Violence in hockey has been around for a very long time. Although, violence in hockey was never thought of a serious issue because it was thought to be part of the game. Without violence in sport, games would be very boring and tedious to watch. Violence brings excitement to the viewers and it also gives energy to players on the same team. Although it has been around for a long time, not much has been done to prevent the violence that is displayed in hockey. Viewers have the majority of the decision in that they enjoy watching two opposing teams "beating the crap out of each other". Now violence has become part of the game play tactics. In order to win, the team must be aggressive and oppose the other team's violence. Although, hockey is the very reason why people become violent in the beginning.
Types of Violence.
It is seen how hockey uses violence as ways in order to achieve a goal or a win. Such strategies are aggression, hostile aggression, instrumental aggression and assertiveness. Aggression is behavior in which the goal is to injure another person, as well as any form of behavior that is directed toward the goal of harming another person who is avoiding hostility. For example a player slashes another player in hockey. Hostile Aggression is the intent to make the victim suffer as part of the goal. The victims suffering is induced by pain reinforcement. Usually this aggression is accompanied by anger and winning is no longer important. For example a player fights another player during a hockey game. Instrumental Aggression is the intention to harm another person, but there is an external reward to the goal in a form of currency, success, or position. Anger does not have to be a main factor in this but trying to achieve this goal might kindle violent behavior. For example when a player injures another key player during a hockey game. Assertiveness is the use of legitimate physical or verbal abuse to achieve a goal.
