Agression!!

AGGRESSION •intent to harm or otherwise injure another person •behavior intended to cause injury to others •many behaviors are aggressive even though they do not involve physical injury •eg. verbal aggression, coercion, intimidation, managerial styles, premediated social ostracism of others

FANTASIES VS. ACTS •Persons may have violent thoughts or fantasies, but unless they lose control, thoughts do not become acts •Any set of conditions that produce increased aggressive impulses in the context of diminished control may produce violent acts

FANTASIES VS. ACTS •toxic and organic states, developmental disabilities, florid psychosis, conduct disorders and overwhelming psychological environmental stress •distinguishing fantasies from the threat of a real act is extremely important  laws that require psychiatrists to warn legal authorities and potential victims when one of their patients will commit foul play

Predictors of Aggression -

High degree of intent to harm Presence of victim Frequent and open threats Concrete plan Access to instruments of violence History of loss control Chronic anger, hostility or resentment Enjoyment in watching or inflicting harm Lack of compassion Self-view as victim Resentful authority Childhood brutality or deprivation Decreased warmth and affection in home Early loss of parent Fire setting, bed-wetting, and cruelty to animals Prior violent acts Reckless driving

Etiology 1. Psychological Factor  Instinctive Behavior

- Freud: aggression is viewed simply as a reaction to the blocking of libidinal impulses and was neither an automative nor an inevitable part of life - Lorenz: aggression springs from a fighting instinct that humans share with other organisms  Learned Behavior - Bandura: persons engage in assaults against others because they acquired aggressive responses through past experiences

Social Factors Frustration most potent means of inciting human beings to aggression stems mainly from John Dollard's frustrationaggression hypothesis  Frustration always leads to a form of aggression and that aggression always stems from frustration. Frustrated persons show a wide variety of reactions:  resignation, depression, and despair and other attempts to overcome the sources of their frustration. • Not all aggression results from frustration. Persons (e.g., boxers and football players) act aggressively for many reasons and in response to many stimuli.

Social Factors Examination of the evidence indicates that

whether frustration increases or fails to enhance overt aggression depends largely on two factors: 1. Frustration appears to increase aggression only when the frustration is intense. When it is mild or moderate, aggression may not be enhanced. 2. Frustration is likely to facilitate aggression when it is perceived as arbitrary or

Social Factors Direct Provocation Evidence indicates that physical abuse and verbal taunts from others often elicit aggressive actions. Once aggression begins, it often shows an unsettling pattern of escalation; as a result, even mild verbal slurs or glancing blows may initiate a process in which stronger and stronger provocations are exchanged.

Social Factors Media Violence Media may influence behavior through modeling, disinhibition, desensitization, the arousal of aggressive feelings, and the encouragement of risk taking. Exposure to violent material reportedly increases violent fantasies, especially in men; youth are very vulnerable to such exposure.

Social Factors Television and video games violence is

thought to contribute to violence in children and adults in the following ways: It has a short-term stimulating effect on aggressive behaviors in all ages. It portrays the world as a more hostile place than it is. It justifies violence (e.g., 40 percent of violent television acts are performed by heroes). It cues aggressive ideas in children.

Environmental Factors Air pollution – exposure of

noxious odor increases personal irritability leading to aggression Noise- exposure to loud irritating noise directs stronger assaults against others Crowding

Situational Factors Heighten physiologic arousal -

participation in competitive activities vigorous exercise and exposure to provocative film Sexual Arousal – depends on erotic materials used to induce aggressive reactions Pain – physical pain arouse aggressive drive – the motive to harm others

BIOLOGIC Aggression -linked in animals with hormones- (testosterone, progesterone, luteinizing hormone, renin, βendorphin, prolactin, melatonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, epinephrine, acetylcholine, serotonin, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), and phenylacetic acid) - level of aggression can be related to androgen levels -androgen insensitivity syndrome: male offspring with feminine appearance and acts -androgenital syndrome:inc in adrenal androgen

