THE SUPPRESSION AND AVOIDANCE OF AGGRESSION AMONG THE YOUNG GENERATION IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY: STRESS-AVOIDANCE RESPONSE IN THE PICTURE-FRUSTRATION STUDY

Abstract

The main aim of the present study was to investigate forms of aggression among the young generation in contemporary society. In Study 1, Picture Frustration (PF) Study was administrated to a student group (n = 80) and an adult group (n = 80) following the inquiry method of asking for both the verbal response and the inward response toward 24 situations involving frustration. The result of the statistical comparison of the PF scores showed that the student group had a significantly smaller number of extrapunitive responses verbally, but inwardly no significant difference was seen, which suggested that young people tend to suppress aggression rather consciously. In Study 2, Stress-Avoidance responses in which both the verbal and inward response do not directly react to the frustration, or the inward response cancels the aggression expressed verbally, were extracted. The result, that the student group showed significantly more Stress-Avoidance responses, suggested unconscious inhibition and dissociation of aggression in the young generation.