Social Psychology Essay

Aggressive Behavior Aggressive behavior despite depicting some innate characteristics is never exclusively a natural thing. Culture and our social surrounding call for a more profound reason that would explain people's aggressive behavior. Males more than men have been theorized to be more aggressive than women more particularly since they are the custodians of protecting the welfare of their units whether its family units or social units. Men record high levels of testosterone, but that does not, however, stand ground as the parameters to use to judge aggressive behavior. Their reaction and responses to triggers of aggression vary differently from one man to the other. Church leaders are expected to behave less aggressively under the doctrine of religion. Any response out of this perceived doctrine of peaceful behavior would likely attract expulsion from that culture.

Reciprocating to behavior expressed by others is something we learn from culture. Some will react to being provoked with a peaceful behavior while other will react aggressively (Elliot Aronson, 2016). We are also living in a culture experiencing high imitation rates where if one sees aggressive behavior being expressed in a particular situation, they will most likely express that similar behavior in their behavior. Some individuals due to the social groups they have ascribed to have developed social identities that have made them believe that people not belonging to their culture, religion or nation are inferior. The term to describe that ascription is Ethnocentrism. Such individuals believe that their cultural status, national or religious is superior to other status quo. In group bias, on the other hand, has meant that individuals are likely to favor individuals with whom they share a connection of being in the same group.

People belonging to the same social group often extend positive and special feelings towards members of their group. All individuals are likely to experience prejudice if that has not happened in the past due to their group membership status. The groups could be from skin color, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, one's body size, disability and or ethnic origin. Cognitive aspect of stereotypes holds firm the concept of developing a generalization of different groups that are undeniably out of our control. This approach brings in the idea that stereotypes are cognitively developed, and they could be positive or negative. If an individual develops a likeness to a particular group, they will most likely react positively to that group. D. Social Psychology (9th ed.