Aggressive or assertive? Enforcing/validating interest within the realm of sports

Can an athlete be called aggressive if he/she wins by kicking out the opponents? What does a coach mean by saying that the team was not aggressive enough? The set of meanings of aggressiveness should be clarified and explained.

The notion of aggressiveness primarily means causing deliberate injury. It is not attitudinal but physical or verbal action (Nagykáldi, 1998). No-one has the right in any sport to cause injury. Therefore sports professionals prefer using the expression of assertiveness.

Professionals need a wider overview of the meanings and consequences of aggressiveness so as to be able to educate their athletes to avoid this behaviour. In Freud’s opinion aggressiveness is an instinct which is born with everyone. One of the two main instincts is the dead instinct. According to the theory of frustration and aggression (Dollard et al, 1939 see in Nagykáldi, 1998) frustration causes aggression, for example, if a defender cannot demobilize the opponent the reaction can be aggression. Therefore coaches and PE teachers should be aware of this phenomenon.

Later the importance of environment became the focus of research. Bandura’s social learning theory posits that people learn from one-another via observation and imitation, within families, organizations etc. If we take the above example and examine in what other way an athlete can behave when the defender cannot demobilize the offensive sportsman or sportswoman the following can be stated. The defender starts running and concentrating. And this behaviour may become the model among younger athletes.

According to modified aggression theory (see Nagykáldi, 1998) frustration increases the arousal level and due to this aggression is elicited. It happens if in the social learning environment individuals experienced aggression.

Aggression cannot lead to high achievement either inside or outside of sport courts and fields not even in the case of intimidating the opponents. It deprives athletes of precious energy. Those will achieve their aims who can be assertive and enforce there will on others. This is called assertive behaviour.