Catherine Ann Dow 7009615 “CAN ...

Catherine Ann Dow
7009615
“CAN ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR AND AGGRESSION BE EXPLAINED SOLELY IN TERMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS?”

Abstract
Contents
Introduction

The purpose of this report is to investigate the role of environmental factors in anti-social behaviour and aggression.

The plan of the research will be to set in historical context the rising concern over this issue, and then to focus on experimental, correlational, and longitudinal psychological research demonstrating that there is compelling evidence in the professional literature that television violence causes children to be aggressive. As appropriate, competing philosophical and theoretical positions on the connection between violent television programming and real-life violence will be alluded to, with a view toward suggesting implications and forecasting possible lines of development of resolution of difficulties posed by that connection
What is Aggression?

“Aggression is any anti social behaviour directed toward the goal of harming or injuring another living being who is motivated to avoid such treatment (Baron, 1977).
For centuries philosophers and psychologists have been interested in the study of human aggression
Antisocial behaviour and aggression is a very complex area to study as there is not a set definition
Moyer and Berowitz
Hostile aggression is
Instrumental aggression is controlled and mediated
Antisocial behaviour
It has been found that even the most passive individual will use aggression to protect their family or as self-defence. How would you react if you came downstairs to find a burglar in your kitchen? This was a situation that occurred to Tony Martin in 2000 when he heard a noise from downstairs and went investigate, to find that sixteen-year-old Fred Barras had broken in to his farmhouse. As the boy tried to escape, Tony Martin grabbed a shotgun, fired a shot that killed him. A British jury decided that Mr Martin had gone beyond reasonable consideration of defending his territory. He was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Nevertheless, while aggression is discouraged in most environments, it is still a pre-requisite that is needed to be successful in training and during mortal combat in the armed forces. Furthermore aggression is encouraged in the field of sport and in areas of business that require drive, energy and stamina to reach goals and beat the competition. Therefore society gives out mixed messages regarding aggression to its members, suggesting that aggression is positive and desirable aspect of behaviour in one set of social contexts, but conversely a negative and unwanted behaviour in others.
Theories of Aggression
Most advances in the biological explanation of aggression have been made through animal studies. However human studies have also given substantial evidence to the nature side of the ...