human beings and more particularly the children learn various kinds of aggressive behavior
from the diverse kinds of mass media. Thus, after watching a particular violent event over the
mass media they try to recreate the same situation in their mind and come up with their own
form of aggressive behavior for dealing with the situation (Predic & Stojanovic, 2015). These
responses keep on accumulating in the mind of the concerned individual and get manifested
in similar kinds of situations.
To conclude, aggression is one of the most manifested behavioural traits of the
human beings and in most cases is generally seen as a character flaw. Psychologists as well
as scholars have given various reasons as well as theories for the aggressive behaviour which
the human beings often resort in their daily lives. One of the most important hypotheses is the
correlation between the aggressive behaviour adopted by the human beings and the various
situational causes. In the modern world, it is generally seen that the human beings are
deprived of their fundamental as well as the basic rights and this causes a sense of resentment

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as well as a sense of injustice among the individuals. Thus, the various forms of aggressive
behaviours adopted by the human beings can be seen as a response to these kinds of
situational causes that deters them to lead their lives as per own wishes. Therefore, it would
be apt to say that there is a direct correlation between the situational causes and the
aggressive behaviour of the human beings.

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References
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psychology, 53.
Bandura, A. (1978). Social learning theory of aggression. Journal of communication, 28(3),
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Breuer, J., Scharkow, M., & Quandt, T. (2015). Sore losers? A reexamination of the
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Caspi, E. (2015). Aggressive behaviors between residents with dementia in an assisted living
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