Konraz Lorenz Aggression Can Be Describes As Essay

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Konraz Lorenz

Aggression can be describes as that particular behavioral form that is characterized by attack (verbal or physical). It has a number of characteristics that may come into view as suitable and defensive (in some cases, even positive and helpful) particularly when there is vigorous self-assertiveness. On the other hand, aggression may also appear as improper, wrong and disparaging. Aggression is sometimes intended for others i.e. It is directed outwards. At other times, it may be directed against one's own self and may lead to self-destructive or desperate events. It is often caused by emotional stimulation/provocation/awakening or due to frustration. People also tend to behave aggressively when they want to make a reward safe and protected ("aggression").

According to the Austrian ethologist, Konrad Lorenz, aggression is an inborn fighting instinct that is prominent in both animal and human behaviors. He put forwarded the argument that "the suppression of aggressive instincts, common among human societies, allows these instincts the chance to build up, occasionally to the point where they are released during instances of explosive violence" ("aggression").

Lorenz's Theory of Aggression

In his book, On Aggression, Lorenz has described aggression as an inherent fighting characteristic in animals and human being which is often intended to harm the members of identical species. According to Lorenz, this aggressive instinct helps both the individual and the species to survive and continue their existence. In case of animals, aggressive behavior helps them (the stronger males in particular) to mate and occupy territories. Thus, aggression is the essential characteristic that allows animals to use their status, terrain, or developed patterns of instinctual behavior for avoiding any tangible fighting and life losses. Lorenz concludes that it is the human nature only that makes them to kill each other on purpose and he has attributed this fact to the increase and expansion of artificial weapons that has outpaced the human evolution of exterminating hang-ups ("Konrad Lorenz").

The psychological, behavioral and other similar social sciences have given another name to aggression i.e. combativeness and it is referred as the behavioral instinct in members of the same species that is directed towards causing pain or harm to others. Whereas animals are known to have an extremely aggressive nature, human beings also exhibit various forms of aggression in certain situations and these forms can vary from verbal, emotional or physical. It is extremely important to mention here that the characteristic of assertiveness is not related with aggression. As already mentioned, aggression is categorized into two types that include antagonistic, sentimental, or corrective aggression and helpful, goal-oriented or voracious aggression.

Comparison of Human and Animal Aggression

According to the empirical research, there is a psychological and physiological contradiction between the two stated aggression forms. Those who demonstrate "emotional or affective" aggression are thought of as being spontaneous, explicit and wild people with lower IQ levels. On the other hand, people demonstrating "predatory or voracious" aggression are considered as individual with goals, plans and having full control on themselves. As far as business atmosphere is concerned, it is very easy for one to find people with the mentioned aggressive personality types. It is also important to note here that violence must not be confused with aggression as there is a distinct difference among them. Aggression is, if truth be told, the starting point of violent behavior. Time and again, corrective violence and self-protective violence are not categorized as aggression due to the fact that both are initiated as responsive actions.

As far as animals are concerned, aggression helps them to reproduce and stay alive. Most of the times, aggression is used by animals for acquiring and protecting their territories and other obtained resources that may include water and food. They also make use of aggression to get most out of mating opportunities. The most obvious example of aggression can be observed when a predator and its prey interact. An animal becomes aggressive when it defends itself against a killer animal. This aggressive instinct helps it to continue living and making sure that the offspring are protected as well. For the reason that death ultimately occurs after the show of aggression against a much larger rival or grouping of rivals, there is a good sense in animals that help them to know whether they are outnumbered or not. Another situation when aggression reaches its peak in animals is when they try to have sex with the female partner. Thus, animals make use of aggression during sexual intercourse and this innate characteristic helps them to have offspring (Archer, 115).

On the other hand, the aggression in human beings is very different when compared with the non-human animals; though they have similarities too. The complexity of human aggression differs because of the presence of cultural values, morality and societal conditions.

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When business environment is considered, aggression again takes a lot of forms. However, this feature in a human being helps him/her to achieve success as it is derived by strong passion for achieving a goal or goals. The competition cannot be won without having any aggression. Successful endeavors are always fuelled by aggression that is both collected and controlled. This is because uncontrolled and uncollected aggression disturbs the balance and results in negative consequences for both the individual and the others around him/her in one or other ways.

Aggression in Business Environment

Aggression is easily channeled out when the economy is financially complicated. In such a case, aggression is used as a substantially constructive tool for the betterment and success of the economic conditions of the business/country. The best thing about this outlet for aggression is that it does not cause any danger to human life and does not end in life loss of any party involved. The aggressive tendencies of human beings vary according to their social environment. Similarly, human beings tend to show different kinds of aggressive behaviors in a business environment. As concluded by Lorenz, a majority of animals have evolved in such a manner that they hold back from attacking or causing harm to the members of their own species. This is because they develop a sense of belonging and thus restrain from destroying their own species unnecessarily. This type of evolved inhibition has an influential impact but is largely dependent on the surroundings. On the other hand, if proper conditions are not present in the environment, such inhibitions do not work and fail to function in a normal manner. Lorenz gives the examples of doves to make this phenomenon understandable. According to him, "even though doves are to us the symbol of peace, if one cages two of them close together, putting them in an artificial environment where they cannot separate from each other, the stronger of the two will torture the other to death, without the arousal of any inhibition" (Shiller 226).

As far as an individual's career is concerned, aggression that is directed outwards may prove to be the best friend of him/her. It doesn't matter whether the aggression is passive or direct. The thing that is important in a business environment is that the recipient is able to receive the relayed message. When there is a negotiation process, this phenomenon is excessively beneficial. However, it is extremely significant for the human beings to make use of aggression in a calm and controlled manner and not to get so emotional to make the situation negative and complicated. In other words, emotions must not be allowed to take the driving seat in the resolution of any conflict/difficult situation, especially when it is a situation at ones' workplace (Linsley 3).

Human beings have various ways to direct aggression towards their rivals. They can either shy their enemies away or have them get even in panic. Aggression either makes a person frightened or makes him/her excessively hostile to the point where he/she blunders and makes mistakes. When people show aggression towards another people in business dealings, the aggression makes it easy for them to observe how their opponents react in a pressurizing situation. This insight makes it helpful for people to use the obtained knowledge to their advantage. Opponents with no backbone turn out too scary to compete when the person showing aggression presses harder. When opponents have hotheads, they tend to make poor decision as a reaction to more pressure. On the other head, if the opponents have a cool attitude and don't allow pressure to boil them up, the aggressive individual still is benefitted by knowing about their intentions and becomes more careful (Linsley 3).

Gender is another factor that makes a person aggressive. According to the studies, men are more aggressive than women in workplace. They are involved in workplace bullying, emotional abuse, incivility, deviance and horizontal violence (Jacobson 30). This is similar to what can be found in a non-human environment. As already mentioned, male animals use their aggressive behavior to subjugate the females in order to take advantage of the situation.

It is also important to note that there are a number of factors that increases….....

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