4.
causes significant emotional pain and
ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR
Defining Abnormal Behavior: There are two primary definitions
psychologists use to classify behavior as abnormal including:
Atypical Behavior: behavior that deviates from the norms of
society -- behavior seen as being different or weird not
necessarily harmful to self or others, just deviant the definition
most people in society use to define a behavior as being abnormal
-- referred to in the textbook as 'deviance'
Maladaptive Behavior: behavior that is potentially harmful to
oneself or to others -- not just physically harmful, but also
emotionally harmful to the well-being of a person or others -- not
necessarily deviant, but definitely potentially harmful -- the
definition most clinicians are concerned about -- they are more
interested in the client's mental and physical well-being than
whether or not a behavior is weird
Atypical, Maladaptive or Both?
Behaviors are not necessarily atypical or maladaptive. They can
be both. For example, behaviors can be defined as mostly atypical
(having a conversation with a shoe), both
atypical and maladaptive (dancing naked while standing on an
overpass railing above North Central Expressway) or primarily
maladaptive (a college student drinking an excessive amount of
alcohol at a party).
Does Abnormal Behavior Always Indicate a Mental
Disorder?
Not all forms of abnormal behavior or thinking qualify as mental
disorders. The greater majority of persons who engage in
abnormal behaviors are not diagnosed with a mental disorder.
Factors that may result in an abnormal behavior being considered
as a part of a genuine mental disorder include if the abnormal
behavior:
1. is maladaptive (harmful to self or others)
2. causes significant social impairment
3. causes significant occupational impairment (work or
academic struggles)
discomfort (depression, anxiety...)
5. involves a psychotic episode involving loss of contact
with reality (a rare, severe mental state)
(or to varying degrees, any combination of these five
factors)
Classifying Mental Disorders Using the DSM-5
In the United States, mental disorders are categorized and
diagnosed using the DSM system that is overseen by the American
Psychiatric Association (APA). DSM stands for 'Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.' In 2013, the APA
released the long awaited fifth edition, the DSM-5 (2013), to
replace the previous DSM-IV that had been in used since 1994.
What are the key differences between DSM-IV and DSM-5? The
most significant difference is that the DSM-5 has shifted to a
more dimensional model of diagnosis built on the idea that the
core symptoms that make up the disorders (like depression,
anxiety, psychosis, mania, irrational thoughts, skewed perceptional
processes) occur in intensity levels ranging from low to high
in everyone. This is in contrast the the more categorical DSM-IV
system that tends to see a person as either having or not having a
disorder, with little gray area in between. Other DSM-5 differences
include a number of category changes for the disorders. For
example, obsessive compulsive disorders were removed from the
anxiety disorder category and given their own category.
Additionally, some new disorders were added to the DSM-5, and
some longstanding disorders from previous editions were deleted
-- most notably the classic subtypes of schizophrenia were deleted
from the DSM-5.
It is important for students learning about diagnosing disorders to
understand that diagnosing mental disorders is a fundamentally
different task than diagnosing physical illness where there is more
agreement among physicians as to what constitutes an actual
physical illness. How mental disorders are defined is a constantly
evolving process and a subject of great debate among clinicians.
The DSM simply offers the most current view of what constitutes a
mental disorder, and may change in the future. Students should
take the DSM for what it is...simply a guideline for clinicians tasked
with diagnosing people struggling with forms of mental disorder.
The following includes a sampling of many of the categories and
disorders included in the DSM-5. Not all categories are included.
Some of the disorder categories included in the DSM-5 but not
represented here include:
Neurodevelopmental Disorders (Autism Spectrum Disorder,
ADHD...)
Elimination Disorders (Enuresis aka 'bedwetting,' Encopresis
aka 'incontinence'...)
Sleep-Wake Disorders (Insomnia, Narcolepsy, Restless Legs
Syndrome...)
Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders (substances
abuse / dependence of all kinds)
Neurocognitive Disorders (Delirium, Dementias including
Alzheimer's Disease...)
