Aggression in Sports

Aggression is inherent in animals and in human beings because biologically it serves an important purpose of facilitating organisms struggle for existence.

Aggression is a part of human behaviour and is accepted as social phenomenon to some extent but beyond that aggression becomes an anti social behaviour intended to harm others. 

Types of Aggression

1. Hostile aggression: intent to harm, goal to harm, anger
2. Instrumental aggression: intent to harm, goal to win, no anger
3. Assertive aggression: no intent to harm, legitimate force, unusual effort and energy expenditure

Reflections of Aggression in Various Sports

In sports, the following five levels of aggression are recorded:

1) Direct and strong aggression in boxing, wrestling, American football.

2) Limited aggression in football, hockey, water polo etc.

3) Indirect aggression in handball, volleyball, tennis, table tennis etc.

4) Aggression directed only against objects in golf, throwing events in track & field.

5) Little observable aggression in gymnastics, figure skating, aesthetic events etc.

Effect of Aggression on Performance

1. Aggression results in a decrement in performance of individual as well as team as whole. 
2. The level of frustration produced by the particular situation usually determines the amount of aggression.
3. There are some factors that influence aggression in sports are:
   • Win-at-all-cost
   • Perceived intention of the opponents
   • The reinforcement of violent behaviour by the coach
   • Spectators effects
   • Maturity and standard of players
   • High incentives
   • Rise of professionalism

How to Reduce Aggression in Sports

1) Most influential people actually promote rather than discourage violence because they believe it sells tickets. If this attitude is curtailed then it is possible to minimize aggression.

2) Anger behaviour and feelings can be modified through anger awareness training and role playing.

3) Athletes can learn to control their feelings of hostility and anger.

4) Athletes who engage in aggressive act must be severely penalised. 

5) Coaches who encourage should be fined or suspended from their coaches duty.

6) External stimuli capable of evoking hostile aggression on the field of play should be removed.

7) Coaches and referees should be encouraged to attend in-service training workshops on dealing with aggression on the part of players.

8) Social interaction between members of opposing teams should be encouraged by coaches and managers.