Lesson 2: Emotions and Criminal Behaviour

1 - Aggression: Studying it from Many Angles

Aggression is often misunderstood, feared, and generally viewed as distasteful. Aggression is any action that directly or indirectly inflicts harm on others. The word aggression is used to describe behaviour that ranges from asserting one’s personal interests to violent, physical action. Two things most often associated with aggression are anger and a surge of power. Aggressive people communicate in loud, commanding ways. They may put people down or use sarcasm.

Passive behaviour is the opposite of aggressive behaviour. It involves avoiding confrontations and being led or controlled by someone else. Although many believe that passive behaviour is very civilized, such behaviour can be unhealthy. Failure to respond to any conflict or difficult situation can result in unsatisfactory lifestyle choices. For example, failure to state preferences of how you wish to spend leisure time may mean that you always do what your friends want to do. In this case, you may be disappointed at your friends’ choices, yet never give yourself a chance to develop your own preferences. Passiveness may also be called submissiveness. Passive people often withdraw completely from social interaction or remain meekly in the background.

How does assertiveness compare to aggressiveness? Assertiveness refers to behaviour such as standing up for one’s rights and interests and actively coping with disagreeable situations. Assertive people approach situations with a win-win goal in mind. They stick up for their rights by speaking up boldly and insistently, but at the same time they show respect toward others. Assertive people have many positive skills that include:

• personal independence and high levels of self-confidence
• leadership skills and a sense of personal power when approaching situations
• strong social skills, listening to others while initiating and handling conversations with ease and finesse

Anger is an intense emotion, but it is not always destructive. It can lead to greater awareness and understanding if the individuals concerned can de-escalate the conflict and talk over possible solutions. Assertive people feel anger, but they deal with it by trying to find constructive ways to resolve the problem.

Here are some situations in which assertiveness is appropriate:

• when restaurant services or purchases are not satisfactory
• when someone disturbs you by talking loudly at a movie, play, or concert
• telling someone good news about yourself (not in a boastful way)
• resisting sales pressure
• refusing an unreasonable request
• meeting the challenge of conversing with someone who does not share your point of view
• requesting a return of borrowed items

Are aggression and violence related? Violent behaviour is unjust or unwarranted exertion of force or power; injurious actions leading to physical damage or harm. Violence is the most extreme form of aggression in which threats, force, and hostile actions are characteristic. In the interests of survival, some forms of aggression are acceptable, but violence is considered destructive and harmful. For example, if a hockey player body checks another player in a clean, sportsman-like way, he is being aggressive. If a hockey player uses his stick to injure another player deliberately, he is acting in a violent manner.

When people continually suppress their hostility and do not come to terms with it, violent kinds of aggression may erupt. Police records confirm that some of the most vicious crimes have been committed by individuals who are perceived to be very gentle, quiet, and conservative. Much hostility can be traced to poor communication skills.

More will be said about violence and crime later in this lesson.