Teenage Aggression

“Aggression and related behaviours in children and adolescents are central issues in our time, from public school shootings and similar instances of “children killed other children” to concern about rising rates of youth crime and delinquency in the community, to the relationship between unrecognized and untreated mental illness and violence in youngsters, there are many worries and much debate about excessive, inappropriate aggression in young people in our society”. (Connor, 2002, p. 1) This report will explore the causal elements and mechanisms of aggressive behavior seen in teenagers. In psychology the term aggression can be said to refer to an assortment of behaviors that

Bandura’s social learning theory highlights the idea that much of human learning occurs in a social environment; by observation of others, people acquire knowledge of rules, skills, strategies, beliefs and attitudes. Individuals also learn about the usefulness and suitability of behaviours by observing models and the consequences of modelled behaviours and they act in accordance with their beliefs concerning the expected outcomes of action. Social learning is a part of the behavioural approach to psychology. “Behaviourism is primarily concerened with observable behaviour, as opposed to internal events such as thinking and emotion. Observable or external behaviour can be objectively and scientifically measured. Internal events, such as thinking should be explained through behavioural terms (or eliminated altogether).” (McLeod, 2007) Teenagers can be exposed to aggressive forms of behaviour such as verbal, emotional and physical abuse at home, through family members, relatives, peers and individuals and groups they associate. Aggressive behaviour often finds its roots in oppressive, unstable and violent environments, in which the now teenager was raised. Parents using violent forms of punishment for misbehavior are teaching the children that violence is allowed and can be used, leaving the child to interpret this behaviour, which is often processed adversely, leading to the development of aggression. Social learning theory is not restricted to learning through direct experience; observation of others too, plays a role. The environment in which the teenager has been reared in would have a direct impact on aggression. Alongside parental upbringing, the actions of society around the teenager affect the behaviour of the