Aggression

Aggression:  is the physical or verbal behavior intended to cause harm.

            Aggression is everywhere.  It is in our homes on television and the Internet.  Children start at an early age watching cartoons with violent insinuations or acts.   Adolescents watch wrestling matches, fights, or violent movies on television.  As adults, we can watch anything because we are old enough to understand what reality is.  This does not mean that a person will not commit a crime because people have because of a television show. 

            Children mock what they see on television.  If they see aggressive behavior, then they will implement it in their lives.  For example, if a child sees a violent act on television where someone hit another person on the head with a hammer, then the child might do the same thing to get what they want.  They are using their aggression known as a learned social behavior.  The child sees that the aggression pays off.  This can make for a more aggressive child as they get older.

            When adolescents watch violent shows on television, they sometimes will imitate some of the violent acts they have seen.  For example, if a group of adolescents watch a wrestling show, then they will think they can wrestle just like the professional wrestlers.  The adolescents may not realize the professional wrestlers practice before they try their wrestling moves.  Therefore, these teenagers will try these moves on their friends or enemies not realizing the outcome could be harmful or fatal.  This is evoking imitation.  They are reenacting what they saw on television.

            Adults watch many crime shows.  These crime shows reenact crimes that may or may not have been committed.  These shows are not scientifically truthful but many people have believed them to be as such.  Therefore, people have committed crimes that they have seen on various crime shows.  In one survey of 208 prisoners, 9 out of 10 said they learned a new criminal trick by watching crime shows.  Four out of 10 said they tried particular crimes they had seen on television.  This is the television’s effects on behavior.

Myers, D. Social Psychology. 2012. Aggression, Chapter 10.  McGraw Hill. New York.