Panorama Vision : Fr Jo Paul Kiriyanthan
In 2011, P. P. Datta and K. A. Firdoush have done an experimental study among the 258 village adolescents of ages 15-19, in West Bengal, eastern India regarding their living mode of anger. In the same research area, another study was conducted in the capital city of India, Delhi in 2001 by K. Bjorkqvist, K. Osterman, T.K. Oommen and M.J Kirsti. Both these studies state that Indians have a higher tendency to express their anger in an indirect mode; and it becomes common as they become older. Indirect aggression can be defined “as socially manipulative actions in which the target is attacked, not directly, but circuitously, and the aggressor can thereby remain unidentified and avoid counterattack” (Bjorkqovist, 1994, p.183).
Passive aggression and displacement are two common defense mechanisms which people usually rely to express their indirect aggression. Procrastination, hostile jokes, stubbornness, resentment, deliberate and repeated failure to accomplish the responsibilities are some of the characteristics of passive aggression. Passive aggression creates problems in interpersonal relationships, since others become clueless about the feelings of the other which produce hard feelings in them. Sometimes others become aggressive or disinterested in relating with such people. The passive aggression can effectively damage the occupational function of the individual, since procrastination, obstructionism and forgetfulness specifically can do sufficient harm for the effective fulfillment of their responsibilities. There can be many psycho somatic effects. Clinicians connect passive aggression with diseases like Asthma, ulcer, obesity, alcoholism and hypertension.
Through displacement, a person generalizes or redirects the anger to another object, usually to a less threatening object. Displacement produces damages mainly in the interpersonal relations. Usually the target suffer out of the displaced anger will be subordinates or colleagues of the individual. They can be the family members or friends in the close circle, because where the individual finds less danger to express the anger. Those who suffer out of the aggression will be clueless about the behaviour. Since displacement is a rather unconscious mechanism in the individual, the person who expresses it also may find it difficult to understand the reasons behind.
There can be various reasons for indirect expressions of anger. The unfulfilled dependency needs may make the individual difficult to express the anger in a direct way. In other words, one who is searching for intimacy and affections avoids confrontation because it can endanger the relations. Excessive feeling of powerlessness also can be found behind actions of indirect anger. When someone feels as if being controlled by others, the individual can feel anger. But persons who consider themselves as misfortunate out of their low self-esteem and feeling of inferiority would naturally choose indirect mode of anger-expressions.
