The Roots of Societal Aggression: Family and Media Influences

In contemporary society, there are concerning trends of aggressive behavior, and analysis of the situation points to the influence of several psychosocial factors. Starting with the family environment – when adults exhibit violent interactions with children, it inevitably reflects in their future behavior, creating the notion that aggression is an acceptable method of conflict resolution. This influence is not limited to the home: the impact of mass media and an environment filled with examples of violence amplifies this effect, pushing individuals to imitate the aggressive behavior they observe. Consequently, there is a clear connection between the aggressive models presented both on screens and in real life, and the increase in the number of people willing to resort to cruelty to solve problems. This dynamic highlights the need for a healthy family atmosphere and a responsible approach to media content. Only a comprehensive view of the issue and proactive measures at every level of society can help mitigate the destructive impact of these factors and create conditions for a safer and more harmonious environment.

What psychosocial factors contribute to the emergence of intense aggression in society?

Based on the presented materials, intense aggression in society may arise under the influence of several psychosocial factors. Firstly, the family environment plays a significant role. The aggressive behavior of parents, who serve as role models for their children, instills in them a tendency to use violence in conflict situations. As one source notes:
"One can say with certainty that aggressive behavior by parents towards children will lead to a rebellion against authority. One of the tasks of parents is to be role models for their children. But when parents teach children to resort to aggression through their own example, they fail in that task. If you look again at the ladder of anger, you will see that the lower the rung, the higher the density of aggressive actions. They are usually combined with other destructive behavioral patterns." (source: link )

Secondly, aggressive behavior is intensified by social factors related to mass media and the surrounding environment. It is noted that constant exposure to aggressive actions—whether in real life or on screen—can increase the likelihood that an individual will themselves begin to act aggressively. This is confirmed by a study stating:
"We live in an extremely aggressive society and know that violence begets violence. When a person is continuously exposed to aggressive acts (whether in life or on screen), the likelihood that they themselves will exhibit aggressive behavior increases. In this regard, I was particularly struck by the findings from a study on the causes of childhood aggression conducted by Dr. Leonard D. Eron. Over two decades of observations, he found that children who watch more television are more likely to resort to aggression, and the more television they watch, the higher the probability that they will grow up to be aggressive adults capable of committing crimes." (source: link )

Thus, it can be concluded that psychosocial factors such as family behavioral models and the influence of aggressive media content significantly contribute to the emergence of intense aggression in society. This information clearly indicates the importance of fostering a healthy family environment and taking a responsible approach to the dissemination of aggressive content in society.

Supporting citation(s):
"One can say with certainty that aggressive behavior by parents towards children will lead to a rebellion against authority. One of the tasks of parents is to be role models for their children. But when parents teach children to resort to aggression through their own example, they fail in that task. If you look again at the ladder of anger, you will see that the lower the rung, the higher the density of aggressive actions. They are usually combined with other destructive behavioral patterns." (source: link )

"We live in an extremely aggressive society and know that violence begets violence. When a person is continuously exposed to aggressive acts—be it in life or on screen—the likelihood that they will themselves become aggressive increases. In this regard, I was particularly struck by the findings from a study on the causes of childhood aggression conducted by Dr. Leonard D. Eron. Over two decades of observations, he found that children who watch more television are more likely to resort to aggression, and the more television they watch, the higher the probability that they will become aggressive adults capable of committing crimes." (source: link )