Frustration = aggression hypothesis

Dollard

The frustration-Aggression Hypothesis was developed in 1949 by John Dollard.

Source of the frustration isn't always the target of the aggression

It's abstract = It's not exactly a thing you're annoyed at, it's a situation, circumstance, decision... for example the cost of living crisis sucks... but I can't very well punch it
It's too powerful = I could be punished for taking my frustration out on it ... you can't punch me if I give you a bad grade without getting into trouble
It's unavailable =The thing causing frustration has gone or is too far away... I can't punch Donald Trump because my arm is not long enough

AO1 = frustration

Developed by John Dollard the main assumption of the theory is that frustration always leads to aggression. And that aggression is always caused by frustration. The frustration occurs due to the person being unable to achieve their goal i.e if their goal is to go home early and then they get detention, this means that they will be frustrated. The releasing of aggression is cathartic, this is to say that aggression helps us to feel better after the frustration and releases the feelings of anger and frustration. The person may deflect or displace their aggression/frustration onto something which is not the cause, since the cause may be abstract, absent or too powerful, so they take their anger out on something inanimate, present and weaker, such as a younger sibling or a table.

AO2: Eleni shouting

AO2: Eleni's behaviour and her shouting at Hades and Hel for fighting is caused by frustration. Eleni was frustrated as she thinks that she hasn't achieved her goal: get hired for a part time job, and then had to walk home as she forgot bus fare and her phone at home. Eleni has deflected/displaced her aggression towards her dogs who are not the actual cause of her frustration, since the causes were abstract and too powerful. For instance her leaving 10 pound fare at home is an abstract cause of aggression, while her not being able to confront her interviewee comes from the fact that it's too powerful of a cause and would leave her with no chances at landing the job. Thus, Eleni releases aggression when she shouts at her dogs and takes her anger out on them, and she is likely to feel better after releasing anger and frustration.

AO1: investigating the hypothesis

Male university students were invited to complete a puzzle in one of four conditions in an independent group's design experiment with varying levels of frustration.
1. The control condition - puzzle had all pieces, no issues added - no/very low frustration present.
2. Missing pieces and double pieces condition - arg I cannot find the bottom left corner - medium frustration condition
3. Confederate yapping away, chatting and causing distraction when trying to complete puzzle - medium/high frustration
4. Confederate insulting the participant for not completing the puzzle - c'mon you flaming putz - high frustration condition
Following puzzle completion task where participants could electric shock the confederates
4. Insulted = most shocks → 3. Distracted → 2. missing and doubles → 1. Control = least shocks
Supports FAH = deflected / displaces aggression due to abstract frustration.

AO1: investigating the hypothesis 2

Independent groups playing a puzzle - four conditions:
Control condition no issues low F
Missing and double pieces - medium F
Confederate talking/distracting medium/high F
Confederate insulted the participant.
Following puzzle completion task where participants could electric shock the confederates.
4. Insulted = most shocks... followed by... 3. Distracted then... 2. Missing and doubles... 1. Control group = least shocks
Supports the FAH - deflected/displaced aggression due to abstract frustration

AO2 = berkowitz

The frustration aggression hypothesis would suggest that Andreas should become frustrated because he cannot achieve his intended goal of analysing his coral quickly so he could get in time to celebrate with Eleni, (1) this leads to frustration and that always leads to aggression so the person can get cathartic relief. (2) Andreas deflected/displaced his aggression onto the door as he could not shout at Tom as he is too powerful and could fire him. (3) However Berkowitz pointed out that frustration does not always lead to aggression rather frustration leads you to be primed to be aggression and it is aggressive environmental cues which lead to the aggression being carried out. (4) This was supported by research in which participants could "shock" confederates after the confederates had caused them frustration. The experimental condition with two guns present produced more aggression (a third more shocks were given) than the control condition (no aggressive cues). This shows that aggression is more likely if there are aggressive cues in the environment. (5) This would explain why Andreas is not physically aggressive because... around him are pens, rulers and tweezers and not guns/aggressive cues (6)

AO1: Berkowitz: Primed to aggression by cues: APFC

A: to investigate effect aggressive environmental cues eg: weapons have on aggression
P: students given electric shocks by confederates, tables turned and the participants could shock the confederates. Experimental conditions had two guns present.
F: a gun present led to a third more shocks administered than those in the control condition (no guns) (6.07 v 4.67)
C: weapons increased aggression after frustration was experienced = aggressive environmental cues increase likelihood of aggression.

AO3: Strength - Wider academic credibility:

P: findings from almost 50 meta analysis support the predictions of the FAH
E: Participants were provoked but the source was abstract or unavailable and as predicted by the FAH they deflected / displaced there frustration / aggression.
J: The results of this meta analysis give the FAH wider academic credibility.

Weakness - Is aggression really cathartic?

P: the central premise that aggression is cathartic is challenged by research evidence.
E: this is because it was found that participants who were provoked then did nothing remained and felt calmer later than those who took thor frustration anger out on a punching bag
J: hence the validity of the frustration aggression hypothesis is brought into question.

Strength - Scientific features:

P: aggression is not always caused by frustration, berkowitz states it might instead be negative feelings which can explain aggression seems to have many sources.
E: for example he highlights that it is possible aggression could be cause by sexual jealousy, or that frustration may fuel a positive change eg: increased revision after an unwanted grade.
J: this adaptation of the theory after empirical evidence brought its validity into question demonstrates its scientific features.

Weakness - justifies v unjustified aggression:

P: The type of frustration felt influences that chase and level of aggression is expressed.
E: participants in a difficult paper folding task were told by the experimenter that they must be quick and were then rushed because A) he had to meet his GF or B) his boss said to rush (or control condition). Participants in condition A expressed the most aggression as they felt their experience of frustration was unjustified whereas B felt that it was more justified.
J: This is a serious challenge to the original premise that all frustration causes aggression as it seems some frustration (unjustified) causes more aggression.

Strength - real life application:

P: Berkowitz research into FAH has extremely useful real life application
E: We know that visible weapons increase the chances of aggression, and this means that campus carry laws in the USA can be challenged on the basis of the findings from Berkowitz's study.
J: Therefore the flaws of this research may be outweighed by the benefits (it could literally be life and death).