Hostility

Hostility is an attitude or behavior characterized by antagonism toward others. It can be overt, such as aggression or threats, or covert, such as sarcasm, social exclusion, or backbiting. The construct involves affective (anger or contempt), cognitive (negative judgments about others), and behavioral components (actions or avoidance) and can be directed at individuals, groups, or institutions.

Causes of hostility are multifaceted. It often arises from perceived threat, injustice, or competition for resources, as well as past experiences and chronic stress. Personality traits such as high trait anger or low agreeableness can contribute, and cultural norms shape how hostility is expressed or tolerated. Situational factors, including social or organizational hierarchies, can exacerbate hostile responses.

In psychology and health research, hostility is studied through various measures and may include hostile attribution bias (the tendency to interpret ambiguous actions as hostile). Health-wise, chronic hostility is associated with elevated stress responses and cardiovascular risk, alongside broader social costs such as damaged relationships, reduced cooperation, and impaired teamwork.

Types of hostility include overt forms like verbal aggression and physical violence, and covert forms like passive aggression, social exclusion, or back-channel hostility. Intergroup or political hostility can manifest as xenophobia, ethnonationalism, or conflict between rivals, sometimes fueling larger cycles of violence.

Management and reduction of hostility focus on communication and conflict resolution skills, anger management, and cognitive-behavioral or empathy-based interventions. Addressing underlying needs for security, control, and fairness, along with stress reduction, can lessen hostile responses and improve social functioning.