Anxiety Disorders: disorders involving high levels of negative
emotions such as fear, nervousness and dread. In many cases,
the fear and worry are irrational in that the person magnifies a
small stressor into a major threat, or mentally creates a threat
where none actually exists. The person may attempt to cope with
the negative emotions using an ineffective or maladaptive
methods. The disturbance does not involve a psychotic loss of
contact with reality. Anxiety disorders include:
Panic Disorder: repeated panic attacks (pounding heart,
shortness of breath, trembling, chest pain, nausea...),
overwhelming fear response that something terrible is happening
or about to happen resulting from a minor threat, or in the
absence of a threatening stimulus. Can be diagnosed with or
without Agoraphobia described below.
Phobias: intense, irrational fears that dominate a persons life on
many levels. Examples include:
Specific Phobia: intense irrational fear of an object,
creature or specific situation (snakes, spiders, heights,
enclosed spaces, air travel are examples).
Agoraphobia: intense, irrational fear of being in a public
situation where a tragic event may occur from which the
person might not escape or may embarrassed by
overreacting (will not go to the movies for fear the theater
will catch fire and will be trapped or trampled to death in a
panic). Often does not leave home due to fears. Also can be
diagnosed with or without panic disorder described above.
Social Anxiety Disorder (aka 'Social Phobia'): intense,
irrational fear of being evaluated (or 'judged') by others in social
situations. Intense fear that how a person talks, looks or acts is
being negatively evaluated by others (including strangers). Will
leave home, but either avoids public places were people are
present (due to fears of being negatively evaluated), or endures
intense anxiety when forced to be in the presence of others.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): intense worry and
anxiety about everything (money, work, health, relationships...),
not just one specific thing. Intense worry about bad things
happening in the future for which there is no real conclusive
evidence.
Separation Anxiety Disorder: developmentally
age inappropriate (beyond early childhood years) intense fear and
anxiety concerning being separated from persons to whom the
individual is emotionally attached. Intense distress when
anticipating separation, about unforeseen events (disasters, injury,
death) that would cause separation, fear of being alone or leaving
home without attachment figure, distressing dreams of
separation.
Selective Mutism: failure to speak and engage in expected
verbal interaction in less familiar or anxiety-provoking situations
(school, social events) in spite of the ability to speak at home and
in other comfortable, familiar situations. High anxiety when
expected to speak in the presence of others. Typically affects
children more than adults. Failure to speak interferes with
academic or occupational achievement, or forming of social
relationships.
Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders: disorders
involving an anxiety-based obsessions (fixations) on things ranging
from personal safety, orderliness, cleanliness, physical
appearance, to control over objects / possessions, or
involving compulsions or ritualized behaviors the person feels
compelled much perform. Obsessive-compulsive disorders
include:
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): intense anxiety
resulting from obsessions(uncontrollable, repeating thoughts like
the inability to stop thinking about the precise order of clothes
hanging in the closet) and/or compulsions (ritualized behaviors
that are uncontrollable, repeating and unwanted like constant
hand washing, lock checking, cleaning and straightening).
Obsessions / compulsions are time-consuming and cause
impairment in social, occupational or daily functioning.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder: obsession with an imagined
physical defect in the appearance of a normal-appearing
person. Person believes he/she has a facial/body feature that is
grotesque, and disturbing for self and others to see. Others do not
share the persons perception. Causes impairment in social,
occupational or daily functioning.
Hoarding Disorder: difficulty discarding possessions
(regardless of their value) resulting in accumulation of large
volume of items that clutter living area. Belief all possessions
must be saved, and distress when confronted with discarding
items. Hoarding causes significant impairment in social,
occupational or daily functioning.
Trichotillomania: frequent, recurrent pulling out of one's own
hair resulting in hair loss. Hair pulling can be from the scalp,
eyebrows, eyelashes, or other area. Distress at failure to stop hair
pulling. Causes impairment in social, occupational or daily
functioning.
