FEAR, ANGER &

AGGRESSION
Geeta Mohan
FEAR
• Fear of the unknown or irrational fear is caused by
negative thinking (worry) which arises from anxiety
accompanied with a subjective sense of apprehension or
dread.
• Fear is a feeling induced by perceived danger
or threat that occurs in certain types of organisms,
which causes a change in metabolic and organ functions
and ultimately a change in behavior, such as fleeing,
hiding, or freezing from perceived traumatic events.
• Fear in human beings may occur in response to a
specific stimulus occurring in the present, or in
anticipation or expectation of a future threat perceived
as a risk to body or life.
• In humans and animals, fear is modulated by the process
of cognition and learning.
• Thus fear is judged as rational or appropriate
and irrational or inappropriate. An irrational fear is called
a phobia.
 Signs and symptoms of Fear

• Many physiological changes in the body are associated with

fear, summarized as the fight-or-flight response. An inborn
response for coping with danger, it works by accelerating the
breathing rate (hyperventilation), heart rate, constriction of
the peripheral blood vessels leading to blushing and
vasodilation of the central vessels, increasing muscle tension
including the muscles attached to each hair follicle to contract
and causing "goose bumps", or more
clinically, piloerection (making a cold person warmer or a
frightened animal look more impressive), sweating, increased
blood glucose (hyperglycemia), increased serum calcium,
increase in white blood cells called neutrophilic leukocytes,
alertness leading to sleep disturbance and "butterflies in the
stomach" (dyspepsia). This primitive mechanism may help an
organism survive by either running away or fighting the
danger. With the series of physiological changes, the
consciousness realizes an emotion of fear.
 Causes of fear

• People develop specific fears as a result of learning. Fear can be

learned by experiencing or watching a frightening traumatic
accident.
• Fear is affected by cultural and historical context
• Although many fears are learned, the capacity to fear is part
of human nature
• Fear is high only if the observed risk and seriousness both are
high, and it is low if risk or seriousness is low
• According to surveys, some of the most common fears are
of demons and ghosts,death , fear of the unknown after death,
the existence
of evil powers, cockroaches, spiders, snakes, heights, water, encl
osed spaces, tunnels, bridges, needles, social
rejection, failure, examinations, and public speaking.
 Fear

As with many functions of the brain, there are various

regions of the brain involved in deciphering fear in humans
and other nonhuman species.
The amygdala communicates both directions between
the prefrontal cortex, hypothalamus, the sensory cortex,
the hippocampus, thalamus, septum, and the brainstem.
The amygdala plays an important role in Species-specific
defense reactions (SSDR) which is essential
for associative learning, and SSDRs are learned through
interaction with the environment and others of the same
species.
An emotional response is created only after the signals
have been relayed between the different regions of the
brain, and activating the sympathetic nervous systems;
which controls the flight, fight, freeze, fright, and faint
response.
ANGER
• Anger or wrath is an intense emotional response. It is
an emotion that involves a strong uncomfortable and hostile
response to a perceived provocation, hurt or threat. Anger can
occur when a person feels their personal boundaries are being
or are going to be violated.
• Anger is an emotional reaction that impacts the body. A person
experiencing anger will also experience physical conditions,
such as increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and
increased levels of adrenaline and view anger as an emotion
which triggers part of the fight or flight brain response.
• Anger is used as a protective mechanism to cover up fear, hurt
or sadness. Anger becomes the predominant feeling
behaviorally, cognitively, and physiologically when a person
makes the conscious choice to take action to immediately
stop the threatening behavior of another outside force
• Anger can have many physical and mental consequences.
• Anger is strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility.
Anger

