Agression and Pro Social Behaviour

What is aggression?

Any behaviour intended to harm another individual

• physical

• verbal

• indirect (gossip, cyber bullying)

• biological, psychological and environmental factors

What are the biological factors that influence aggression?

• genetic component

• testosterone (amplify existing social motivations rather than directly cause aggression)

• serotonin- reduced capacity for emotional regulation and impulse control

• amygdala (hyper-responsiveness)

• prefrontal cortex damage or reduced activity

• mental health issues and personality disorders

• biology can “prime” someone for more intense reactions ( exposure to violence, lack of prosocial role models)

• real world aggression reflects biological predispositions and environmental influences (stressful family life, media violence, social rejection)

What are psychological factors that influence aggression?

• trait hostility/ irritability - interpret ambiguous cues as hostile

• impulsivity and poor self- control

• narcissism and fragile self-esteem

• psychopathy - less empathy and remorse

• early childhood violence - learn aggression as conflict resolution

• violent media - desensitisation, normative beliefs, imitation

• community and culture

What are the environmental factors that influence aggression?

• alcohol- greater sensitivity to cues immediately in front of them while discounting future repercussions

• groups - individual identity submerged under a collective identity - loosens moral judgements - feel less personally accountable

What is alcohol myopia?

• cognitive narrowing the fails to integrate important inhibitory cues

• amplifies immediate motivations (anger, lust, risk-taking) and shoves aside bigger picture ( consequences, moral judgement)

What is psychological aggression?

• harm a person’s mental or emotional wellbeing

• berbal abuse

• relational aggression - gossiping, silent treatment, etc.

• cyberbullying

What is ostracism?

• individuals or groups purposely ignoring or excluding someone from social interactions

How to reduce and manage aggression

• developing empathy

• improving communication skills (conflict resolution)

• environments that reduce aggression triggers

What is prosocial behaviour?

• any voluntary act performed to benefit another

• evolutionary, psychological, cultural influences

• motivations are self serving and other oriented

• influenced by situational and personal factors

What are examples of prosocial behaviours?

• sharing resources

• offering emotional support

• volunteering

• helping someone in distress

Why do people exhibit prosocial behaviours?

• evolution - help relatives because of shared genes and kin selection

• reciprocal altruism- non-relatives may return the favour in the future

• person rewards - social approval, feeling good

• empathy

• negative state relief model - alleviate own unpleasant emotional state triggered by seeing someone in need

What are the situational factors that influence pro social behaviours?

• time pressure - people in a hurry less likely to help

• clarity of situation

• attraction, similarity, relationship - more likely to help people we like or people who are similar to use

What is the bystander effect?

• failure of prosocial behaviour due to groups

• diffusion of responsibility- someone else will help

• pluralistic ignorance- no one else alarmed - not a real emergency

• evaluation apprehension- fear of acting inappropriately

Ways to encourage pro social behaviour

• modelling and observation

• social norms campaigns

• education and awareness

• reducing ambiguity