Physical Education · Ch 9 — Psychology and Sports
Aggression
Aggression
Aggression — Meaning and Concept
In everyday language the word aggression sounds purely negative, but in the world of sport and sport psychology it has a precise, technical meaning. Newspapers regularly report athletes being punished for on-field violence — a footballer breaking an opponent's cheekbone with his elbow, or a heavyweight boxer disqualified for biting his opponent during a bout. These incidents force us to ask: why do athletes become aggressive on or off the field, what behaviours count as aggression, and how can such behaviour be reduced? This is one of the core concerns of Unit IX, Psychology and Sports, in the CBSE Class 12 Physical Education course.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), aggression is a type of behaviour aimed at causing physical or psychological harm to another. Most psychologists describe aggression as any behaviour intended to harm or injure a living being who is trying to avoid it. This definition contains three essential features:
- Aggression is observable behaviour — it is an action that can be seen, not an inner emotion such as anger that stays inside a person.
- Aggression is intentional — it is deliberate, never accidental. Hitting, pushing or abusing someone on purpose with an intent to hurt is aggression; an accidental collision is not.
- The victim wants to avoid the harm — the behaviour is directed at someone who is trying to escape or prevent the injury.
A tackle that accidentally injures an opponent is not aggression — it is a mishap. A deliberate elbow thrown to intimidate or hurt an opponent is aggression, because the intent to harm is present.
Gill's Four-Part Criterion (2000)
Sport psychologist Gill (2000) offered a four-part criterion to help decide whether an action in sport is truly aggressive. For behaviour to be classed as aggression, all four must be present:
- There must be physical or verbal behaviour.
- It must involve causing harm or injury, whether physical or psychological.
- It must be directed toward another living thing.
- There must be an intention to cause harm or injury.
A few further definitions from psychologists deepen the concept: behaviour that results in personal injury or destruction of property (Bandura, 1973); behaviour directed towards the goal of harming or injuring another living being who is motivated to avoid such treatment (Baron and Richardson, 1994); and the intentional infliction of some form of harm on others (Baron and Byrne, 2000).
After years of debate in sport and exercise psychology, Husman and Silva (1984) proposed the most widely accepted framework, distinguishing two kinds of aggression — hostile and instrumental — which are examined in detail in the next section (9.5.1).
Relational Aggression
Not all aggression is physical. A science brief published by the APA in Psychological Science Agenda (2013) drew attention to relational aggression, especially among young children exposed to media. Relational aggression intends to hurt or harm others through the relationship itself — using social exclusion, withdrawing friendship, spreading rumours or false news as the weapons. An important distinction is that instrumental aggression is largely learned behaviour, whereas hostile aggression is impulsive; in most situations neither is an ideal way to solve a problem.
Assertive Behaviour vs Aggression
From a sport psychologist's point of view, there is no "good" or "bad" aggression — any behaviour intended to physically or mentally harm another person is aggression, and it is not acceptable on the sports field. It must be separated from a very different, positive quality: assertive behaviour.
Most sporting events involve interaction between people, with an interchange of words, feelings and behaviours. Confrontation can be expressed through either assertion or aggression, but the two lead to very different outcomes:
- Assertive behaviour is a positive form of expression, rooted in respect for the other individual. It is about standing up for yourself and your values in an unthreatening manner, and it tends to produce a positive resolution.
- Aggression is a negative form of expression with no respect for the other person; it puts others down, is often counter-productive, and communicates that only your own feelings matter.
An athlete who plays with great intensity, chases every ball and puts in unusual effort and energy is being assertive, not aggressive — provided there is no intent to harm and the methods stay within the rules.
Hostile, Instrumental and Assertive Behaviour Compared
The textbook compares the three side by side:
| Feature | Hostile | Instrumental | Assertive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intent | Harm or suffering | Harm or suffering | No harm |
| Primary Goal | Harm or injure | Win or advantage | Win or advantage |
| Process | Non-legitimate | Non-legitimate | Legitimate |
| Emotion | Anger | No anger | Unusual effort and energy expenditure |
| Explanation | Self-justification instead of apology | Offers apologies | — |
Notice that both hostile and instrumental aggression use non-legitimate (rule-breaking) means and share an intent to cause harm, whereas assertive behaviour pursues a win or advantage through entirely legitimate means, with no intent to harm.
Aggression Management: A Challenge in Sports
Aggressive behaviour by players worries coaches, parents and society, and needs to be minimised. The textbook lists six strategies that can help manage aggression among athletes:
- Socially acceptable discharge medium (catharsis) — Drive theory holds that aggression is an inborn instinct that builds up until it is discharged. Athletes need safe, socially acceptable outlets to release it — a bout of aerobics, swimming, martial arts, or striking kicking pads and punching bags. …