Harshness:

"Individuals raised in environments characterized by criticism, aggression, or emotional neglect may internalize such behavior as normal or effective. In these contexts, kindness may not have been modeled as a viable strategy, while harshness may have been associated with control, predictability, or survival. As a result, treating others poorly can feel justified or even necessary rather than cruel.

In competitive social environments, harshness can further operate as a tool for regulating power and status. Belittling, intimidation, or emotional coldness may discourage challenges and signal superiority. Although such tactics are socially costly in the long run, they can yield short-term advantages by suppressing opposition or securing compliance, particularly in hierarchical or high-pressure settings.

Emotional overload provides another pathway to harsh behavior. Stress, frustration, shame, or chronic resentment impair self-regulation and reduce tolerance for ambiguity or disagreement. Under such conditions, harshness often emerges not as a deliberate strategy but as a failure of emotional control. The individual may later regret the behavior, yet at the moment it serves as an immediate release of internal pressure.

Harshness can be used instrumentally. Some individuals learn that being unkind is an efficient way to achieve specific outcomes—ending relationships, enforcing boundaries, or provoking withdrawal—without engaging in explicit confrontation. Reduced empathy further lowers the psychological cost of such behavior, making it easier to justify harm to others."