Test 3 General Psychology Dr. C

Agression

any physical, verbal, or social behavior intended to hurt or destroy

is something aggression only if it is physical?

no

is something aggression only if it is illegal?

no

What is a genetic correlate to aggression?

identical twins- if one is aggressive, the other probably is too

what are some neurological correlates to aggression?

if you electrically stimulate parts of the brain, you can automatically become aggressive

does testosterone relate to aggression, and what is the evidence?

yes it does- if you take a male lab rat and snip off its source of testosterone, it becomes a lot less aggressive.

how does alcohol affect aggression?

increases aggression

how does alcohol relate ti violent crime?

its involved in 57% of U.S. homicides

How does alcohol increase aggression

It acts as a disinhibition-

it screws up the part of the brain for judgement

What is the frustration-aggression principle?

the idea that frustration creates anger, and anger often leads to aggression, depending on the situation.

What are some aversive stimuli that trigger frustration and/or aggression?

physical pain

emotional insults

foul odors

ostracism

heat

how do hot temperatures influence aggression?

increases aggression

how will global warming increase aggression?

heat leads to aggression, and global warming will cause more droughts, poverty, and forced migration.

what is ostracism?

intentional social exclusion

is ostracism aggression?

yes

does ostracism create pain?

yes

how do we know ostracism creates pain?

same areas of the brain are activated

does ostracism increase aggression?

yes

how does income disparity influence aggression?

it is connected to increased crime.

varieties of wealth caused higher crime

what family factors are associated with increased aggression?

1. growing up with violence in the house

2. no father/ minimal involvement

how do education, income level, and geography influence those factors?

they increase the chances

what are social scripts?

culturally produced models or guides for behavior in various situations

what is the rape myth?

"secretly she wants it, she just doesn't want to say it"

is the rape myth true?

no

is the rape myth perpetuated by social scripts found in popular media?

yes

do negative, aggressive social scripts found in media like movies, tv shows, and video games result in increased aggression in real life?

yes

what happened in U.S. and South Africa when TV became available?

homicide rates doubled

how much do children imitate violent cartoons?

7x increase in violent play

In experiments, how much did watching violent movies lead to desensitization? How did it change the behavior and attitudes of college-age men who watched the movies?

-They rated the 1st movie the most violent and the last movie the least violent(they became desensitized to the violence)

-more likely to believe the rape myth

-more accepting of men sexually abusing little girls

what is catharsis hypothesis?

the idea that releasing aggressive energy, either through fantasy or through actual behavior, relieves and reduces aggressive urges, allowing us to "blow off steam" and harmlessly vent our aggressive urges

what does research find out about the catharsis hypothesis and how well it works?

it may temporarily reduce aggressive urges, but it increases aggression in the long run

are violent video games harmful?

yes- they prime aggressive behavior

do most people who play violent video games become violent in real life?

no

do a significant number of people who play violent video games become violent in real life?

yes

what was found in a study of children who were all low in hostility, comparing to those who did and did not play video games?

those low in hostility were 10x as likely to get in real world fights

how does the U.S. military use video games, and why?

they use simulators for aggression practice

what happened one United States Supreme Court case concerning the sale of violent video games to children?

court ruled that children can go buy violent games

what are mirror image perceptions and how do they contribute to conflict?

mutual views held by people in conflict, where each think its side is good and right but the other side is bad and wrong

what is a real world example of mirror image perceptions and the harm they do?

democrats vs republicans

what is GRIT(graduated and reciprocated initiatives in tension-reduction)? How does it work?

1. announce that you recognize you have mutual interests w the other party

2. initiate one or more small acts that the other party wants

3. reciprocate what they do

what is altruism?

an unselfish concern for the welfare of others, putting their needs ahead of your own

is there really such a thing as altruism?

yes

what would be an example of altruism

"In My Hands" -Irena

It is better to give or receive?

give

How is this demonstrated in a research study?

College students were given $20

those who spent the money on other people rather than themselves were in a better mood

what is the bystander effect?

the tendency for a witness to an emergency to be less likely to help a stranger in need if other witnesses are present

does the bystander effect occur in the real world?

yes

in general, what two powerful factors contribute to the bystander effect?

1. multiple witnesses

2. conformity

under what circumstances are bystanders most likely to help a stranger in need?

1. person who needs and deserves help

2. person is similar to you

3. a woman

4. if someone else is helping

5. small town

6. feeling guilty about something

7. training in a relevant skill

8. if we have encountered the situation before

9. in a good mood

10. focused on other people

11. not in a hurry

12. aware of bystander effect

what is proximity?

physical or geographical nearness

how does proximity relate to liking and attraction?

it predicts it

what is the mere exposure effect?

repeated exposure to new stimuli increases our liking for them

what are examples of the mere exposure effect?

songs, faces, logos

how was the mere exposure effect demonstrated in an experiment on attractiveness?

