Study Notes on Aggression in Social Psychology

Aggression

Behavior intended to harm another individual, regardless of success.

Violence

Extreme acts of aggression aiming for severe harm, injury, or death.

Anger

A strong emotional state that can trigger hostile aggression

Hostility

A negative mindset that makes someone likely to feel, think, or act aggressively

Social Learning Theory

Aggression is learned by observing others

Bandura's Bobo Doll Study

Children copy aggressive behavior they see in adults

Learning Specific Aggressive Behaviors

Watching others shows exactly how to act aggressively.

Developing Positive Attitudes about Aggression

Seeing aggression go unpunished or rewarded makes it seem okay and effective.

Constructing Aggressive 'Scripts'

Repeated exposure to aggression teaches us how to act aggressively in the future.

Vicarious Reinforcement

Kids copy people who seem powerful, successful, or rewarded.

Corporal Punishment

Physical force intended to cause pain but not injury, to correct behavior.

Instrumental Aggression

Harm inflicted as a calculated means to achieve a desired goal (e.g., for money).

Reactive/Emotional Aggression

Impulsive, emotional harm in response to provocation.

Bullying

Repetitive, deliberate acts of aggression by a more powerful individual/group towards a less powerful victim.

Relational/Indirect Aggression

Harming others through social manipulation, exclusion, or spreading rumors rather than physical attack.

Longitudinal Studies on Corporal Punishment

Harsh or frequent physical punishment can increase aggression in teens; context matters.

Gender Differences in Aggression

Males typically show more overt physical aggression; females tend to engage more in indirect/relational aggression.