Students and Aggression: Perception and Strategies of Behavior

Abstract

The problem of aggressiveness of adolescents and young people is currently acquiring new aspects in connection with the expansion of their social contacts. The purpose of our study was to identify the characteristics of students’ aggressiveness, their attitude to aggressiveness (perception and evaluation of aggressiveness, behavior strategies when faced with aggression, ways to overcome their own aggressiveness). We also wanted to explore, whether the nature and level of aggressiveness changes from the first to the final year of study at the Institute. The study involved 253 students (149 first-year students and 104 fourth-year students). The study was conducted in an anonymous form using the questionnaire “Attitude to aggression” developed by us and the methodology for diagnosing aggressiveness by Buss–Darka’s test. The results of the study showed that in the student environment (in the age range from 17 to 22 years) there is no reliable relationship between age and levels of aggression and hostility. First-year students perceive aggression more in the emotional and energy aspect, they tend to continue communicating with an aggressive person, try to calm him or ignore his condition. Fourth-year students view aggression as a social behavior rather than an emotional outburst, and prefer a withdrawal strategy, begin to behave more carefully, try not to provoke. Their behavior is more appropriate from the point of view of safety. Fourth-year students are more likely than first-year students to “see” aggressive people in communication situations, more often note the positive role of aggression in defending their position in society, and more often openly show their own aggression towards people.