Aggression-Discuss the Three Psychological Approaches Essay

What is belligerence? During my research, I have noned various definitions of assault and have often found it to be coupled with violence. This gay trait is so complex that it is difficult to pinpoint whatever one description, plainly I union that for the purpose of this essay, this extremely loose full term will have to suffice, as encroachment is viewed differently match to the different approaches. ill will a wide variety of acts that involve attack (The Penguin Dictionary of psychological science-Third Edition 2001)In this essay, I will explain and treasure three psychological approaches of pugnacity from Sigmund Freud, Burrhus F skinner and Carl R Rogers.Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) developed the psychoanalytic scheme of the personality, whereby he divided it into layers the unconscious, preconscious and the conscious. These re bewildered different levels of awargonness in our minds. He also described the personality as the id, which is de human beingdly what we be born(p) with and is where the rudimentary sexual and aggressive impels re attitude, the ego, which starts to develop as soon as inter follow through with the environs begins, and the superego, which represents the moral aspect of humans according to societys standards and determine. He believed that we are born with these inner retrieveings of antagonism, which we use as a tool to obtain the things we want, scarce unfortunately, society restricts the use of this horrible demeanour for obvious reasons.The display of aggressive doings would cause us to lose have it a focus and find ending in get down self-esteem. In order to get by means of life without imposing this unacceptable behavior upon society, we have in our superego, incorporated or sothing c every last(predicate)ed sin, which in turn makes us feel ashamed of this pushy, demanding insistence of gratification side of ourselves. However, this causes within us an eternal engagement that rages on throug h our everyday lives, in the unconscious level of our minds, where we further murkily recognise it.He was however, concerned that these energies could non be permanently bottled up and suggested that redirection of these energies ( katharsis)into separate channels ie.sport, work would be more socially acceptable. He called this sublimation and suggested that a nice society would make this possible. Nevertheless, he remained disheartened nigh this also as it lonesome(prenominal) redirected the energy of attack and did not au thuslytically deal with the source of the problem.Freud (1920) called the soul-destroying force that forms aggression, Thanatos -the death realizeing (Beyond the Pleasure Principle 1920) and believed that this is a indwelling human condition that is also aimed at ourselves. However, our natural life instincts pr blusht some(prenominal)thing happening, notwithstanding Freud thoroughly believed that the destruction of ourselves is inevitable, as ag gression will al way of lifes be at war with society and thus the sterling(prenominal) obstacle to peace.Burrhus F mule skinner (1904-1990) who favoured the behavioristic approach to psychology, criticised the psychoanalytical theory by suggesting that psychology should be the study of deportment and not just the mind. However, muleteers approach was radical, in that he did debate our inner thoughts and feelings, but denied that they had anything to do with demeanor (Skinner 1974). His study of behavior involved miserly contact with the experi cordial laboratory, where he experimented with weeny animals such(prenominal) as rats and pigeons. As the experimenter, he was able to study the use of stimuli and livelihood (cause and reward) of behaviour.Skinner pointed out that aggression, like any separate form of behaviour, is a entrust of social and physical issues in our environments. With this in mind, he believed that human behaviour is therefore controllable. In Skin ners view, if aggression is apparent in a person, then it is determined by past and present relevant events, together with genetic endowment, familial factors that are passed through our genes in the touch on of evolution. He argued that full knowledge of these 2 sets of factors, genetic endowment and personal history, engage the key to controlling behaviour such as aggression.The behaviourist approach fails to lie with individual free will and filling however, and the frustrations involved in the inability to positthese. It is often these unobservable issues that cause behaviours, such as aggression. When spirit at supportive reinforcement, Skinner often refused to consider the mental causes of aggression ie if a drunk tries to start a fight with you in a pub, Skinners theory would indicate that the best form of action from previous experience would be to head away. This however, ignores the events leading up to this point, and you whitethorn determine to stay and fight or peradventure stay and make friends. The mind selects a response according to the desired consequence, which is a natural part of every buy the farm we perform but is not a straightforward case of lordly reinforcement.Carl R Rogers (1902-1987) was the founder of the humanistic approach to behaviour and like Maslow, he believed that there was nothing bad about human behaviour and that we are capable of healthy addition towards Self Actualisation. This means that we have the probable to reach fulfilment and achieve immediate relationships with others through acceptance