Instinct and Drive Theories

Instinct Theory

Some may argue that us humans are programmed to be violent creatures, but some may argue against it. Instinct theory says that violence stems from built in tendencies for humans to aggress against other humans. This theory argues the Nature versus the Nurture theories. Richard Rhodes and Lonnie Athens are on the Nurture side; they claim that it is how we grow up that is going to show what type of person we are going to be. Konrad Lorenz on the other hand claims that every mammal has aggression, but they are not meant to kill other mammals. The reasons why instinct theories are not supported is that human aggression stems from a large number of factors including Lorenz’s idea that is saying that most species, fighting do not lead to death or injury. Also, human aggression takes a range of forms from ignoring or spreading rumors to death. There are several people that fight and kill people across different nations and cultures as well as violence is changing with social conditions. So you cannot blame violence on media with help of the instinct theory.

Drive Theories

Drive theories says that humans have an internal motive or drive to harm other humans, which normally lays dormant. When certain people are exposed to certain external conditions, drive theory is aroused and the result will be aggression. There are other variables that take place in drive theories such as external conditions include loss of face or frustration that might help the person to aggressive. Drive theory suggests that aggression stems from external conditions that arouse the motive to harm or injure others so Rhodes and Athens would support this theory. Out of the drive theory the Frustration-Aggression hypothesis happens and that hypothesis explains that frustration leads to arousal of a drive whose basic goals are to harm some other human being. This hypothesis says that frustration always leads to some sort of aggression. You would start with an external condition that makes a person aggressive and that would lead to an aggressive behavior. However, too much importance is placed on frustration and also frustration can lead to sadness and depression. Not all aggression stems from frustration and the Frustration-Aggression hypothesis is not always supported because of these factors.