Aggression Is Developed Through Nature Or Nurture

Savannah Sanchez

Mr. Johnson

English 102

14 March 2018

The Development of Aggression

Aggression is a common trait that is found in everyone. No matter the gender, race, age or social standing of a person, they still hold some form of aggression, though how they express it may change due to these differences. Because of its everlasting appearance in society, the question of how aggression is developed in adolescents arises, influencing many debates on whether aggression is developed through nature or nurture. Based on the change of aggression levels based on the environment, it can be concluded that aggression in adolescence is influenced by their surroundings.

In order to fully understand the concept of learned aggression, one must first learn

When a child is used to an aggressive environment they are more likely to normalize the behavior they see and mimic the acts they see. If a child is suddenly put into an aggressive surrounding they will often either externalize or internalize their emotions, projecting them through anger or sadness (Päivi). Most children that display aggressive behavior are often unsure of how they should act so they follow what they think is normal, if their usually around people who yell and call names their more likely to repeat that behavior when they’re emotional believing it’s the best way to express their emotions. The family environment a child is raised in also hold an important role in the child’s aggression levels studies show that “Children in single parent households or have parents going through a divorce were challenges to early childhood education professionals” (Elham). The stability of a child’s surrounds effects the way they express themselves. When a child is going through a difficult situation they are more inclined to use violence and anger to cope with their internalized

When a child develops they are keen on recognizing patterns and behaviors. Due to their age and short attention span children from one to four are more drawn to fast moving, dramatic sequences allowing them to be more easily attracted to violent action scenes. For young children around the age of two, it’s more likely that they will mimic the behavior they see in the media without thinking of the consequences it may have. If left without any repercussions the aggressive behavior will only increase leading to further development and an escalation of the bad behavior as the child matures. Studies show evidence that “short-term exposure to media violence [in viewers 2-4] stimulates immediate aggressive behavior with their peers at school. Long-term exposure is significantly correlated with destructive behavior that extends beyond childhood and into adulthood” (Tremblay 138). Although media like video games and magazines don’t affect most people unless they’re between ages 2-4, it can have an effect on adults that were constantly surrounded by it when they were younger. Violent media exposure can pose a threat to a child’s aggression levels but if it’s monitored correctly it can be enjoyed without much future aggressive