.Methods of preventing aggression • Identify the triggers This is the first step in preventing aggression as people act aggressively as a reaction to something threatening or uncomfortable in their environment, for example pain, or losing loved ones, or being provoked by certain topics, situations or people. Once you identify what is triggering your aggression then you can prevent it by avoiding those triggers. • Therapy Talking to someone you trust about one's feelings of hostility or annoyance against another person can assist in relieving one's anger without harming the target of aggression. If it’s a case where you have no one to talk to then you can write down the aggressive feelings in a book or a journal and this will give you Peace of Mind. It is always best to relieve once aggressive feelings or any feelings they are confiding because it may lead to depression or anxiety. • Teaching of discipline and Morality This can be used to prevent aggression in children by training them to be disciplined and develop positive values and morality. Parents and teachers play a vital role in this method whereas, if a child is told what is appropriate and disciplined if he or she behaves in an inappropriate manner then most likely that child will not repeat the behavior because he or she is aware of the consequences. Furthermore, if children are a part of A loving household where they are taught good morals and values then that child will be less prone to aggressive behavior, therefore being a good parental model for children to imitate is a vital aspect of this method. • Catharsis This refers to the perspective that providing angry people with an opportunity to express their aggressive impulses in relatively safe ways will reduce their tendencies to engage in more harmful forms of aggression. For example placing individuals in a secure room with objects for them to destroy. Here are two video to illustrate the above mentioned: https://youtu.be/sidSh19G0ME https://youtu.be/H2uTFHRIzWs • Self regulation The ability to manage one’s own emotions and behavior in accordance with the demands of the situation. It includes being able to resist highly emotional reactions to upsetting stimuli, to calm yourself down when you get upset and to handle frustration without an outburst. Methods of reducing aggression • Choose constructive expressions of anger As we said earlier, writing in a journal or destroying stuff in an anger room can be used to relieve or reduce one's anger furthermore whenever placed in a situation where one is angry they can try to count from 1 to 10 in their heads or count downwards from 10-1 in order to reduce their frustration or anger. • Punishment Procedures in which Aversive consequences are delivered to individuals when they are engaged in specific actions. These procedures must meet four basic requirements, these are: 1) It must be prompt- meaning the punishment must follow aggressive actions as quickly as possible. 2) It must be certain to occur- the probability that the punishment will follow aggression must be very high. 3) It must be strong- the punishment must be strong enough to be highly unpleasant to potential recipients. 4) It must be perceived by recipients as justified or deserved. • Be encouraging Being positive and offering praise and thanks for positive behavior rather than taking them for granted will help in reducing aggression in individuals, especially in children. • Meditation This practice uses techniques such as focusing the mind on a particular object, thought or activity to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally, and stable state. References https://www.alegrecare.com/single-post/2017/05/30/how-to-best-manage-physically-violentbehavior-from-seniors https://www.psychologydiscussion.net/social-psychology-2/aggression/aggression-preventioncontrol-and-management-of-aggression/1736 Causes of Aggression What Is Aggressive Behavior? Aggressive behavior can cause emotional or physical harm to others. It may range from verbal abuse to physical abuse. Aggressive behavior violates social limitations. It can lead to breakdowns in your relationships. It can be clear or private. Occasional aggressive outbursts are common and even normal in the right situations. However, you should speak to your doctor if you experience aggressive behavior frequently or in patterns. The General Aggression Model (GAM) A newer framework known as the general aggression model (GAM) (Anderson & Bushman, 2002), provides a more complete explanation of the footings of human aggression. With this theory, a chain of events that may ultimately lead to overt aggression can be initiated by two major types of input variables: (1) Situational factors – this is relating to one’s current situation, for eg, provocation, exposure to aggressive models, causes of negative discomfort or negative affect. This is a modern theory of aggression suggesting that aggression is triggered by a wide range of input variables that influence arousal, affective stages, and cognitions. One’s motivation to cause harm to others, drive theories of aggression and suggest that aggressive behavior is pushed from within, to cause harm or injury to others. These drives, in turn, stem from external events such as frustration. Such theories are no longer accepted by most social psychologists, but the famous frustrationaggression hypothesis continues to influence modern research, and many people’s beliefs about the causes of aggression. Obvious aggression External conditions (e.g., frustration, unpleasant environmental conditions) Drive to harm or injure others. (2) Person Factors – these are factors relating to people. These are the second category variables (individual differences across people) include traits that predispose some individuals toward aggression (e.g., high irritability, negative affectivity, hostile behavior). Person Factors may also trigger certain attitudes and beliefs about violence (e.g., believing that it is acceptable and appropriate), a tendency to perceive hostile intentions in others’ behavior, and specific skills related to aggression (e.g., knowing how to fight or how to use various weapons). According to the general aggression model (GAM), these situational and individual (personal) variables lead to evident aggression through their impact on three basic developmental principles: i. Arousal— This is the increase in physiological arousal or excitement. ii.Affective States— The arousal of hostile feelings and outward signs (e.g., angry facial expressions); and iii. Cognitions— These can induce individuals to think hostile thoughts or can bring beliefs and attitudes about aggression to mind. Depending on individuals’ evaluation and interpretations of the current situation and restraining factors (e.g., the presence of police or the threatening nature of the intended target person), they then engage either in thoughtful action, which might involve restraining their anger, or impulsive action, which can lead to overt aggressive actions. Bushman and Anderson (2002) have expanded this theory to explain why individuals who are exposed to high levels of aggression either directly, in the actions of others, or in films and video games, may tend to become increasingly aggressive themselves. Repeated exposure to such stimuli serves to strengthen knowledge structures related to aggression— beliefs, attitudes, schemas, and scripts. As these knowledge structures related to aggression grow stronger, it is easier for these to be activated by situational or person variables. The GAM is a more complex theory than the earlier theories of aggression (e.g., the famous frustration-aggression hypothesis; Dollard et al., 1939), because it completely reflects recent progress in the field. The growing understanding of the fact that what people think is crucial in determining what they actually do, is much more likely to provide an accurate view of the nature of human aggression than the earlier theories of aggression.
