DEINDIVIDUATION: Social psychological explanations of human aggression

Social psychological explanations of human aggression (16 marks, 2018),

Discuss one social psychological explanations for aggression [16 marks]

One social psychological explanation for aggression is Deindividuation. Deindividuation argues when we join a crowd we lose restraint, self-identity and personal responsbility. This means normally non-agressive individuals then go along with the aggressive behaviours of the group as they feel less personal guilt.

Anonymity is a major condition of de-individuation. Anonymity is increased by factors such as masks, uniforms and darkness. Individuals in a large crowd are less easily identified so this lowers inhibitions and feelings of guilt around committing aggressive acts.

Research has argued thsat anonymity reduces two types of self awareness:

• Private self-awareness: attention to our own feelings is reduced because it is focused outwards on events around us

• Public self-awareness: reduced because we realise we are anonymous and our behaviour is less likely to be judged by others

So we become less accountable for our aggressive actions

AO3

One piece of supporting research for anonmity as a major condition in Deindividuation comes from Deiner. They found when they observed 1300 American children going trick or treating, those who were in large groups or who were wearing costumes that hide their faces were likely to engage in antisocial behaviour, such as stealing. Therefore suggesting that deindividuation such as wearing masks that hide faces may make individuals more likely to engage in antisocial behaviours.

However, one limitation of deindividuation is that there is contradictory research. Research to contradict comes from Gergen et al 1973 ‘Deviance in the Dark’ research who told participants in a darkened room they could do what they liked and they would never meet again. They soon started touching and kissing. In a second study they were told they meet and there was much less touching/kissing. Therefore de-individuation may not always lead to aggression.

Deindividuation emphasises the role of nurture in the nature vs. nurture debate. It focuses on environmental factors such as how being in a crowd leads to a reduction in personal responsibility and potentially increasing aggression. However, genetic, ethological, and evolutionary theories suggest that nature also plays a role in aggression such as the L-MAOA variants influences on aggression or the impact of male retention stratergies and FAP/IRM. This suggests, to fully understand aggression, an interactionist approach like the diathesis stress model is needed.

Describe de-individuation as a social pscyhological explanation of aggression [3 marks]

Deindividuation argues when we join a crowd we lose restraint, self-identity and personal responsbility. This means normally non-agressive individuals then go along with the aggressive behaviours of the group as they feel less personal guilt.

Anonymity is a major condition of de-individuation. Anonymity is increased by factors such as masks, uniforms and darkness.

Discuss one social psychological explanations for aggression [8 marks]

One social psychological explanation for aggression is Deindividuation. Deindividuation argues when we join a crowd we lose restraint, self-identity and personal responsbility. This means normally non-agressive individuals then go along with the aggressive behaviours of the group as they feel less personal guilt.

Anonymity is a major condition of de-individuation. Anonymity is increased by factors such as masks, uniforms and darkness. Individuals in a large crowd are less easily identified so this lowers inhibitions and feelings of guilt around committing aggressive acts.

Research has argued thsat anonymity reduces two types of self awareness:

• Private self-awareness: attention to our own feelings is reduced because it is focused outwards on events around us

• Public self-awareness: reduced because we realise we are anonymous and our behaviour is less likely to be judged by others

So we become less accountable for our aggressive actions

AO3

One piece of supporting research for anonmity as a major condition in Deindividuation comes from Deiner. They found when they observed 1300 American children going trick or treating, those who were in large groups or who were wearing costumes that hide their faces were likely to engage in antisocial behaviour, such as stealing. Therefore suggesting that deindividuation such as wearing masks that hide faces may make individuals more likely to engage in antisocial behaviours.

Deindividuation emphasises the role of nurture in the nature vs. nurture debate. It focuses on environmental factors such as how being in a crowd leads to a reduction in personal responsibility and potentially increasing aggression. However, genetic, ethological, and evolutionary theories suggest that nature also plays a role in aggression such as the L-MAOA variants influences on aggression or the impact of male retention stratergies and FAP/IRM. This suggests, to fully understand aggression, an interactionist approach like the diathesis stress model is needed.

Explain the difference between de-individuation and one other social psychological explanation of aggression [ 3 marks']

Deindividuation argues when we join a crowd we lose restraint, self-identity and personal responsbility. This means normally non-agressive individuals then go along with the aggressive behaviours of the group as they feel less personal guilt.

However, Bandura’s 1961 social learning theory (SLT) acknowledged that aggression can be learned directly through operant conditioning (positive and negative reinforcement and punishment)

For instance, a child who angrily snatches a toy learns aggression brings rewards - direct positive reinforcement.

Or, Dollard and Miller suggested that aggression is always caused by frustration. This frustration happens whenever our goal-directed behaviour is blocked. Aggression is more likely if you are close to achieving your goal (proximity to goal) and if being aggressive is likely to remove the barrier to the goal

John was arrested for fighting after a football match, his reasons for aggression:

- The players were fighting on the pitch

- Our team lost again, it’s not fair

- Supporters of the other team ganged up on us

- I was with my mates, we were all punching at once

- Everyone else was fighting, so I just joined in

Discuss one/more social psychological explanations for aggression, refer to John (16)

Deindividuation:

- I was with my mates, we were all punching at once

- Everyone else was fighting, so I just joined in

Frustration aggression hypothesis:

- “Our team lost again, it’s not fair”

Discuss how research into De-individuation has been conducted [4 marks]

Dodd asked 229 psychology students: “If you could do anything humanly possible with completed assurance that you would not be detected or held responsible, what would you do” Students knew their answers were anonymous

Three independent raters who did not know the hypothesis decided which categories of prosocial or antisocial behaviour the responses belonged to.

1. Which one of these terms is not associated with deindividuation?

A. Anonymity

B. Self-awareness

C. Loss of personal identity

D. Identification

D