Alcohols and barbiturates (aerosols and commercial solvents) -in small doses: inhibits it. -in large doses: facilitates it.   Opiod dependence (stimulants, cocaine, hallucinogens, marijuana) -increases aggression  

Neuroanatomical Damage -agression can be affected by organic brain damage - victims of severe physical abuse may suffer neurological sequelae secondary to the abuse   *Lewis’ study: death-row inmate studied by her team of researchers had a history of head injury, often inflicted by abusive parents  

Neurotransmitters -cholinergic and catecholaminergic -can induce aggression -serotonergic systems and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA):inhibit such behavior -Dopamine seems:facilitate aggression -norepinephrine and serotonin:inhibit it -serotonin: decline causes increased irritability and in animals: increased aggression

GENETIC - “Aggressive behavior has genetic predisposition.” - mental disorders can be associated with atypical physiologic functions Twin Studies -monozygotic twins indicates a hereditary component to aggressive behavior  

Pedigree Studies -with family histories of mental disorders are more susceptible to mental disorders and engage in more aggressive behavior than those without such histories   low intelligence quotient (IQ) scores -increase delinquency and aggression

Chromosomal Influences -chromosomes can be involved - concentrated primarily on abnormalities in X and Y chromosomes, particularly the 47-chromosome XYY syndrome   Characteristics of the 47-chromosome XYY syndrome - tall -below-average intelligence -to be apprehended and in prison for engaging in criminal behavior * Presence of an extra Y chromosome is correlated to having aggression.    

Epidemiology Violent acts are most often commit by

persons who know or knew each other Homicides are most often prevalent among strangers; most prevalent in low economic groups; more commonly committed by men than by women

Prevention and Control of Aggression 1. Individual level 2. Punishment –effective deterrent to over

aggression; may only temporary reduce the strength or frequency of aggressive behavior 3. catharsis – providing angry persons with an opportunity to engage in expressive but non injurious behaviors reduces their tension or arousal and weakens tendency to engage in overt & potentially aggressive behavior

Cont. Prevention and Control of Aggression 4. Training and social skills – providing

severe social deficit persons with training 5. Induction of Incompatible response A. empathy –exposure to signs of pain or

discomfort on the victims part inhibits further aggression B. Humor – anger often reduced through exposure to humorous material

Pharmacotherapy Lithium Anticonvulsant Anti-psychotic Anti-depressants Anti- anxiety Anti-androgenic agents

Victims Target of another persons aggression

Accidents Event that occurs by chance, unexpected,

without conscious planning. Characteristic: anxiety , boredom, fatigue, ingestion of toxic substances (barbiturates, alcohol, anti-histamine, marijuana) Motivations: unconscious sense of guilt leading to punishment

Grief Period Manifestation subside over time Length and intensity depends on the

suddeness of death vs anticipation of death - sudden: shock and disebelief for a long time - anticipated: mourning process may have already occurred by the time of death - Traditionally last for 6 mos to 1 year

Grief period Anticipatory grief

- expressed in advance of a loss perceived inevitably - Ends with occurrence of anticipated loss - May increase or decrease intensity - Anniversary reaction – when the trigger for an acute grief reaction is a special occasion such as holiday or birthday

Grief period Pathologic grief – take several forms ranging

from absent or delayed grief to excessively intense and prolonged grief associated with suicidal ideation or frank psychotic symptoms - denial that includes that the dead person is still alive At risk: loss under horrific cirumstances or sudden, who are socially associated, who believe they are responsible for the death, with history of traumatic losses, with intensely dependent relationship to the person who died

Grief vs depression Grief: mood fluctuation - Shame and guilt involve not having done enough

for the deceased before his/her death - Time limited - Less suicidal threats Depression: pervasive and unremitting mood disturbance - Shame and guilt involve the fundamental belief that one is wicked or worthless - Lack hope - More often have suicidal threats