Aggression
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Aggression
Webster's dictionary defines "Aggression" as :
1. Initiation of hostile action against another; attack
2. The practice of attacking
3. Psychoanal. Hostile Behavior
In psychology aggression encompasses many different types of behavior, some of which are not clearly related to one another.
Moyer (1986) presented seven different classes of aggression:
1. Predatory aggression: attack of prey by predator
2. Inter-male aggression: competition between males of the same species over access to females, dominance, status, etc.
3. Fear-induced aggression: aggression associated with attempts to flee from a threat
4. Irritable aggression: aggression directed towards an available target induced by some sort of frustration
5. Territorial aggression: defence of a fixed space against intruders, typically conspecifics
6. Maternal aggression: a female's aggression to protect her offspring from a threat
7. Instrumental aggression: aggression directed towards obtaining some goal, maybe a learned response to a situation.
Application in classrooms and similar settings
Some suggested methods for dealing with aggression in the classroom (from education-world.com):
- Make it clear to students that aggressive behavior is unacceptable. When discussing class rules at the beginning of the year, inform students that they are not allowed to hit or push under any circumstances. You also might let them know the consequences for aggressive behavior in your classroom. Review and reinforce the rule as necessary throughout the year. Encourage students to tell you immediately if they observe physical conflicts. When you become aware of such physical conflict, take immediate action to stop it. That sends a message to students that you will do whatever is necessary to ensure that your classroom is a safe haven.
- Try to identify when and where a student is aggressive. Look for a pattern in the incidents so you can anticipate their occurrence and take steps to avoid them. When aggressive incidents occur, you might want to make a note of when they occurred, what was going on at the time, who was the target of the aggression, what happened right before and right after the incident, and how others responded. That kind of behavioral assessment might help you determine what triggers the behavior, what reinforces it, and most importantly, what to do about it.
- Teach students conflict-resolution skills. Children might resort to aggression because they lack the words or skills to solve problems non-physically. Help them learn to resolve conflicts without acting aggressively by teaching them the basics of talking things out: staying calm; allowing each person to have his or her say without being interrupted, blamed or put-down; using "I messages" to convey feelings; and considering another's point of view. Designate an area of your classroom as a "peace corner," a place where students can go to settle conflicts and decide on a resolution. After they have spent time in the peace corner, students should inform you of their decisions.
- Have a student who is prone to aggression engage in activities that make aggressive behavior less likely. When she appears tense, suggest such tasks as drawing a picture, working with clay, taking a walk, writing in a journal or squeezing a ball to help her release her frustration. You might want to give the student an item to carry or suggest that she put her hands in her pockets at those times when she seems prone to using her hands inappropriately or seems to be on the verge of an outburst.
- Connect with the aggressive student. An aggressive student might distrust teachers and view them as adversaries. Try to gain the student's trust by listening attentively to what she says and showing respect for her thoughts and concerns. Find a few minutes every so often to talk with her about her interests and hobbies. Help her start the day out on a positive note by giving her a high five or making an upbeat comment when she walks in the door. She might make better choices if she feels supported and accepted by you.
- Obtain in-school counseling for an aggressive student. You might ask the guidance counselor or school psychologist to counsel her. She might need guidance about resolving peer conflicts and finding alternative ways of behaving. She also might need help interpreting the behavior of her peers if she tends to perceive hostile intent when none is intended.
A study in a classroom setting
A group of scientists studied a low-income, urban daycare setting. They looked at whether aggression by other children was more likely to occur immediately following an aggressive act than when no aggression occurred. The scientists were looking for a "chain-reaction" of aggressive events motivated by either the peers or the teachers.
They found in this particular urban preschool setting that 3.25 acts of aggression occured per minute in the classroom. Contagion was measured as an aggressive act falling within 15 seconds of another child's act of aggression. Children became aggressive more often when the episode was directed at people as opposed to an object. They also found that negative attentions from peers and teachers after aggressive event actually reinforce characteristics for repeating the aggression. (Goldstein, N.E., Arnold, D.H., Rosenberg, J.L., Stowe, R.M., and Oritz, C. 2001)
Critics and their rationale
Does media violence affect our children's development and behavior?
