The General Aggression Model
Introduction
Many theories have been proposed to explain human aggression—defined as any behavior intended to harm a target who is motivated to avoid that harm [1•]. The General Aggression Model (GAM) is one of the most comprehensive and widely used theories for understanding aggression. The present review describes the current state of knowledge of GAM, and briefly outlines recent applications of GAM and possibilities for future directions.
Section snippets
The General Aggression Model
GAM is a comprehensive, integrative framework for understanding human aggression. It considers the role of social, cognitive, developmental, and biological factors on aggression [1•, 2••, 3, 4, 5••]. GAM includes elements from many domain-specific theories of aggression, including: cognitive neoassociation theory [6, 7], social learning theory [8, 9], script theory [10, 11], excitation transfer theory [12], and social interaction theory [13]. By unifying these theories into one coherent whole,
Proximate processes
GAM is separated into two major aspects: proximate and distal processes (see Figure 1). The proximate processes explain individual episodes of aggression using three stages: inputs, routes, and outcomes. Inputs influence a person’s present internal state, which in turn affects appraisal and decision processes, which in turn influence aggressive and nonaggressive outcomes. Importantly, each episode of aggression (or non-aggression) serves as a learning trial that can influence the development of
Distal processes
The second aspect of GAM focuses on distal processes (see Figure 1), which operate in the background of each episode of proximate processes. This aspect of GAM outlines how biological and persistent environmental factors work together to influence personality, which in turn change person (and situation) factors [3].
Biological modifiers that increase the likelihood of developing an aggressive personality include (but are not limited to): ADHD, impaired executive functioning, hormone imbalances,
Applications of the General Aggression Model
GAM has been applied to a wide variety of aggressive contexts including: temperature effects [33, 48], violence associated with global climate change [5••, 49, 50], media violence effects [51, 52], pain [31, 32], intergroup violence [5••], intimate partner violence [5••], sexual aggression [53], domestic violence [54•], suicide [5••], and personality disorders with an aggression component [20]. By increasing the understanding of aggression and violence, GAM has guided research and informed
Summary and conclusions
GAM has effectively organized theoretical insights gleaned from several key theoretical perspectives. Proximate processes of GAM detail how person and situation factors influence aggressive thoughts, angry feelings, and arousal levels, which in turn affect appraisal and decision processes, which in turn influence aggressive or nonaggressive behavior. Each cycle of the proximate processes serves as a learning trial that can create aggressive knowledge structures after many repetitions,
Conflict of interest statement
Nothing declared.
References and recommended reading
Papers of particular interest, published within the period of review, have been highlighted as:
• of special interest
•• of outstanding interest
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