The phenomenon of aggression as one of the natural responses to negative stimuli might seem quite basic and simple to understand. However, aggression often represents a complex conundrum of emotions and is defined by a variety of factors, with the intensity of a response not necessarily matching the scale of the issue (Peraza, 2005c). Therefore, one might raise the question of whether the causes of aggression are rooted in the social (“nurture”) or biological (“nature”) factors (Fallon, 2009; Girard et al., 2019). Since the levels of aggression can be controlled and contained even in people with an increased amount of hormones causing an aggressive response, aggression should be seen as the emotion that is defined primarily by societal factors.
Being an emotion that people demonstrate when facing an annoying issue, aggression could be seen as a product of a chemical response to an irritant. However, while the reaction produced by neurons does have a purely biological origin, the ways in which a person chooses to express the change in his or her mood and attitudes hinges purely on the social conditioning and acceptable norms, as well as on the nuances of upbringing (Peraza, 2005a; Peraza, 2005d). Indeed, while in some cultures, aggression and other emotions are deemed a socially acceptable, in others, restraint and composure are seen as a norm (Peraza, 2005b). Therefore, aggression, whether emotional or physical, can be considered primarily the product of nurture.
Although aggression is a natural response caused by changes in hormone levels, the fact that it can be controlled in people with different hormone ranges indicates that the phenomenon of aggression is linked to the concept of nurture rather than that one of nature. Therefore, promoting the behaviors, values, and standards that could allow reducing the extent of aggression in people and create the environment that will invite them to adopt a more serene and mellow attitude to stress and conflict factors is needed. Thus, aggression will be addressed in a healthy and effective manner.
References
Girard, L. C., Tremblay, R. E., Nagin, D., & Côté, S. M. (2019). Development of aggression subtypes from childhood to adolescence: A group-based multi-trajectory modelling perspective. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 47(5), 825-838. Web.
Peraza, Y. [Yolanda Peraza]. (2005a). Origins of human aggression (the nature of things) part 1.wmv [Video]. Web.
Peraza, Y. [Yolanda Peraza]. (2005b). Origins of human aggression (the nature of things) part 2.wmv [Video]. Web.
Peraza, Y. [Yolanda Peraza]. (2005c). Origins of human aggression (the nature of things) part 3.wmv [Video]. Web.
Peraza, Y. [Yolanda Peraza]. (2005d). Origins of human aggression (the nature of things) part 4.wmv [Video]. Web.
Fallon, J. (2009). Exploring the mind of a killer. TED Talk. Web.