Children today have accessed to many violent images and sounds either through television, video games, or music. A longitudinal study was done by psychologists L.R. Huesmann, Ph.D., J. Moise-Titus, Ph.D., C. Podolski, M.A., and L.D. Eron, Ph.D, of the University of Michigan. These psychologists studied the long term aggression patterns of 329 Chicago youths. They monitored the childhood viewing of violent TV shows, their identification with aggressive same-sex characters, and their perceptions that TV violence is realistic. The phychologists studied and comunicated with these children over a 15 year period.
Results show that men who were high TV-violence viewers as children were more likely to have thrown something at their spouses, to have responded to an insult by shoving a person, to have been convicted of a crime, and to have committed a moving traffic violation. Such men had been convicted of crimes at over three times the rate of other men. (Huesmann, et. al).
Women who were high TV-violence viewers as children were more likely to have thrown something at their spouses, to have responded to someone who made them mad by shoving, punching, beating, or choking the person, to have committed some type of criminal act, and to have committed a moving traffic violation. Such women, reported having punched, beaten or choked another adult at over four times the rate of other women.
Aggression and violent video games
According to studies appearing in the American Psychological Association's Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, habitual playing of violent video games can lead to aggressive behavior. Some also believe that playing games may have an even stronger negative impact than watching violent television and movies, due to the interactive nature of the games (Dill).
One specific case study involved observing the behavior of college-aged students who had either played violent video games (Wolfenstein 3D) or a non-violent one (Myst). Predictably, the Wolfenstein players exhibited more violent behavior after playing the games, while the Myst players did not.
Opponents to this argument tend to support the theory that other factors, such as mental health and family structure, are stronger influences on potential violent behavior, and that video games may often be used as a cathartic way to release aggression that might otherwise be directed at a person in real life.
There is also something to be said for the desensitization to violence so that violence and aggression become second nature and an accepted part of daily life and the culture of society.
Signed "life experiences", testimonies and stories
In a school setting, violent aggressive behavior is not at all something that is acceptable. However, our society has tried to extinguish all aggression to the point in which even instrumental aggression has been phased out. Society wants to have equality and good feelings so much, that it is seen as negative to have goals in life that might be competitive in nature.
Aggression is a hot topic in schools today. I have found an awesome program for dealing with students who tend to show more aggression called The Nutured Heart Approach. I have been implementing this program in my classroom for two years now and I have seen phenomenal results. --V. Munds
Growing up I would say I had aggression issues. I use to pounce on people for no reason. I guess I was angry and did not know why. In my older age, I have come to realize what caused that. It was because my father was not around.I am glad my family never gave up on me. My mother was always there to nuture me. She help me to gather a close relationship with God.------Claude
My two older brothers had real bad aggression issues growing up. They always fought with people for no reason. My oldest brother is still the same way, but I have been working with my other brother for awhile now trying to get him to realize what life is really about. He has matured a lot and is trying hard to make a good life for himself.--M.Hicks
In schools many students deal with violent aggressive behavior issues. I find that some of the ways to help students out with this issue are support groups and the aide of a social worker. Just the support and guidance of someone that isn't a direct influence in their life can be benficial because they hear the same thing day in and day out.-- Brian Bucciarelli
I really haven't had a lot of experience with students that have violent aggressive behavior issues. I have dealt with one student that really has a hard time dealing with his emotions and when things don't go his way, he can get very angry and violent. He speaks with a social walker when he starts to feel angry or if someone is bothering him. I know that if he keeps working at it, he will be better able to control his aggression. It is definitely not something that is easy to deal with. -Nick Hartz
Aggression is a main concern in school settings. Many kids and teenagers have become very wild and aggressive especially in PE classes. I know that there is a time that some people need to let off steam, and students need to learn there is a time and a place to let of the steam. Schoolyards are not one of those places. Aggression may be a sub factor of why bullying is such a problem in schools. – Dale Donner