4 female students judged to be equally attractive

-the girl who went to class the most was rated the most attractive.

-the girl who went the fewest was rated least attractive

Generally do "opposites attract" or do "birds of a feather flock together"?

birds of a feather flock together

how well do online matches via dating sites work, compared to matches encountered in regular life?

online is more effective

how often do people first meet their romantic partners online?

1/4 opposite sex couples

2/3 same sex couples

1/5 marriages met online

how important is physical attractiveness?

extremely important- forms first impressions

how did researchers set up an experiment where students were paired on blind dates?

if they found their date physically attractive, they would want to go on another date

what characteristics do we attribute to physically attractive people?

1. healthier

2. happier

3. more successful

4. more sensitive

5. better social skills

6. more intelligent

how does physical attractiveness relate to hiring?

more attractive people get a better ranking for the job

How does attractiveness relate to self-esteem?

no connection

why

1. almost no one thinks their looks are below-average

2. you never know what someone sees in the mirror

3. some people don't want to be seen as attractive

How do women and men differ in the importance they place on looks in the opposite sex?

-men say they want a hot girl

-women say they want someone smart, good personality, but irl, they want a hot guy

what are some universal characteristics of attractive men and women worldwide?

men- want a younger, youthful women

women- want an older, mature man

what kind of features do we tend to find the most attractive? how was this demonstrated in an experiment?

smooth, symmetrical features

experiment- 12 women were used and an average face was made combining all of them to make a 13th woman. the 13th woman was found the most attractive

how long does it take us to judge someone else's attractiveness?

2/10ths of a second

what is passionate love?

an intense, positive, aroused preoccupation with a romantic partner

what 2 factors bring about passionate love?

1. Physiological arousal

2. attributing physiological arousal to the other person

how does passionate love relate to brain activity?

stimulates the brain

obsession, craving

if you want someone to fall passionately in love with you, what should you do to up your odds?

1st date- scary movie

what happens when we are in passionate love?

happy with partner, miserable without them

how long does passionate love usually last?

not very long

what typically happens when passionate love has run its course?

-"magic isn't there anymore"

-turn passionate love to companionate love

what is companionate love?

a deep, affectionate attachment involving mutual comfort, support, and respect

which are more enduring: relationships of passionate love or companionate love?

companionate love

what is the evidence of this

other cultures

What three psychological factors relate the most to loving, successful, enduring relationships?

1. mutual self-disclosure

2. equity

3. positive, supporting communication(5:1 ratio positive to negative comments)

what is the relationship between wealth and happiness?

there's not really one, unless you're in dire need of money

what was found in a study of the average levels of wealth and happiness in the United States during the last 60 years or so?

while a tripling of buying has occurred, happiness has stayed the same

What is the adaptation-level phenomenon?

the tendency to base our judgements based on our most recent level of experience; in other words, we are commonly more sensitive to change in inputs or experiences rather than their absolute level

what is an example of adaptation love; phenomenon in everyday life?

we get used to what we have have so we quickly notice change

how does adaptation level relate to wealth and happiness?

it relates very well

what is relative deprivation?

comparing ourselves to those who are better off than we are, and feeling frustrated at the disparity, instead of comparing ourselves to those who are less well off than we are, and appreciating our advantages

what would be a real-world example of relative deprivation?

sports players salary

how does income disparity in a country or society influence happiness?

they tend to be less happy

How much of our happiness is genetically determined?

1/2

what can you personally do to maximize your happiness?

1. take control of your time

2. even if you are not happy, act it

3. seek work and leisure that engages your skills

4. invest in experiences rather than things

5. regular, vigorous exercise

6. give your body the sleep it needs

7. give priority to close relationships

8. count your blessings

9. focus beyond yourself

10. nurture your spiritual self

What is the feel-good, do-good phenomenon?

when we feel good, we are more likely to do good for others

is it selfish to pursue your own happiness?

no

Are good people happy, or are happy people good?

happy people are good

how common are psychological disorders in the general United States population?

20%, 1/5

how common are psychological disorders among US college and university students?

33%, 1/3

What country among all the world's nations has the highest rates of psychological disorders?

united states

what percentage of people in the United States are likely to develop a psychological disorder in their lifetime?

50%, 1/2

do most people who have these disorders seek treatment?

no

Are most people with psychological disorders dangerous to other people?

no

Do most violent criminals have psychological disorders?

no

what is the DSM-5-TR, who published it, and what is it used for?

diagnostic and statistical manual, fifth addition with text revision, published by American psychiatric association(NOT psychological)

how is the DSM-5-TR valuable?

1. everyone needs to be on the same page

2. speaks to prognosis

3. speaks to treatment

4. prompts and allows research