The Three Stages of Aggressive Behavior

Overview/Description
 Understanding the three stages of aggressive or violent behavior will equip you to deal with the whole spectrum of incidents, from the relatively minor to the life-threatening. You'll learn the warning signs and how to differentiate a low-level threat from an immediate danger, and you'll learn what kind of intervention is appropriate and effective for each stage.

Target Audience
 Top-level Managers, Training Managers, Human Resource Managers, Functional Managers, Supervisors, Team Leaders

Expected Duration
3.5 hours

Lesson Objectives:

Stage 1: Hostility

  • recognize the benefits of knowing the warning signs of stage 1 aggressive behavior.
  • choose statements that show how humans objectify and dehumanize others when they are spiraling toward violence.
  • specify instances of challenges to authority in a scenario.
  • identify how psychologists explain an employee's tendencies to be argumentative, blame others, and lie, when in an aggressive spiral.
  • identify circumstances that could be seen as sexual harassment, a warning sign for potential violence.

    • Stage 2: Aggression

  • recognize the value of seeing the warning signs of stage 2 aggressive behavior.
  • specify examples of a blatant disregard for company policies in the case of someone who is progressing toward violence.
  • identify a person in a scenario who should be closely monitored due to the warning signs of intense arguments and shifting blame.
  • identify a person exhibiting the warning signs of stealing and threatening in a scenario.
  • identify accurate statements concerning why an "I don't care" attitude is one of the most serious warning signs.

    • Stage 3: True Violence

  • recognize the value of knowing the warning signs of stage 3 violent behavior.
  • choose appropriate inferences to draw when someone begins having physical confrontations.
  • identify appropriate reactions--what you should do--when someone is carrying and showing weapons in the workplace.
  • label true and false statements about the realities of assault and battery, including homicide, in the workplace.
  • identify statements that explain what psychologists believe about suicide prevention.

    • Appropriate Interventions

  • recognize the critical importance of intervening appropriately at the various stages of aggressive behavior.
  • identify the appropriate type of intervention for each stage of the violence spiral.
  • analyze in a case study the stage of Harry's violent behavior and the appropriate kind of intervention.
  • analyze in a case study the stages of Martine's suicidal behavior and the appropriate kind of intervention.
  • analyze in a case study the stage of Gilbert's violent behavior and the appropriate kind of intervention.

    • Course Number: HR0342