If you can’t say anything nice about someone…Sit next to me.

The advent of Facebook and other social networking sites has me thinking a lot about aggression lately. Specifically, about gossip or relational aggression. Most of us have probably at some point or another been the object of a petty rumor, harmful gossip or even malicious slander. With technology racing furiously ahead, telling a friends secrets, ruining someone’s reputation, or even destroying someone’s career can be as simple as the click of a button.

There are numerous theories on what causes some people to be aggressive and other’s to not. Some researchers are trying to link testosterone levels and aggression. One study noted that members of fraternities that had higher testosterone levels were more crude and rambunctious while fraternities, whose members had lower testosterone levels did better academically, were more socially responsible, and had members that smiled more. Researchers are also trying to link lower levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin to aggressive behavior. Serotonin is a chemical messenger in our nervous system that acts like a braking mechanism for acts of impulsive aggression. Drug’s that increase the amount of serotonin in the body have been shown to have the potential to dampen not only aggressive behaviors but also a variety of other deviant and impulse based behaviors.

Some people say aggression is learned. When someone behaves aggressively and it produces the outcome that they want it’s positive reinforcement, in a sense, by giving the violent or aggressive person what they want we’re showing them that it’s effective, thereby increasing the chance that they’ll use violence or aggression in the future to get what they want.

Another really interesting point in research is that it’s been proven that while boys show higher rates of physical aggression, girls show higher rates of indirect aggression, telling lies to get someone in trouble, leaving them out, or trying to get others to dislike their target. This remains true until boys hit the ages of fifteen through eighteen, when their use of physical aggression has been shown to decrease sharply and conversely they begin to be more verbally aggressive. I wonder if with the introduction of social networking sites if this is going to change. If instead of shoving someone in the hallway at school or egging their house if students are choosing the silent revenge of posting slanderous rumors or incriminating pictures for thousands of their best friends to see.

It has been said that with great power comes great responsibility. If social or relational aggression can be learned than pro-social behavior can be learned as well. Through the internet we ALL have the power to communicate, to inform, to influence or to destroy the people around us. If we use this power responsibly maybe we can help teach others around us the value of using our voice to set an example, to be up building, and to provide the next generation an example of what pro-social behavior looks like and how technology can be used as a force to promote healthful behaviors and to positively impact society.

Source: Brehm, S.S., Fein, S., Kassin, S.(2005).Social Psychology(6th ed.).New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.

By: Dahlia T.

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