Excoriation Disorder: recurrent picking of the skin resulting in
skin abrasions or lesions, attempts to stop picking skin, and causes
impairment in social, occupational or daily functioning.
Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders: disorders
involving exposure to to a stressful event or situation ranging from
typical life stressors (relationship conflicts, occupational struggles)
to life-threatening stressors (natural disasters, terrorist attacks,
military combat, surviving fatal car wreck) to significant
emotional / physical neglect or abuse as a child. While stress
reactions to stressful events are normal and vary from person to
person, a trauma/stress disorder may be indicated if the person's
stress reaction is considerably more extreme or prolonged
compared to how others typically react, and/or causes persistent
impairment in social, occupational or daily functioning. Trauma-
and Stressor-Related disorders include:
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): person has lived
through a life-threatening traumatic event (rape, combat, plane
crash, terrorist attack, mass shooting, tornado/hurricane) in which
the person thought he/she would die, or witnessed the death of
another person(s). Following exposure to the event the person is
is disabled by repeated, unwanted thoughts, dreams and
flashbacks of the event, extreme avoidance of reminders of the
event, numbed emotions, jumpy, unable to sleep for fear the event
will occur again. Obsession with the event causes significant
impairment in social, occupational and/or daily functioning.
Symptoms persist for at least 1 month or longer.
Acute Stress Disorder: same general cause and symptom
profile as PTSD, with symptom duration of at least 3 days but not
longer than 1 month (hence 'acute').
Adjustment Disorder: may occur when a person experiences
a 'normal' life stressor (loss of job, divorce, death of loved one) and
has a significant level of difficulty coping with the eventby reacting
to the event in a manner that is more extreme and/or
prolonged compared to others. Problems adjusting to the change
brought by event, causes minor to moderate impairment in social /
occupational functioning. Not long-term -- symptoms do not
persist longer than 6 months. Symptoms not caused by another
disorder driven by anxiety, depression, psychosis. Good prognosis
for recovery. Therapists may give this diagnosis to patients so
they can have some disorder worthy of insurance company
reimbursement for treatment.
Reactive Attachment Disorder: a consistent pattern of
emotional / behavioral withdrawal from adult caregiver(s).
Absence of normal caring bonds with caregiver(s). Child does not
seek emotional comfort when stressed and does not respond to
comfort when offered. Lack of social response to others. Limited
positive emotions. Frequent irritability or fearfulness toward
caregiver(s) or others. Evidence the child has experienced
significant neglect or insufficient social and/or physical care.
Disinhibition Social Engagement Disorder: a pattern of
behavior in which a child indiscriminately approaches and interacts
with adult strangers in an overly friendly manner without normal
inhibitions related to not knowing the person. Child does not show
a difference in emotional bonds with caregiver(s) and adult
strangers. Child may wander off and/or show no distress if lost
from his or her caregiver(s). Evidence the child has experienced
significant neglect or insufficient social and/or physical care,
especially during infancy. Child must be 9 months or older.
Somatoform Disorders: disorders involving symptoms of
physical health problems or an irrational fear regarding physical
health with no apparent physical cause -- in each case, medical
evaluation cannot determine an actual physical cause -- therefore,
a psychological cause may be presumed -- no loss of contact with
reality -- somatoform disorders include:
Conversion Disorder: the person converts an emotional
trauma into a major physical symptom like blindness, deafness or
paralysis as a result of an emotional trauma. Not faking or
consciously making the symptom. In theory, an unconscious
defense mechanism is at work. Rare occurrence.
Hypochondriasis: intense anxiety resulting from the
misinterpretation of small, common physical problems as
conclusive evidence of a serious, even life-threatening
illness. Intense fear of being affected by physical illness. Belief of
serious illness continues in spite of medical evidence indicating no
illness. Commonly know as a hypochondriac. More common
occurrence.
