Nineteenth International Conference on Technology, Knowledge, and Society

Abstract

Students are subjected to difficult circumstances to achieve. Studying under these circumstances could cultivate aggression towards self, others, and the environment. Little, if any, published research is available dealing with students with a “lesser aggressive orientated self-concept” versus a “more aggressive orientated self-concept” and perceptions of aggression. This study explores and describes the relationship between aggressive orientated self-concepts and perceptions of aggressive behaviour of different groups of students. Recommendations are made. An exploratory, descriptive and inferential quantitative research design was applied. A questionnaire was electronically distributed to students in a faculty. The questionnaire cover biographic, personality and aggression. Cronbach’s alphas and principal component analyses were done. Hypotheses were tested on differences between students with different aggressive self-concepts and aspects of aggression. Adherence to ethical principles was upheld. Of the 266 questionnaires, 177 were from female students and 89 were from males, and 82 were post-graduate students. Findings reflected a significant relationship between aggressive self-concept and all aspects of aggression for these students. The implications are that students are to be sensitised to reflect their levels of aggression. They should be aware that there is a direct relationship between an aggressive orientated self-concept and aggression. Self-assessment of own aggression should be researched to assist the self-management of an aggressive self-concept. University management and staff should assist students in this regard. Students should be assisted to understand and managing their aggressive self-concept and the relationship between aggressive self-concept and aggression.