• The external expression of anger can be found

in facial expressions, body language, physiological
responses, and at times public acts of aggression.
• The behaviors associated with anger are designed
to warn aggressors to stop their threatening
behavior. Rarely does a physical altercation occur
without the prior expression of anger by at least
one of the participants.
 Types of Anger
Three types of anger are recognized by psychologists:
• Hasty and sudden anger is connected to the impulse
for self-preservation. It is shared by human and other
animals, and it occurs when the animal is tormented
or trapped. This form of anger is episodic.
• Settled and deliberate anger is a reaction to
perceived deliberate harm or unfair treatment by
others. This form of anger is episodic.
• Dispositional anger is related more to character
traits than to instincts or cognitions. Irritability,
sullenness, and churlishness are examples of the
last form of anger.
 Anger
• The external expression of anger can be found in
physiological responses, facial expressions, body language,
and at times in public acts of aggression. The rib cage tenses
and breathing through the nose becomes faster, deeper, and
irregular.
• Anger activates the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis.
• The catecholamine activation is more
strongly norepinephrine than epinephrine. Heart rate and
blood pressure increase. Blood flows to the hands.
Perspiration increases (particularly when the anger is
intense).The face flushes. The nostrils flare. The jaw tenses.
The brow muscles move inward and downward, fixing a hard
stare on the target. The arms are raised and a squared-off
stance is adopted. The body is mobilized for immediate
action, often manifesting as a subjective sense of strength,
self-assurance, and potency. This may encourage the impulse
to strike out.
Types of anger

• Type 1: Assertive anger.

• Type 2: Behavioural anger.
• Type 3: Chronic anger.
• Type 4: Judgmental anger.
• Type 5: Overwhelmed anger.
• Type 6: Passive-aggressive anger.
 AGGRESSION

• Aggression is overt, often harmful, social interaction

with the intention of inflicting damage or other
unpleasantness upon another individual. It may occur
either in retaliation or without provocation. In
humans, frustration due to blocked goals can cause
aggression
• Human aggression can be classified into direct and
indirect aggression, the first is characterized by
physical or verbal behavior intended to cause harm
to someone, the second one is characterized by a
behavior intended to harm social relations of an
individual or a group.
AGGRESSION

• Aggression can take a variety of forms, which may

be expressed physically, or
communicated verbally or non-verbally: including
anti-predator aggression, defensive aggression
(fear-induced), predatory aggression, dominance
aggression, inter-male aggression, resident-
intruder aggression, maternal aggression, species-
specific aggression, sex-related aggression,
territorial aggression, isolation-induced aggression,
irritable aggression, and brain-stimulation-induced
aggression (hypothalamus).
AGGRESSION

• Numerous circuits within both neocortical and

subcortical structures play a central role in
controlling aggressive behavior, depending on the
species, and the exact role of pathways may vary
depending on the type of trigger or intention.
• Numerous circuits within both neocortical and
subcortical structures play a central role in
controlling aggressive behavior, depending on the
species, and the exact role of pathways may vary
depending on the type of trigger or intention.
AGGRESSION

• The hormonal neuropeptides vasopressin and oxytocin play

a key role in complex social behaviours in many mammals
such as regulating attachment, social recognition, and
aggression. Vasopressin has been implicated in male-
typical social behaviors which includes aggression.
Oxytocin may have a particular role in regulating female
bonds with offspring and mates, including the use of
protective aggression
• In human, aggressive behavior has been associated with
abnormalities in three principal regulatory systems in the
body serotonin systems, catecholamine systems, and
the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. Abnormalities in
these systems also are known to be induced by stress,
either severe, acute stress or chronic low-grade stress
Aggression
• In human, aggressive behavior has been associated
with abnormalities in three principal regulatory
systems in the body serotonin
systems, catecholamine systems, and
the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis.
Abnormalities in these systems also are known to be
induced by stress, either severe, acute stress or
chronic low-grade stress
Aggression triggers
•Physical fear of others
•Family difficulties
•Learning, neurological, or conduct/behavior disorders
•Psychological trauma
HPA axis
Fear, Anger& Aggression

Credits :

Wikipedia
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