In what ways is interpersonal conflict in computer mediated communication different from interpersonal conflict in the real world?

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In what ways is interpersonal conflict in computer mediated communication different from interpersonal conflict in the real world?

This essay will comment on the ways in which interpersonal conflict in computer mediated communication might be different from interpersonal conflict in the real world. It will look at both theories of aggression and recent research on the psychology of the Internet. It will begin by looking at the basic theories of aggression and go on to examine interpersonal conflict in the real world and interpersonal conflict in computer mediated communication. Finally it will comment on the differences between the two.

In psychological research on aggression there are two basic positions: one sees aggression as a form of behaviour, which is governed by innate instincts or drives; the other sees aggression as a form of behaviour, which is acquired through individual experience. There is also an intermediate position that integrates the concept of drive and learning, this is known as the frustration-aggression hypothesis.

The concept of aggression as an instinct can be seen in the framework of psychoanalysis. Sigmund Freud developed the idea of aggression as instinctive: a servant of the 'pleasure principle'. Aggression was seen as a reaction to frustration experienced in the pursuit of pleasure. Freud later developed a Dual Instinct Theory where, alongside the life instinct Eros, he conceived a second, death instinct, Thantos. It is assumed that aggressive behaviour diverts the destructive energy and tension associated with Thantos. Thus, Freud claimed that the displacement of negative energy of the Thantos onto others is the basis of aggression (See Ref. 1, Alexandra K. Smith). This led to the idea of catharsis.

While Freud focused on the death instinct as the cause of aggression, Konrad Lorenz looked at instinctual aggressiveness as a product of evolution. His approach, known as the ethological approach, saw aggression as an innate behavioural disposition arising from natural selection. Aggression is beneficial as it increases chances of survival and successful conservation of the species. Lorenz likens the build up of aggression to a continuously heated steam boiler: as pressure builds up, so steam must be continuously released. If the steam is blocked pressure build up is too high and steam (or aggression) uncontrollably explodes (See Ref. 2, Hewstone et al.). To avoid a release of uncontrolled aggression Lorenz recommends the continual and controlled discharge of energy through socially acceptable forms of aggression, such as through competitive sports.

The frustration-aggression hypothesis (Dollard et al., 1939) rejected the concepts of innate instincts as drives towards aggression. This model of aggression assumes that a person is motivated to act aggressively, not by innate factors, but by a drive induced by frustration. Frustration arises when goal attainment is blocked. In this theory frustration is the cause of aggression and aggression is the result of frustration. However, aggression is not always directed towards the cause of frustration, it may be displaced by target or response substitution. Thus, aggression discharges the aggressive energy produced by frustration: through this catharsis the readiness for aggression disappears. However, critics argued that frustration did not always lead to aggression. In his cue-arousal theory Berkowitz (1964, 1969, 1974) modified the frustration-aggression theory to include other instigating factors of aggression. He added that frustration leads to aggression if there are intervening cues, such as weapons effect: i.e. if there are appropriate environmental conditions for aggression present.
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The above approaches see aggression as inevitable and the consequence of increased drive brought about by factors either within the person or in the external environment. Social learning theory does not attribute aggression to an internal mechanism, in this hypothesis aggression is initially learned from social behaviour and it is maintained by other conditions. Aggression is learned and maintained via instrumental conditioning and/or social modelling. Learning theory suggests a number of strategies to control aggression and is currently one of the most popular theories of aggression.

Aggression is expressed in many ways and for various reasons. ...

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