Somatoform Pain Disorder: intense, physical pain that
cannon be explained by a genuine physical cause (like nerve
damage, infection). Believed to be psychological in nature and
somewhat rare in occurrence.
Somatization Disorder: an unexplained variety of
physiological symptoms that do not characteristically fit the
pattern of any common physical illness or disorder. Must have at
least one or more symptoms from each of the following symptom
groups: general physical, gastrointestinal, neurological,
sexual/reproductive symptoms. Believed to be psychological in
nature and somewhat rare in occurrence.
Dissociative Disorders: disorders involving a sudden change
in memory or identity with no apparent physical cause to
dissociate means to separate from -- persons with dissociative
disorders have likely suffered a deep psychological trauma it is
assumed that their minds have unconsciously separated from the
pain of the trauma either in the form of amnesia or loss of identity
-- dissociative disorders include:
Dissociative Identity Disorder (formerly Multiple Personality
Disorder): two or more distinct personality states that
alternatively take control of the persons life. As you will read in
the text, very controversial disorder. Most who believe it is an
actual, real disorder think the occurrence is rare. Many clinicians
dont believe it actually exists, believing it to be either the
misdiagnosis of another problem or an attention seeking device for
the patient.
Dissociative Amnesia: significant memory loss that cannot be
explained by a physical cause or trauma. Believed to result from
extreme psychological trauma. Also know as repressed memory
syndrome. Occurrence is believed to be generally rare.
Dissociative Fugue: sudden, distinct loss of identity and
inability to recall ones past resulting in wandering travel away
from ones home and creation of a new identity. Not consciously
controlled. Occurrence believed to be very rare.
Mood Disorders: disorders involving an extreme of a normal
mood state -- that is, when the normal moods of happy or sad
become so extreme they become maladaptive -- mood disorders
differ from simple normal changes in mood in that they involve
symptoms that:
1. are much more severe than normal mood changes
2. cause significant impairment of functioning
3. often have no specific cause such as a psychosocial
event like death of a relative
 4. are persistent and more enduring than normal mood
changes
Note that in the DSM-IV, major depressive and bipolar disorders
were included in the same category called 'mood disorder,' but are
now appear in their own separate chapters in the DSM-5
The two major DSM-IV mood disorders include:
Major Depression: Depression that is long-term, considerably
debilitating, and not caused by drugs or other organic cause.
Symptoms include:
1. sad mood
2. loss of pleasure in usual activities
3. insomnia or hypersomnia
4. appetite/weight change
5. excessive guilt/worthlessness
6. problems concentrating
7. loss of energy
8. psychomotor retardation/agitation
9. thoughts of death or suicide, a suicide plan or suicide
attempt
Person must have at least five of the symptoms above and must
included either symptom #1 or #2 or both as a part of the
minimum of five. The symptoms must be severe enough to cause
marked impairment in social/occupational functioning or to
necessitate hospitalization to prevent harm to self/others.
Bipolar Disorder: Formerly called manic-depression
diagnosis requires the person experience at least one full-blown
manic episode and will also likely (but not necessarily) involve a
shift from mania to a full-blown depressive episode -- person often
will fluctuate between episodes of mania and depression (over the
course of several days/weeks).
Symptoms of a manic episode include:
1. dramatically elevated, euphoric mood or irritable mood
2. highly inflated self-esteem (belief one can do anything
without any chance of failure)
3. decreased need for sleep (maybe only a few hours every
couple of days)
4. extremely talkative, much more than usual
5. racing thoughts
6. easily distracted, unable to focus attention
7. increased goal directed behavior (like abruptly deciding
to put a new roof on the house and be finished in one
day while working solo)
8. involvement in pleasurable activities that have painful
consequences (like spending sprees, multiple,
indiscriminate sexual acts)
Again, symptoms must be severe enough to cause marked
impairment in social/occupational functioning or to necessitate
hospitalization to prevent harm to self/others. Person must have a
minimum of four of the symptoms noted above and must include
symptom #1.