and pull ining of what we as humans are.In order to understand the actualising tendency, Rogers claims that we should firstly be congruent, meaning that we should be aware of our inner feelings and accept them as a part of our spirit. In this respect, what we fetch from those feelings is pure and true. Secondly, we should be able to read with our fellow man, in that we can understand what everything means t o them from their point of view, as if we were in their world. Thirdly, we should be able to deal un qualified positive regard, meaning that we should be able to accept things as they are and who our fellow man is, without judgement or prejudice and without placing conditions upon their worth.These are three essential ingredients for healthy fetchth towards being a fully functioning person. Obviously, with an approach such as this, there is half-size elbow manner for negative feelings such as aggression. Because of this positive force for healthy growth, Rogers believed that aggression could mayhap be a result of a state of incongruence, where we may feel strife between our sense of self and our high-minded self (like Freuds ego and superego) ie. When we commence aware of our own set of values but are told by our parents to respect their set of values, taught to us previously, and the use of conditional regard is applied to enforce those values. This could peradventure cause aggression by way of retaliation. However, he would not take care aggression as inevitable or even an appropriate response, only as a possible response.Rogers theory opposes Freuds in that aggression is inevitable. However, these two approaches are quasi(prenominal) in that they both believe that aggression is a result of conflict in the mind Rogers sense of self and the sublime self are similar to Freuds ego and superego. However, Rogers argues that we are not cursed as Freud views it. Rogers, who was optimistic about human nature, believed that rather than trying to repress the desires and of necessity that aggression demands, a self-actualised person would see that aggression is a part of our nature and that acceptance of it, along with all other feelings, serve to help us grow healthily in the way of a fully functioning person. As a humanist, Rogers believed that to try to hide from what is inherently a part of us is futile and the only approach to make is that of acceptan ce in order to believe in ourselves. He also recognised that aggression could be a healthy behaviour, as in competition.Freuds view that aggression is a common human characteristic does not constitute proof that it is innate. His views on catharsis as being a way of controlling the drives also lack support, and hence support from one of his earlier disciples, Alfred Alder. With regard to aggression being innate and inherent, is aggression the result of genetics, or is it simply an apology we use for violent behaviour? Could the break up lie in our environment and what we let out from it? Experiments performed by behaviourists such as Skinner have proved this, but do they murderer all the answers? Is man born a completely blank intend? If that is the case, why do we keep messing up? Is this what Skinner meant when he maintained that man takes immediate gratification rather than looking at the long-term consequences?The different approaches of Freud and Skinner offer interesting theories about the sources of aggression. support violence on the television for instance. Freud may have considered this as a releasing experience thus reducing the drive of aggression by way of siphoning off the built up pressure as discussed earlier. On the other hand however, Skinner wouldconsider that violence on the television would serve to condition us to be more violent and therefore growth aggression.In conclusion, it seems that each approach holds some validity whilst there is still room for further research. Freud discussed aggression and its source at great length but did not really offer any enunciate evidence about how to reduce it. neither did he encourage further research into collecting more information about it. Skinner, on the other hand, had rather significant opinions about how to deal with aggression but offered little information as to its source.Rogers had little to say about what aggression truly is but whilst his opinions on how to deal with it seem ed practical(prenominal) and acceptable, his theory, like Freuds, offers no real proof. However, aboriginal as these theories were, they did offer some worth(predicate) contributions to the theory of aggression. Theories which have developed everyplace the years and are continuing to do so, even though the reasons for aggression, and indeed all other human emotions, still beleaguer us, remaining continually beyond scientific explanation.BIBLIOGRAPHYGlassman, William E (2000)Approaches to Psychology (3rd Edition)Buckingham and Philadelphia USA leave University PressReber, Arthur A and Emily (2001)The Penguin Dictionary of Psychology (Third Edition)London, Penguin Books LtdNye, Robert D (1975)Three Psychologies Perspectives from Freud, Skinner and Rogers (Fourth Edition)California, support/Cole (Wadsworth Inc)http//www.goldenessays.com/free_essays/3/psychology/human_aggression.shtml (accessed 30 12 2002)http//www.term-papers.u/ts/gb/pnl141.shtml (accessed 30 12 2002)www.stolaf. edu/people/huff/classes/intro/skinner.html (accessed 30 12 2002)http//www.free_termpapers.com/tp/37/pko72.shtml (accessed 30 12 2002)http//www.free_termpapers.com/tp/37/pnl135.shtml (accessed 30 12 2002)