Aggression in Sport

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CHAPTER 23
Aggression in Sport
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Session Outline

• What Is Aggression?

• Causes of Aggression

• Aggression in Sport Special Considerations

• Implications for Practice

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What Is Aggression?
Aggression
Any form of behavior directed toward the goal of
harming or injuring another living being who is
motivated to avoid such treatment (Baron
Richardson, 1994)
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Criteria for Aggression

• Aggression is a behavior.

• Aggression involves harm or injury.

• Aggression is directed toward a living organism.

• Aggression involves intent.

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Types of Aggression
Hostile or reactive aggression
The primary goal is to inflict injury or
psychological harm on another.
Instrumental aggression
This is aggression occurring in the quest of some
nonaggressive goal.
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Causes of Aggression
Instinct Theory
Individuals have an innate instinct to be
aggressive, which builds up until it must be
expressed (directly or via catharsis). no
support
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Causes of Aggression
Frustration-Aggression Theory
Frustration always causes aggression. no
support
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Causes of Aggression
Social Learning Theory
Aggression is learned through observing others
(modeling) and then having similar behavior
reinforced.no support
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Causes of Aggression
Revised Frustration-Aggression Theory
Combines elements of the frustration-aggression
theory with the social learning theorysupport
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Causes of Aggression
Revised Frustration-Aggression Theory
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Aggression in Sport
Special considerations

• Spectator aggression is associated with

• small-scale, on-the-field aggressive acts

• aroused conditions

• alcohol use

• younger, disadvantaged male spectators and

• (in some cases) fan enjoyment.

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Aggression in Sport
Special considerations

• Game reasoning and aggression

• Many athletes view aggression as inappropriate in
  general but appropriate in the sport environment.
  This is called bracketed morality.

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Aggression in Sport
Special considerations

• Athletic performance and aggression

• No clear pattern has been found, but
  professionals must decide if they value enhanced
  performance at the cost of increased aggression.

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Aggression in Sport
Special considerations

• Team moral atmosphere and aggression

• Aggression in young athletes has been predicted
  by perceptions of teammates aggressive behavior
  in the same situation and the young athletes
  willingness to injure others at their coachs
  request.

• Team norms also contribute to the moral
  atmosphere that influences aggression in athletes.

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Aggression in Sport
Special considerations

• Sport-specific aggression determinants include
  athletes behaving aggressively because

• someone has committed aggression against them,

• they are highly ego oriented and have a low level
  of moral development,

• they want to show how tough they are,

• they see it as part of their role, and

• they feel group pressures to be aggressive.

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Implications for Practice

• Recognize when aggression is most likely to
  occurwhen individuals are frustrated and
  aroused, often because they

• are losing,

• perceive unfair officiating,

• are embarrassed,

• are physically in pain, or

• are playing below capabilities.

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Implications for Practice

• Control aggression via stress or emotion
  management training.

• Keep winning in perspective.

• Distinguish between aggression and assertive or
  intense play.

• Teach nonviolent conflict resolution skills.

• Teach appropriate behavior.

(continued)
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Implications for Practice
Control spectator aggression.
1. Develop strict alcohol control policies.
2. Immediately penalize spectators for
aggressive acts.
3. Hire officials who dont tolerate aggression.
4. Inform coaches that aggression wont be
tolerated.
5. Work with media not to glorify aggressive
acts.
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ISSP Position Stand on Aggressionand Violence in
Sport
Recommendation 1

• Management should make fundamental penalty
  revisions so that rule-violating behavior results
  in punishments that have greater punitive value
  than potential reinforcement.

Recommendation 2

• Management must ensure proper coaching of teams,
  particularly at junior levels, that emphasizes a
  fair-play code of conduct among participants.

(continued)
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ISSP Position Stand on Aggressionand Violence in
Sport
Recommendation 3

• Management should ban the use of alcoholic
  beverages at sporting events.

Recommendation 4

• Management must make sure facilities are adequate
  regarding catering and spacing needs and the
  provision of modern amenities.

(continued)
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ISSP Position Stand on Aggressionand Violence in
Sport
Recommendation 5

• The media must place in proper perspective the
  isolated incidents of aggression that occur in
  sport, rather than making them highlights.

Recommendation 6

• The media should promote a campaign to decrease
  violence and hostile aggression in sport, which
  should also involve the participa-tion and
  commitment of athletes, coaches, management,
  officials, and spectators.

(continued)
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ISSP Position Stand on Aggressionand Violence in
Sport
Recommendation 7

• Coaches, managers, athletes, media, officials,
  and authority figures (i.e., police) should take
  part in workshops on aggression and violence to
  ensure they understand the topic of aggres-sion,
  why it occurs, the cost of aggressive acts, and
  ways in which aggressive behavior can be
  controlled.

(continued)
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ISSP Position Stand on Aggressionand Violence in
Sport
Recommendation 8

• Coaches, managers, officials, and the media
  should encourage athletes to engage in prosocial
  behavior and should punish those who perform acts
  of hostility.

(continued)
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ISSP Position Stand on Aggressionand Violence in
Sport
Recommendation 9

• Athletes should take part in programs aimed at
  helping them reduce behavioral tendencies toward
  aggression. The tightening of rules, imposing of
  harsher penalties, and changing of reinforcement
  patterns are only parts of the answer to
  inhibiting aggression in sport. Ultimately, the
  athlete must assume responsibility.