Activating or the manipulations of empathy are shown to be incompatible with aggressive behaviors. This demonstrates the concept that prosocial thoughts and feelings are not compatible with antisocial thoughts and feelings. Which shows why the activation of empathy reduces aggression. 

Incompatable behaviors that reduce aggression

Studies have shown that just a 20 minute training session where helpful thoughts are promoted and activated helps reduce aggression by 10%. This indicates that training is a viable intervention or treatment that can be used to reduce aggression in individuals. 

Intervention to reduce aggression

Through cognitive manipulation tactics it was found that training individuals to activate helpful thoughts does help reduce aggression in a hostile environment. This provides causal support that cognitive self regulation tactics can be used to reduce aggression. 

Grand Valley State University

People who are more agreeable have been shown to be good at using cognitive self regulation in hostile situations. This can be considered a tactic to control potentially aggressive behavior. 

Cognitive self regulation and agreeableness/aggression

Meier, Wilkowski, & Robinson (2008). Bring out the aggreeableness in everyone: Using a cognitive self-regulation model to reduce aggression. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 44(5). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2008.05.005.

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