My cousin can draw on two social psychology theories surrounding aggression, as well as use knowledge of conformity to dissuade Justin’s problematic behaviour.
The first thing Justin’s father can do is address how Justin deals with frustration (Week 9 Notes). Social psychologists agree one of the best determinants of aggressive behaviour is frustration, so assessing frustration before it manifests into aggression could be effective. With that said, there are various ways that this could be approached. My recommendation uses the Neo-Associationistic Account of Aggression, with the idea that an aversive event leads to anger, and ultimately aggression. Aversive events are unavoidable, but Justin should have assistance in regulating his anger and interpretation of said aversive events. Justin’s father could test Justin with mildly frustrating events, such as winning a card game against him, and observe Justin’s reaction. If Justin does appear to be frustrated or aggressive, his father can dissuade this emotional and behavioural response by saying things like, “Card games are fun and not about winning or losing,” to encourage Justin to
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Children are especially susceptible to influences from their social environment, and aggression is a learned behaviour. Punishment can be an effective treatment of aggression, but it must be done well. When Justin displays aggressive behaviour, his father can ask him why he did the behaviour (to encourage self-reflection) and explain to him how aggression is not the right way to deal with negative situations. Perhaps his father can take away his television or video game privileges for a day, as a form of punishment and time to reflect on his behaviour. This method might be especially applicable if Justin is exposed to violence in media, in removing a source of