Nature of Aggression Essay - 1876 Words

Nature of Aggression Aggression is the quintessential basis for all sociopathic behavior, and a primary concern in the fields of behavioral, developmental, social, and clinical psychology, and is covered to some extent in nearly every other field of psychology. Yet aggression is also necessary for human beings as a way to protect ones individuality, to enhance ones social standing, and often to protect oneself from bodily harm#8212;all purposes very important to the maintenance of ones mental health also. It is therefore a complex phenomenon and, depending on the context, the term aggression can be made to carry positive or negative connotations. It can manifest itself in the form of a behavior that may be self-protective and†¦show more content†¦Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, would have described aggression in terms of the Ego, Super-Ego, and the Id, the three structures of human personality which must invariably clash in order to produce resultant human behaviors. Freudian aggression can also be described through the Pleasure Principle, and the constructs of the Libido (the drive for pleasure) and of Thanatos (the death drive). Jung, the originator of the most prominent variation of Freudian psychodynamics, would have explained aggression through his analytical psychology which comprises the constructs of the Psyche: Consciousness, the Personal Unconscious, the Collective Unconscious, and all of their respective sub-structures. These are the theories by which aggression will be effectively illustrated and explained herein. A Freudian Approach to Aggression The Roles of the Ego, Super-Ego, and Id in Aggression According to Freud, the id is the base of all animalistic instincts, the one thing that humans share in common with their animal brethren. The structures that separate humans from wild animals are those of the Ego and the Super-Ego, which collectively serve to protect man from his own violent nature and thus render him civilized. The Super-Egos role in the psyche is virtually non-descript, containing morals and values applied to everyday life, and thereby serving the role of the human conscience. The Ego and Id are effectively the sub-conscious portion of theShow MoreRelatedAggression Is It ‘Nature’ or ‘Nurture’2434 Words   |  10 PagesAggression is it ‘Nature’ or ‘Nurture’ During our lifetime every one of us feels anger and aggression occasionally, some more than others, maybe as a child in the play ground or later as an adult when somebody cuts you up when you are driving along. But what causes anger and aggression and why do we all suffer from it? Well there are lots of different theories to what causes aggression and where aggressive behaviour comes from. So throughout this essay I will examine the different concepts and theoriesRead More The Nature of Aggression (or is it Nurture?) Essay1462 Words   |  6 PagesThe Nature of Aggression (or is it Nurture?) 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