Sample Essay On Prosocial Behavior And Aggressive Behavior: Two Sides Of The Same Coin

There are different types of behavior, and humans may either act altruistically or be rude and aggressive. Ironically, these two behaviors can take place at the same time, with a person being aggressive and all at once, act altruistically. These two behaviors are two sides of the same coin. Prosocial behaviors are those that are positive and reflect good intentions, such as showing care and concern to other people. It includes acts of cooperation and altruism—such as helping, sharing, and cooperating—and are usually related to morality, spirituality, and religiosity. On the other hand, aggressive behaviors are hurtful behaviors that intend to destroy, disappoint, or do harm to another person. This includes the acts of bullying, violence, stealing, deserting, sexual victimization, as well as destroying another person’s self-esteem, self-respect, or emotional strength. Aggression is an anti-social behavior and is directly opposite to prosocial behavior, although both behaviors may take place at the same time, in which altruism may be the effect of relative aggression.
Both prosocial and aggressive behaviors have become a part of the human being’s make-up, whether a person is altruistic or aggressive. Prosocial behaviors are seen in humans in times when they become determined by their personal goal, which are influenced by self-processes like empathy, affect, perceived competence, and perspective taking. These personal goals are critical in humans, mainly because it creates perceived expectations in the mind, which invigorates them into sharing or helping other people. Although girls engage more in prosocial behaviors (Belgrave, 2009, p.142), they are humanly acts that are witnessed also among the male species, as a result of relational values. These values allow them to distinguish the benefits of cooperation and concern for others, mainly as a result of other people’s influence to them (Belgrave, 2009, p.142). They develop communal values and propositions, as they witness these in the social groups from which they belong.
The aggressive behavior works in the same way as the prosocial behavior, in which they become part of the human make-up, as effect of personal goals influenced by self-processes like violence, hatred, and bullying, or as an effect of other people’s influences. They may likewise be the effect of perceived expectations, in which people develop anti-social values because of what they foresee, or what they expect would happen if they do not acquiesce to acting aggressively. In fact, it was stated that, “A tendency to feel sorry for someone else’s situation might moreover attenuate the likelihood that one will respond to a situation in an aggressive or antisocial manner” (McGinley & Carlo, 2006, p.3). Sympathy can deter the tendency for an aggressive behavior, as studies suggested that people usually prevent being aggressive when the consequences turn out to be painful. This is one of the ways in which people control aggression, as the vicarious experience being witnessed can prevent them from engaging in the same act of aggression. Ironically, sympathy may likewise engage the person to engage in altruism through empathetic behavior.

References:

Belgrave, F.Z. (2009). Chapter 9: Prosocial behavior and aggression. African American girls. New York, NY: Springer.
McGiney, M., & Carlo, G. (2006). Two sides of the same coin: the relations between prosocial and physically aggressive behaviors. Faculty Publications, Department of Psychology, Paper 57. Retrieved April 9, 2015, from http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1056&context=psychfacpub.