Aggression as a Learned Response:
To elaborate this further, let us assume that you are preparing for an exam or reading something that requires concentration. Your neighbour plays his radio at full volume.
You would probably first go and request him to lower the volume. If he refuses, you have to think about what to do. you could get very angry and exchange some harsh words or, you might even beat him up, another alternative would be that you let your temper cool off, or move away to a quieter place. This might enable you to take up the matter with your neighbour when both of you are in a reazonable mood. Out of these three, the response chosen by you would be one, that has been the most successful in the past in a similar situation. Unpleasant situations often lead to aggressive behaviour.
In a study involving two groups, one group was made to work in a stuffy and hot room while the other was maie to work in a cooler and pleasant room. A person was made to behave aggressively with each group.
The reaction csf the group working in uncomfortable circumstances was significantly more aggressive to this person than the group that was' working under comfortable conditions. Children, too, learn to respond aggressively by imitation of elders. In some studies, children who watched an adult behave aggressively learned to imitate him and thus behaved in a more aggressive fashion like, hitting each other or pushing one another around. While another groups of children who hadn't been exposed to such adult behaviour showed no increase in their aggressive attitude.