Schizophrenia: the major form of psychosis (loss of reality)
diagnosed -- along with bipolar disorder and major depression is
one of the three major mental disorders -- affects just over 1% of
the population -- happens most commonly between the ages of 15
and 45 -- onset typically in the late teens to mid 20s
-- considered to be a biologically based brain disease -- may
be triggered or made worse by stressful situations.
Three General Characteristics of Schizophrenia:
1. Severe distortions of thinking, perception and mood
resulting in loss of contact with reality including:
 Delusions: False beliefs true belief in weird or unusual
things -- often either paranoid, grandiose or bizarre in
nature
Hallucinations: False sensory experiences they actually
hear or see things that are not there -- most commonly
auditory, but also visual or even tactile
Loose Associations: illogical thinking seen in jumbled,
confusing speech that jumps from one topic to another
during the course of one sentence and is offen referred to as
"word salad"
2. Social withdrawal -- all schizophrenics are to some
degree cognitively withdrawn from others and many
become physically withdrawn from others also
3. Deterioration from a previous level of functioning --
schizophrenia happens to persons who have developed
at least into the early stages of adulthood -- that is, it
does not happen to children -- it is not a developmental
disorder.
Types of Schizophrenia (3 of 5 common types):
Disorganized Type: fits the common stereotype of a "crazy
person" -- disorganized, purposeless, or bizarre behavior --
incoherence -- silly or inappropriate mood delusions (non-
paranoid) -- hallucinations (non-paranoid)
Paranoid Type: system of paranoid delusions often a complex
web of false beliefs involving being spied on or conspired against
by others -- auditory or visual hallucinations often paranoid in
nature -- otherwise "normal" in other behaviors, for
example does notshow extremely disorganized behavior,
incoherence, jumbled speech, or catatonia -- most common type
accounting for about 50% of all cases of schizophrenia
Catatonic Type: extreme social withdrawal -- does not react to
others or things in environment -- in a stupor or zombie-like state
-- often shows rigid, bizarre body postures -- most rare type -- most
severe type often does not respond to medication.
Common Myths About Schizophrenia:
1. All schizophrenics are violent and dangerous -- not true --
some may be but most are so withdrawn they aren't violent.
2. Schizophrenics are fine until, one day, they just snap
-- not true -- symptoms develop gradually over many
months if not years.
3. Schizophrenia and DID or multiple personality are the
same thing -- not true -- diagnosed in two separate
categories -- schizophrenia is a form of psychosis, DID is not
Personality Disorders: disorders involving long-term patterns
of maladaptive behavior seen in interactions with others.
Personality disorders differ from other disorders in that they:
1. do not have as a root cause anxiety, depression, mania,
or psychosis
2. are persistent symptoms don't come & go like some
other disorders
3. are generally not treated with medication
4. are considered by many to be learned faulty patterns of
dealing with life situations
5. are often difficult to treat with psychotherapy -- person
thinks the problem is with everyone but them
Note: When reading the examples below, keep in mind that from
time to time, just about anybody could have the symptoms of
these personality disorders as they involve some fairly common
human behaviors. However, also keep in mind that a person will
only be diagnosed with a personality disorder if the symptoms are
clearly extreme and in excess of what most people
experience. That is, when the symptoms become a way of life
and significantly interfere with a persons daily, social and
occupational life. So even though it may be fun, avoid the
temptation to diagnose all of your friends and relatives!
Some Personality Disorder examples include:
Histrionic Personality Disorder: neurotic attention seeking
behavior, highly dramatic, upset if not center of attention in a
group, often acts and dresses in shocking ways meant to draw
attention.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder: falsely inflated sense of self,
thinks self superior to others and therefore should receive special
treatment in life, self-absorbed, unable to understand the feelings
and rights of others.