I would have to say that an irritable aggression is probably the most common form of aggression I have seen in my middle school years. When students are misbehaving, they will receive 3 warnings. As a consequence, the students are usually not very happy with the result at all. Some students may get very angry and will start raising voices and saying things like, "I don't have to serve that detention!" or "You can write me a detention but I'm not gonna go!" or the ever so famous, "But I wasn't doing anything!". It seems to me that these students are fully aware of their actions and misbehaviors but they are simply so frustrated with themselves and with what just happened that their way of dealing with it is to act out in this verbally aggressive way. ~K. Kleckauskas, Middle School Teacher, 3 years
Aggression in the classroom (and hallway and lunchroom) is one of the scariest situations that a teacher has to face. During my one year as a high school teacher I witnessed several incidences of student on student aggression (and violence). I think that it is important for teachers to not only take preventative measure against aggression in their classroom, but also to have a plan for dealing with it. I was fortunate to work with a have supportive and highly prepared administrative team that prepared new teachers well for such incidents. I would encourage other teachers to talk with their administrators about how to deal with violence in their classrooms. – Jeremiah Johnson
As a Kindergarten teacher I have witnessed many aggressive outbursts among my students. Some of the aggression is geared towards other students while some is towards an object. Whenever I see any aggressive acts I immediately address the students involved to see what the problem is. About 90% of the time one student is retaliating on another who accidentally pushed, bumped, or ran into them. Once I talk the issue out with my students and the misunderstanding is identified, everything is fine. I think that it is imperative for teachers to immediately address aggressive behaviors in the classroom because he/she may find that they are all based on misunderstandings. When this occurs, it is an excellent time to reinforce discussing feelings and people skills as opposed to physical force. -N.R.
I have often wondered when is enough, enough. I mean this by when do you let a kid fight back against a kid who is a bully. As a child growing up I was always bigger then everyone else and my mom would always reinforce and tell me not to hit anyone, because if I hit someone it would do a little more damage then someone else. But this lead me never to fight back when I would get hit by other kids. Finally one day I hit back and was forced to sit in time out. This is a tough situation to say the least. Where do parents draw the line, because you want your child to stand up for themselves, but you also don't want them to be a bully? J. Simmons
I have had the opportunity to observe the effects of martial arts training with some at-risk aggressive children in a group home setting. It was recommended as treatment for the child's unprovoked aggression against other children and adults, as a way to 1) Give him the tools to step back from a situation and not jump in to a fight as quickly, and 2) Provide him with the tools to defend himself against other aggressors without doing any damage himself. His self-esteem improved markedly and he got into less fights when off at school. The trick with him was to teach him how to avoid fights and protect himself...and it helped he was a big kung-fu fan. He did lose it a few times and proved very hard to restrain, but all in all he learned patience and felt powerful without having to beat up other kids, even when provoked. -- D. Melone
I had one memorable year with an aggressive third grade student. He seemed to act violently with little or no warning. I could also never gauge when an outburst would happen. He would often have to be physically removed from my room in order not to harm other students. Some of the ways we tried to cope with his aggression was by providing a safe place where he could go on his own when he felt he was getting upset. This worked well for this student because it allowed him to decide when he needed space. In addition, he also worked with our school’s social worker to talk out his feelings, fears and self esteem issues. S. Nottoli
References and other links of interest
Dill, Karen E. "Violent Video Games Can Increase Agression." 23 Apr. 2000. <http://www.apa.org/releases/videogames.html>.
Wikipedia, [Aggression]
Goldstein, N.E., Arnold, D.H., Rosenberg, J.L., Stowe, R.M., and Oritz, C. (2001) Contagion of aggression in day care classrooms as a function of peer and teacher responses. Journal of Educational Psychology. 93 (4), 708-719. Retrieved July 30, 2005 from http://www.actagainstviolence.com/specialtopics/contagionaggress.html
Moyer, K.E.1968. Kinds of aggression and their psychological basis, communications in behavioral biology 2A, 65-87.
Partenheimer, D. (2003) Childhood exposure to media violence predicts young adult aggressive behavior, according to new 15-year study. Retrieved July 30, 2005 from http://www.apa.org/releases/media_violence.html.
Simmons, R. (2002). Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Trade Publishing.
Shore, Ken (2004). Dr. Ken Shore's Classroom Problem Solver: Preventing Student Aggression. Retrieved 4/29/08 from http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/shore/shore039.shtml.
