PBSI 315 - Aggression & Violence

Exam 3 - Part 1

Physical aggression

Hurting someone’s body (ex., hitting, punching, etc.)

Verbal aggression

Using words to harm someone (ex., insults, yelling, etc.)

Social aggression

Hurting someone’s relationships or feelings (ex., exclusion, rumors, cyberbullying)

Instrumental aggression

Aggression used as a means to achieve a goal (ex.,

Men and aggression

More physical aggression & violence

Women and aggression

More relational\social aggression

Similarities between men and women when it comes to aggression

Both show verbal aggression and can be aggressive when provoked

Most to least aggressive in age groups

1. Toddlers (most)

2. Children

3. Adolescents

4. Adults (least)

Hostile attribution bias

Assuming ambiguous actions are intentional & hostile

Hostile expectation bias

Expecting others will respond aggressively in future situations

Hostile perception bias

Seeing neutral interactions as aggresive

Key differences between the hostile cognitive biases

Attribution → interpreting intent

Expectation → Predicting future behavior

Perception → interpreting general interactions

Catharsis Theory

The idea that releasing anger (ex., hitting objects) reduces aggressive urges

Deindividuation

Loss of self-awareness in groups leading to increased impulsive\aggressive behavior

Morbid Curiosity

Interest in violence or events (watching violent media)

Causes of Aggression - Frustration

Blocking goals increases likelihood of aggression

Causes of Aggression - Heat

High temperatures increase irritability and aggression

Causes of Aggression - Crowds

Overcrowding creates stress → more aggression

Causes of Aggression - Environmental Factors

Noise, pollution, unpleasant conditions all trigger aggression

Aggression vs. Violence - Aggression

Behavior intended to harm someone who doesn’t want to be harmed

Aggression vs. Violence - Violence

Aggression intended to cause extreme physical harm (injury or death)

Key differences between aggression & violence

All violence is aggression, but not all aggression is violence

Violent video games research:

• Shows a small increase in aggressive thoughts/behaviors

• Does NOT prove direct causation of real-world violence

Why are we drawn to violent media?

• morbid curiosity

• Excitement\arousal

• Interest in danger without real risk

Does research support Catharsis Theory?

no, it often increases aggression instead