Chapter 10: Aggression

These flashcards cover key concepts and theories related to aggression as described in Chapter 10.

Aggression

Behavior intended to harm another individual.

Instrumental Aggression

Aggression that is a means to an end; motivated by a specific goal.

Hostile Aggression

Aggression stemming from feelings of anger and aimed at inflicting pain.

Physical aggression

Aggression that causes bodily harm or physical pain

Social (relational) aggression

aggression aimed at damaging relationships or social status (Ex: spreading rumors)

Different ways researchers measure aggression in research

• Surveys and questionaries (reporting aggressive thoughts)

• observational methods (watching behavior, observing and recording aggressive acts)

• Experimental measures (controlled situations where aggression is measured indirectly)

• Peer & Teacher reports

• Archival & official records

How aggression is influenced by evolutionary impulses and testosterone

• Aggression developed because it sometimes increased survival and reproduction. (Ex: early humans and animals competed for food, territory, and safety)

• Testosterone is linked to aggression but not in a simple way. Testosterone increases dominance-seeking behavior, heightens sensitivity to status threats, makes people more likely to respond aggressively in certain contexts.

• When threatened, Testosterone increases aggression

• when not threatened, testosterone increases generosity

Frustration-Aggression Theory. Why the justification (sufficient vs. insufficient) for the frustrating behavior matters

• A theory stating that frustration leads to aggression.

• Sufficient justification (less aggression) - see a good reason for the frustration, situation feels fair or unavoidable (result: less angry » less aggression) (Ex: stuck in traffic but there’s a accident ahead)

• insufficient justification (most aggression) - blockage feels unfair, arbitrary, or unnecessary. think “this shouldn’t be happening” (result: more anger » higher chance of aggression) (Ex: cashier is slow and rude with no explanation)

Relative Deprivation

Feeling deprived compared to others (comparison) which can lead to frustration and aggression. You’re frustrated not because you have nothing, but because you feel you should have more like others do.

Social Learning Theory (Madura et al. 1961. the bobo doll study)

• The theory that people learn aggressive behaviors by observing others.

• children watched an adult interact with a bobo doll aggressively and mimicked the behavior

Displacement of Aggression

Redirecting aggression from someone you can’t target towards a less threatening target (Ex: employee gets criticized by their boss » goes home and snaps at family)

Aversive Experiences

• Experiences such as pain or extreme discomfort that can increase aggressive behavior.

• heat and physical discomfort are linked to irritability and aggression

• blocked goals creates anger and tension

• pain and physical irritations like headaches can increase short-tempered reactions

• insults and social rejection threatens self-esteem and belonging which can trigger anger and retaliatory aggression

Aggressive Cues Study with shotgun vs a badminton racket; Berkowitz & Lepage, 1967)

• Objects or stimuli that can trigger aggressive responses; e.g., a gun vs. a badminton racket.

• participants were angered (provoked by someone else) and sat in a room with either a weapon or badminton racket and participants could deliver electric shocks to the other person

• People exposed to the weapon gave more intense shocks while neutral objects were less aggressive (weapons effect: presence of a weapon can increase aggressive behavior)

• Weapons activate aggressive id4as and memories, object acts like a signal, aggressive cues are most powerful when combined with anger/frustration

Diffusion of Responsibility

• When individuals in a group feel less responsible for the actions of the group.

• reduces guilt and self-restraint

• joining in vandalism they wouldn’t do alone

Social Contagion

• The phenomenon where behaviors and emotions spread through groups.

• seeing others act aggressively signals it’s acceptable

• one person starts yelling or pushing » others quickly join in

Deindividuation

• A psychological state where individuals lose self-awareness and feel less restrained in groups, often leading to aggression.

• less concerned about social norms, consequences, personal values therefore more likely to act on impulses

• online anonymity

Longitudinal Evidence for Media Violence (Robertson et al. 2013)

• Research indicating a long-term relationship between exposure to media violence and aggressive behavior.

• followed individuals over many years and measured early exposure to violent media and resulted in higher exposure to violent media in childhood » higher aggression later in life

Experimental Evidence for Media Violence (Coyne et al. 2013)

• Studies that indicate immediate effects of media violence on aggression.

• randomly assigned participants (often children) to violent and non-violent media. resulted in exposed to violent media showed more aggressive behavior immediately after

Catharsis (Bushman; 2002)

• The idea that expressing aggression can provide relief and reduce future aggression; evidence shows it is ineffective.

• participants were made angry then assigned to a punching bag (angry), punch a bad but think about fitness (not anger) or sit quietly. resulted in those who vented their anger became more angry and aggressive afterwards

• it rehearses aggression and keeps anger active therefore catharsis doesn’t work

Using Social Learning Theory to Reduce Aggression

• modeling non-aggressive behavior

• reinforce prosocial (non-aggressive) behavior

• not rewarding aggression

• use non-aggressive models in media

• teach and practice alternative behavior