In psychology,
frustration is a common
emotional response to opposition. Related to
anger and
disappointment, it arises from the perceived resistance to the fulfillment of individual
will. The greater the obstruction, and the greater the will, the more the frustration is likely to be. Causes of frustration may be internal or external. In people, internal frustration may arise from challenges in fulfilling
personal goals and
desires, instinctual drives and needs, or dealing with perceived , such as a lack of
confidence or
fear of social situations.
Conflict can also be an internal source of frustration; when one has competing goals that interfere with one another, it can create
cognitive dissonance. External causes of frustration involve conditions outside an individual, such as a blocked road or a difficult task. While coping with frustration, some individuals may engage in
passive–aggressive behavior, making it difficult to identify the original cause(s) of their frustration, as the responses are indirect. A more direct, and common response, is a propensity towards aggression.