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5. Other methods of reducing aggression : Many different 
methods of reducing aggression are available. These include as 
follows: 
a) Catharsis 
b) Cognitive Intervention Strategies 
c) Exposure to Non-aggressive models 
d) Incompatible Response 
e) Legislation 
f) Decreasing 
Anonymity 
g) Prison Reform 
We would discuss each of these briefly. 
 
a) Catharsis : It refers to a view that if individuals give went to 
their anger and hostility in relatively non-harmful ways, their 
tendencies to engage in more dangerous types of aggression 
will be reduced. In other words catharsis hypothesis, as 
presented by Dollard et al (1939), states that providing angry 
individuals with the opportunity to “blow off steam” through 
vigorous but non-harmful actions will: 
Reduce their level of arousal, and 
Lower their tendencies to engage in overt acts of 
aggression. 
b) Cognitive Intervention Strategies : By cognitive intervention 
strategies we mean various forms of perception, thoughts, 
reasoning or inferences that will help us to change our ideas, 
behaviour or outlook with respect to aggression. There are 
many cognitive intervention strategies. 
(i) One type of cognitive intervention strategy is our 
attributions concerning a given event. Attributions often play 
a major role in determining reactions to provocation. If we 
decide that provocation from another stems mainly from internal 
causes (e.g., his or her motives and intentions) we are much 
more likely to grow angry and respond aggressively than if we 
conclude that these actions stem largely from external factors 
beyond his or her control. This fact in turn points to an intriguing 
possibility “perhaps aggression can be reduced in many 
situations by conditions encouraging individuals to make such 
external attributions”. In short, if persons exposed to 
provocation can be induced to interpret provocative actions by 

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others as stemming mainly from external causes, later 
aggression may be greatly reduced.
(ii) Another cognitive intervention strategy is to help an