There are two main types of Aggression:
Instrumental Aggression and Arousal Aggression
Instrumental Aggression
- Used to intimidate in situations of crime, such as Robbery and Mugging.
- Does not require the aggressor to be angry.
- Therefore they may retain rationality and conscious control of their behaviour.
- In these situations any factors for High Arousal may not apply.
Arousal Aggression
- This a behavior which is affected by a state of heightened emotion, principally Fear or Anger, and is part of the body’s biochemical response.
- This may inhibit the person’s use of the appropriate physical and verbal skills.
- Arousal Aggression will often result in an escalation in violence.
- Most forms of Aggression do not just happen “out of the blue”, the slightest gesture or action could turn a threatening situation in to an act of violence.
- Such gestures/actions are known as “Aggression Triggers”.