Anti-social Personality Disorder: consistently violates the
rights of others with no guilt or remorse for doing so, will lie, cheat,
steal and not feel sorry, often physically violent, no regard for
lawful behavior, often engaged in high risk behaviors (speeding,
gun shooting), impulsive and un able to maintain consistent work,
evidence of unusually cruel abusive behavior in childhood and
adolescent years. Keep in mind that when psychologists say anti-
social, they are not referring to someone who is a loner or hermit
(like Schizoid Personality Disorder described below) but rather
someone who behaves in ways that are against society.
Borderline Personality Disorder: highly unstable in personal
relationships, in relationships, vacillates from over-idealization
(I LOVE you!) to brutal hostility (I HATEyou!) and then to fear of
abandonment (DONT leave me!), can be violent but generally
less than anti-social types, has some sense of conscience, chronic
feelings that life has no meaning or purpose, may engage in
attention seeking self mutilation or manipulative suicide attempts.
Schizoid Personality Disorder: extreme loner, wants no friends
or relations including sexual relations, seeks solitary life-style,
avoids eye contact with others, has no outward expression of
emotion, cold, flat and non-reactive, just wants to be left alone.
Paranoid Personality Disorder: thinks others are trying to
purposefully make life difficult, often interprets casual non-
threatening remarks from others as insults, often questions
without sufficient cause the loyalty and fidelity of friends and
spouses, but does not have true psychotic intensity paranoid
delusions like a paranoid schizophrenic would.
Obsessive-compulsive Personality Disorder: extreme
perfectionist, must do things his/her way, total control freak,
doesnt let others do their part on a task even when capable, may
hoard objects or money in order to gain a sense of control over
such items.
Dependent Personality Disorder: dependent on others for
happiness and decision-making, often will volunteer to do
unpleasant tasks just so others will still like him/her, goes along
with others even when theyre wrong for fear of rejection, fears
abandonment, uncomfortable being alone, easily hurt by criticism.
A General Distinction Regarding Categorizing of Sexual
Behavior
Variant Sexual Behavior: Variant sexual behavior is behavior
that in some way is not common or deviates from the norms of
society. These behaviors may or may not be classified in the DSM-
IV as a legitimate mental disorder. For example, pedophilia
(preference for sex with children in fantasy and/or act) is
maladaptive, atypical, a crime, and a legitimate DSM-IV
disorder. On the other hand, homosexuality (same sex orientation)
is considered to be atypical as it is not the statistical norm, but is
not classified in the DSM-IV as a disorder. Variant sexual behavior
may be divided into either:
Atypical/Maladaptive Sexual Behavior -- deviates from norms
of society and is harmful to that person or to others (pedophilia,
sexual sadism/masochism, rape).
Atypical Sexual Behavior -- deviates from norms of society but
is not inherently harmful to person or to others is simply different
from the norm (homosexuality, fetishism).
Sexual Disorders: sexual disorders currently included in the
DSM-IV as actual disorders are divided into two groups:
Sexual Dysfunctions: problems in ability to perform sexually,
desire for sex, sexual arousal, inability to achieve orgasm, or pain
during sex. Some examples include:
Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder: extremely low or no
interest in sex at all.
Sexual Aversion Disorder: extreme aversion to sex, totally
repulsed by mere thoughts of sex.
Female Sexual Arousal Disorder: failure to attain the
lubrication-swelling response of sexual excitement.
Male Erectile Disorder: inability to attain or maintain an
erection until completion of sexual activity.
Inhibited Male/Female Orgasm: desire for sex, ability to
become aroused, but no ability to reach sexual climax.
Premature Ejaculation: this is a quote from the DSM:
Persistent or recurrent ejaculation with minimal sexual stimulation
or before, upon, or shortly after penetration and before the
person wishes it. Not a funny disorder, but a funny way of
describing it!
Dyspareunia: ongoing genital pain in a male or female either
before, during or after sexual activity (taking all factors into
account).
