How does the scapegoating theory explain the displacement of aggression onto social groups?

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red deer stags (Cervus elaphus) — Aggressive behaviour A pair of red deer stags (*Cervus elaphus*) competing for possession of a female in the rutting season.

The scapegoating theory, an application of the frustration-aggression hypothesis, explains that when individuals or groups experience frustration but cannot retaliate against the actual source—due to power imbalances or the absence of a clear target—they may displace their aggressive impulses onto a more convenient, socially sanctioned victim group.1

This process serves several psychological and social functions:

Catharsis: It provides a channel for the expression of aggressive impulses, offering relief once the hostility is released.1
Rationalization: Because expressing violence without justification is socially undesirable, individuals use prejudice and stereotypes to rationalize their hostility, often blaming the victim group for their own plight.1
Projection: Drawing on psychoanalytic concepts, the theory suggests that victim-blaming is intensified by the projection of unconscious guilt that the frustrated parties feel regarding their own violent behavior.1

It is essential to recognize that targeting marginalized groups to relieve personal or collective frustration is morally wrong, as it relies on the dehumanization and unjust victimization of others to manage one's own emotional state.1