Aggression, etymologically, means attack. It is an innate reaction to frustration whose goal is assertion and is manifested with destructive, controlling, and hostile actions.
Nowadays, violence has become very prevalent, both among children and adults. It is mainly based on social causes: misuse of aggressive energy, which can have destructive consequences around the world.
Katsuyuki Yamasaki conducted a study on aggression causes, and he deduced that the main cause can be difficulties with relationships. There were three types of aggression studied among the 1581 children in elementary school. The types of aggression examined were: reactive-expression (verbal and physical), reactive-inexpressive aggression (hostility), and proactive-relational aggression (indirect aggression that can harm relationships).
The researchers measured these three aggressions by using questionnaires, which assessed peer relationships.
The study showed that the higher score of relational aggression was connected with the quantity of friends.
Based on this study, it is clear that aggression is associated with relationships around us.
What’s interesting is that sometimes when aggression isn’t expressed, mostly because of inner conflicts, it can be directed inward. If it happens that person expresses aggression towards themselves, then the consequence will be depression.
When the aggression is expressed indirectly, instead of showing it outwardly, it is called passive aggression.
Passive aggression was first explored by William C. Menninger during the war. He recognised that sometimes soldiers didn’t carry out the orders, which was happening indirectly. They delayed their jobs and complained about it, but the soldiers couldn’t directly refuse. This was called passive aggression, and it was deduced that it was caused by the results of upbringing and socialisation in families.
During passive aggression, emotions are suppressed, but anger and resentment are manifested in silence: in bitter expressions and avoidance of communication.
Passive aggression is infantile behavior. A person who takes responsibility for themselves blames others. They prefer cynicism, sarcasm, and irony, which creates distance in relationships.
As mentioned above, passive aggression comes from upbringing. If the child’s emotional expression is followed by punishment, such a person will have difficulties in the future with passive aggression. Another factor in passive aggression could be an authoritative upbringing.
According to a Harvard-trained psychiatrist, Martin Kantor, passive-aggressive behaviour can be mitigated using cognitive behaviour therapy.
He mentioned that the three questions that must be asked are: why do these individuals become so angry, why are they struggling to express their anger directly, and what types of anger do they employ to express their aggression?
There were lots of famous artists who discussed their relationship with passive aggression. The Roman poet Quintilian said that my anger and rage create my poems. We can also see inner turmoil in Beethoven and Michelangelo’s works. In Michelangelo’s paintings, people are excited, which his moderns called exalted. Beethoven, despite all the despondencies in his life, still continued playing. On which he used aggressive energy. The method of reconstructing aggressive energy and directing it towards something creative can be helpful for many people.
In conclusion, aggression has a very big influence on us in everyday life. We see it in mobs and between our loved ones. There are different styles of aggression and ways to overcome them. In order to avoid destructive results, one must pursue therapy or recrystallize aggressive energy by using it in creative endeavours.
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References:
Yamasaki, K., & Nishida, N. (2009). The relationship between three types of aggression and peer
relations in elementary school children. International Journal of Psychology, 44(3), 179–186.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00207590701656770
APA PsycNet. (n.d.). https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2009-03061-003
Kantor, M. (2017). Passive-Aggression. https://doi.org/10.5040/9798400695469
