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Testosterone heightens dominance and aggression. These traits boost testosterone levels. Alcohol also unleashes aggressive behavior. People who have been drinking alcohol commit 40 percent of the violent crimes and 75 percent of spousal abuse (Greenfield, 1998). Frustration creates anger which can also cause aggression. We all have organisms that often respond to stress with a fight or flight reaction.
When It Gets Hot…
Often other events, such as suffering physical pain, personal insults, bullying, hot temperatures, foul odors such as cigarette smoke and many others can also evoke hostility. For example, violent crimes and spousal abuse rates are higher during hotter years, seasons, months and days. When people are uncomfortably hot, they think, feel and act more aggressively.
Studies have shown that loneliness and rejection can also induce violence and may intensify aggression, as evident in recent school shootings.
Observation = Learned Behavior
Professor and psychologist Albert Bandura taught that people learn not only through reinforcement, such as rewards and punishments, but through observation of others. This is the heart of his Social Learning therapy. This therapy suggests that learning is achieved by mentally rehearsing and then acting out things that other people did. A child will imitate the behavior of an adult role model, like their parents. Aggression begins during childhood and is learned by watching adults.
Aggressive behavior and patterns are difficult to change. In order to foster a kinder, gentler world we had best model and reward sensitivity and cooperation from an early age, perhaps by training parents to discipline children without being violent.
This report is not a diagnosis. We hope this information can guide you toward improving your life.
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