Sexual Paraphilias: when an individual requires some unusual
object, situation, or ritual to achieve sexual arousal and
pleasure. Some examples include:
Sexual Sadism: sexual arousal and gratification dependent on
beating, humiliating and inflicting pain on another person during
sex.
Sexual Masochism: sexual arousal and gratification dependent on
being beaten, humiliated and receiving pain from another person
during sex.
Pedophilia: sexual arousal and gratification dependent on
fantasies of or actually having sex with children.
Fetishism: sexual arousal and gratification dependent on the
presence of an inanimate object for example undergarments or
leather but could be just about anything.
Exhibitionism: sexual arousal and gratification dependent on
exposing ones genitals to an unsuspecting stranger.
Voyeurism: sexual arousal and gratification dependent on
observing unsuspecting persons either disrobing, naked or in
sexual activity (peeping tom).
Frotteurism: sexual arousal and gratification dependent on
rubbing ones genitals against the legs or buttocks of an
unsuspecting, nonconsenting stranger in a crowded situation.
Transvestic Fetishism: sexual arousal and gratification dependent
on dressing up in the clothing of the opposite sex. Person does not
necessarily want to become the other sex as in gender identity
disorder or transsexualism, nor dresses up for entertainment
purposes as a drag queen, but only cross-dresses for sexual
arousal.
AGRESSION
In psychology, the term aggression refers to a range of behaviors
that can result in both physical and psychological harm to oneself,
other or objects in the environment. This type of social interaction
centers on harming another person, either physically or mentally.
The expression of aggression can occur in a number of ways
including verbally, mentally and physically. Psychologists
distinguish between different forms of aggression, different
purposes of aggression and different types of aggression.
Forms of Aggression
Aggression can take a variety of forms, including:
Physical
Verbal
Mental
Emotional
While we often think of aggression as purely in physical forms such
as hitting or pushing, psychological aggression can also be very
damaging. Intimidating or verbally berating another person, for
example, are examples of verbal, mental and emotional
aggression.
Purposes of Aggression
Aggression can also serve a number of different purposes:
2. Instrumental Aggression
Instrumental aggression, also known as predatory aggression,
is marked by behaviors that are intended to achieve a larger goal.
Instrumental aggression is often carefully planned and usually
exists as a means to an end.

To express anger or hostility Hurting another person in a robbery or car-jacking is an example of

this type of aggression. The aggressors goal is to obtain money or
To assert dominance a vehicle, and harming another individual is the means to achieve
that aim.
To intimidate or threaten
Factors Than Can Influence Aggression
To achieve a goal
Researchers have suggested that individual who engage in
To express possession affective aggression, defined as aggression that is unplanned and
uncontrolled, tend to have lower IQs than people who display
predatory aggression. Predatory aggression is defined as
A response to fear
aggression that is controlled, planned and goal-oriented.
A reaction to pain
A number of different factors can influence the expression of
aggression. Biological factors can play a role. Men are more likely
To compete with others than women to engage in physical aggression. While researchers
have found that women are less likely to engage in physical
Two Types of Aggression aggression, they also suggest that women do use non-physical
forms such as verbal aggression, relational aggression, and social
Psychologists also distinguish between two different types of rejection.
aggression:
Environmental factors also play a role, including how people were
1. Impulsive Aggression raised.

Impulsive aggression, also known as affective aggression, is
characterized by strong emotions, usually anger. This form of
aggression is not planned and often takes place in the heat of the
moment.
When another car cuts you off in traffic and you begin yelling and
berating the other driver, you are experiencing impulsive
aggression.
People who grow up witnessing more forms of aggression are more
likely to believe that such violence and hostility are socially
acceptable. Bandura's famous Bobo doll experiment demonstrated
that observation can also play a role in how aggression is learned.
Children who watched a video clip where an adult model behaved
aggressively toward a Bobo doll were more likely to imitate those
actions when given the opportunity.