Social psychologyChapter 13Aggression and conflict Defining aggression and conflict Aggression, defined by people’s immediate intention to hurt each other, is often set in motion by incompatible goals. There are two types of aggressionHostile, often driven by anger due to insult, disrespect, or other threats to self-esteem or identityInstrumental, in the service of mastery needs.Aggression: behavior intended to harm someone else.Conflict: a perceived incompatibility of goals between tow or more parties.Aggression often has its roots in conflict. What one party wants, the other party sees as harmful to its interests.Conflict between individuals and groups is acted out in many forms.Aggression and conflict between individuals and groups are found throughout the world.They generally fall into two distinct categories.Instrumental aggression: aggression serving mastery needs, used a means to an end, to control other people, or to obtain valuable resources.Hostile aggression: aggression that is driven by anger due to insult, disrespect, or other threats to self-esteem or social identity.Origins of aggression Humans have evolved to compete effectively for good and mates. Although the capacity to act aggressively may have helped, aggression has no special place in ‘human nature’. Aggression is just one strategy among many others that humans use to attain rewards and respect, and too is influenced by cognitive processes and social forces.Research on aggression Aggression can be difficult to study experimentally because people are...