Psychology of Aggression

These theories deal with motivation and its force, which increases when conditions supporting this motivation (for example) hunger are not satisfied. All individuals behave in the way to terminate this deprivation. When they don´t succeed, it leads to frustration and can cause aggression. 

One of these theories is the already the above-mentioned Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis[1] (FAH) that comes with a theory how these states can elicit aggression. This FAH was originally based on two principles: 

1. Frustration is the root of aggression.
   
2. Frustration always leads to aggression.
   

Because the second one wasn´t supported by many other studies it was revised to: Frustration does not always lead to aggressive behaviour. Another controversial point in the FAH is, that it doesn´t involve the fear of punishment in the case of an aggressive action and the fact, that frustration may also lead to escape or withdrawal.

When discussing drive theories, it is also necessary to mention a very important Zillman´s excitation transfer theory[2] in which he explains the role of arousal and type of emotion in aggression: 

• If the type of emotion is negative, then a low arousal causes increasing aggression and a high arousal causes a greater increase in aggression.
  
• If the type of emotion is neutral, then a low arousal doesn´t cause any effect and a high arousal causes increasing aggression.
  
• If the type of emotion is positive, then a low arousal causes decreasing aggression and a high arousal greater decreasing/increasing (?) aggression. 
  

Source: adapted from: Kool (2007).