Escalating Aggression

Surveys demonstrating a high level of tension in Russian society come as no surprise to Russian psychologists. “When a person lives in a potentially dangerous world, with no guarantees for their own security, where anything can happen to anybody at any point, they have to protect themselves,” said psychologist Svetlana Solovyeva.

“The Institute of Sociology data does not mark a high level of aggression, but a high level of hostility. Aggression is defined as a demonstration of superiority, and the use of power to commit an injustice. In comparison hostility is a state of readiness for aggression and aggressive patterns within society; it is a response to potential danger,” Solovyeva continued.

“In Russia, the state doesn’t guarantee individuals’ safety and this is leading to a growth in hostility,” said Solovyeva, “In theory, living in an atmosphere of menace and potential danger for a long period of time could lead to an escalation of tension and hostility. Eventually it might lead to an aggressive response to some state initiatives like implementing new laws as well as economic defaults, price increases and poverty.”

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The comment to article "Escalating Aggression" by Svetlana Kononova (Special to Russia Profile, July 11, 2011)/RIA Novosti
Эксперт: Светлана Леонидовна Соловьева, доктор психологических наук, профессор.