Analysis on The Mental Impact of Anxiety and Hostility

In the study of Psychology, particularly human behaviour, both aggression and fear are hotly debated topics among theorists. Aggression and fear are both inherent in our world and both serve different functions. Fear refers to a personal fear and can be observed on a personal level, whereas aggression is a group subject, usually concerned with more than one person. These two very primal emotions seem almost out of place in this modern world, and so the conflicting theories, which attempt to explain both fear and aggression, can differ tremendously in their attempt to rationalize this facet of human behaviour. The two topics I will discuss in this essay are, as I mentioned, still disputed today. By addressing them we can see the controversial nature of psychology.

Psychologists consider Fear and Anxiety to be almost exactly the same thing. Fear is the 1. An unpleasant emotion caused by threat of danger, pain, or harm (Oxford 2002) anxiety, or anxiousness is 1.feeling of worry or unease (op. sit.). So similar are the two in terms of psychological study, they have been baled together. There are many different theories throughout the psychological community concerning fear, its origins and meanings.

Social learning Psychologists, for example, take a very definite stance on fear, they believe that it is a learnt emotion and is not a genetic reflex or understanding we are born with. Social Learning psychology proposes 'True fear requires a rather sophisticated level of cognitive development' (Schnell et. al. 1975, p. 167).

Social learning Psychologists suggest that true fear, what we think of as fear, can only be truly experienced when a child has learnt about 'fear'. To be afraid of something a child must either have experiences something with negative effects or experience something described to them as frightening. The child who fears must have a memory of fear. A child, excepting outside influence, can never fear something new. 6-month-old Roberta when approached by the big hairy monster was not frightened. She could only ever truly fear the monster if she had a) already met it once and it had hurt her, roared loudly or similar, or b) been told the story of a monster with descriptions of it's appearance and negative deeds.

This means that also fear experienced through gradual conditioning. John was smacked when he ate lollies, so when he thinks of lollies, John becomes anxious (Atkinson et. al. 1983).

Social learning psychologists, when studying fear are always fascinated to report the reinforcing nature of fear, that fear, if not analysed and confronted, never gives the sufferer a chance to rid them of fear. Jenny who is scared of spiders, will scream and run from them, (which itself is a self perpetuating action as it increases anxiety) never allowing herself to see that spiders are quite unlikely to attack, and indeed, are more inclined to remove themselves from such an exciting atmosphere. (op. sit.)

Another well-regarded theory of fear is that of famous Psychologist, Sigmund Freud. Freud believed that, firstly, there are two kinds of fear, objective anxiety and neurotic anxiety. Objective anxiety is described as the practical response to danger (Schnell et. al. 1975); Freud believed that objective anxiety is a positive, and necessary reflex, and therefore did not explain this fear in great detail. He was far more interested in our unwarranted fears and so wrote in depth about, what he considered a fascinating side to human fear: Neurotic Anxiety.

Neurotic anxiety is a term coined by Freud to describe the anxiety that springs from a person's unconscious. More specifically the anxiety is a result of unconscious conflict between the id, and the ego or super ego, a subject is most often unaware of the root of their anxiety as it is hidden in the unconscious and many defence mechanisms have been employed to divert the conscious from cause and conflict. For example Jeffery may have sexual feelings towards his sister (id) but knows, subconsciously, that it is morally unacceptable to feel that way (ego), and so has intense inner turmoil at an unconscious level. This produces anxiety, and as it is at a subconscious level is Neurotic Anxiety. (Atkinson et. al. 1983)

Neurotic anxiety is dealt with, using defence mechanisms, another important part of Freud's theory. This could take many different forms such as; reaction formation, an unconscious dislike of a friend could express itself as a clingy overly-loving relationship; repression, repressing the anxiety and not addressing it; or sublimation, someone could feel an intense hate of a family member, but knowing it would be unacceptable to act upon, and having no other outlet, might express themselves artistically.

As anxiety had differing schools of thought, so does the topic of aggression. Where we have looked at Freudian and Social Learning theory with Anxiety, we will view aggression from the viewpoints of behaviourists and John Dollard, one of the original authors of the frustration-aggression theory.

Aggression is a very interesting part of human behaviour, what interests Psychologists is intraspecific aggression, or aggression on ones own species. Aggression is hostile or violent behaviour or attitudes (Oxford, 2002). And it is the explosion of aggression, how it is expressed and its strange manifestations with in the human race that make it such a popular topic of study.

Behaviourists believe that intraspecific aggression is a positive act. Intraspecific aggression can disperse a population with the aggressive protection of territories, also in the case of aggressive behaviour resulting from mating rituals; it often means the stronger males will reproduce (Carlson, 1987). This suggests though that in the case of humans, intraspecific aggressive behaviour is no longer a necessary part of our evolution and sustenance, so why does it exist?

Behaviourists answer this question with a typically biological answer, that aggression is learned. This is not often the result of a child being a victim of or witness to domestic violence, but behaviourists believe the large amounts and extended exposure to of violence on television and in video games cause children to imitate aggressive behaviour (op. sit.) . For example Paul, who has watched his father beat his mother from a young age, is more likely to be aggressive, or Jessica who watches vast amounts of violent television is more likely to play violently in the playground.

The frustration-aggression hypothesis is a controversial aggression theory. John Dollard and associates penned the first frustration-aggression theory, in 1939. It proposed that frustration is the cause of aggression. Frustration is produced by feelings of un-met goals. This thwarting of someone's efforts to reach their goals creates an aggressive drive, which inspires action to stop, injure or eliminate the person or article preventing their success and causing their frustration. Dollard and his company of psychologists supposed that when this aggression is expressed only then is the aggressive drive reduced. For example, Robert a rugby player attempts to score trys throughout his rugby match, however the other team continue to stop him, this frustrates Robert which gives birth to his aggressive drive, when Robert continues to be frustrated, he is more likely to execute a rougher-than-usual tackle, or initiate a fight (perhaps this is why brawls are not uncommon in Rugby).

Both aggression and anxiety are fascinating subjects to study in psychology because of the many conflicting, convincing theories that surround them both. Both have a necessary role in human development and both continue to divide psychologists.

In their normal expression, aggression is structuring group behaviour and fear has a role in helping individuals avoid risky situations. However, these behaviours can often be expressed in ways that lead to difficult outcomes for individuals and groups, psychologists of all persuasions will continue to try to understand the tension and difficulties implicit in this.