NCJ Number
57653
Date Published
1977
Length
13 pages
Annotation
AN ANALYSIS FOCUSING ON THE GENERAL TYPES OF AGGRESSION, PROVOKING INCIDENTS, USES OF AGGRESSION AGAINST OTHERS, AND WAYS TO RESOLVE INAPPROPRIATE AGGRESSION IS GIVEN IN THE STUDY.
Abstract
AGGRESSION CAN BE USED EITHER TO SAVE, RESCUE, AND DEFEND OR IT CAN SERVE TO DOMINATE, ANNIHILATE, AND SEIZE. WHILE THESE TWO EXTREMES MAY BE CONSIDERED WITHIN THE NORMAL PARAMETERS OF AGGRESSION, THERE IS ANOTHER TYPE OF AGGRESSION WHICH CAN BE CONSIDERED PATHOLOGICAL. IN THIS TYPE OF AGGRESSION THERE IS VIOLENCE AND DESTRUCTIVENESS BEYOND THE NEED OF THE TASK IN HAND. MANY CHILD ABUSERS APPEAR TO HAVE BUILT THIS TYPE OF PATHOLOGICAL AGGRESSION INTO THEIR LIVES AND RELY UPON IT, ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY, IN THEIR DEALINGS WITH OTHERS. WHEN PUNISHING THEIR CHILDREN, SUCH PARENTS FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT DREADFUL PUNISHMENTS ARE GIVEN ONLY FOR THE CHILDREN'S GOOD. YET, IT APPEARS THAT MOUNTING AGGRESSIVENESS, RESULTING IN PUNISHMENT, IS SOMETIMES EXCITING TO BOTH PARENT AND CHILD. WHILE A WIDE RANGE OF INCIDENTS CAN TRIGGER VIOLENCE, INCIDENTS INFUSED WITH FEELINGS OF GREED OR ENVY ARE PARTICULARLY EXPLOSIVE. OFTEN IT IS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE WHAT EACH OF THE PARTIES IN SUCH INCIDENTS ARE FEELING SINCE THE FEELINGS MAY BE PROJECTED BY ONE PARTY ONTO THE OTHER. PATHOLOGICAL AGGRESSION CAN BE EXPRESSED EITHER BY A LONE INDIVIDUAL OR BY A GROUP, AND CHILD ABUSE CAN OCCUR IN EITHER SITUATION; I.E., JUST ONE PARENT MAY BE ABUSIVE OR THE FAMILY CAN SELECT ONE MEMBER, AS A SCAPEGOAT, WHO IS THEN ABUSED BY THE WHOLE FAMILY. SOCIAL AGENCIES CAN HELP INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WORK THROUGH PATHOLOGICAL AGGRESSION BY HELPING THEM RESOLVE THE ANXIETIES THEY EXPERIENCE ABOUT HAVING FEELINGS OF LOVE AND HATE TOWARD LOVED ONES. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (KCP).