Aggression

AGGRESSION

Introduction

  • Topic: Aggression

  • Course Code: PS20220

  • Instructor: Caitlin Baker

  • Contact: cab96@aber.ac.uk

LECTURE OUTLINE

  • Focus: Chapter 12 in Hogg and Vaughan (8th edition)

  • Main Theme: Aggression

DEFINING AGGRESSION

Question Slide

  • Various forms of aggression surveyed:

    • Physical Injury/Attack: Hitting, kicking, slapping, etc.

    • Verbal Insult/Gossip: Includes ridicule and humiliation.

    • Armed Robbery: Using force or weapons for theft.

    • Murder: Taking someone's life.

    • Sexual Crime: Includes harassment, assault, and rape.

    • Jealousy: Emotional response often linked to aggression.

    • Cute Aggression: Charitable aggression towards cute objects (e.g., pets).

    • Corporal Punishment: Spanking as a method of discipline.

    • Injustice/Protest: Aggression in response to unfair treatment.

    • Catharsis/Rage Rooms: Social outlets for aggressive feelings.

RESEARCH DEFINITIONS OF AGGRESSION

Key Contributors

  • Bandura (1973): Defined as 'personal injury or destruction of property.'

  • Sherer, Abeles & Fischer (1975): Suggested it's 'intended to harm another of the same species.'

  • Baron (1977): Focused on the goal of harming those motivated to avoid harm.

  • Baron & Byrne (2000): Clarified as 'intentional infliction of harm on others.'

  • Anderson & Huesmann (2003): Defined as directed actions with the immediate intent to harm.

MEASURING AGGRESSION

Operational Definitions

  • Behavioral Analogues: Indicating aggression through behavior signals.

  • Self-Report & Peer Ratings: Assessing aggression through self-perceptions or observations from others.

  • Indirect Aggression: Examples include spreading rumors.

  • Challenges in Research:

    • Issues with defining aggression clearly.

    • Potential for ethical violations.

PERSPECTIVES ON AGGRESSION

Biological Perspective

  • Psychodynamic Theory: Suggests innate survival instincts prompt aggressive behavior.

  • Ethology: Points to environmental triggers eliciting innate aggression.

  • Evolutionary Psychology: Aggression seen as a survival mechanism promoting procreation.

Influences from Brain Development

Factors Impacting Aggression:

  • Direct CNS Injury: Such as strokes or trauma; learned from Phineas Gage case.

  • Environmental Factors: Malnutrition and sensory deprivation, illustrated in studies.

  • Psychosocial Factors: Quality of relationships and access to resources.

THEORIES OF AGGRESSION

Excitation-Transfer Model

  • Aggression results from a learned response influenced by heightened arousal from other sources.

  • Example: A person working out may interpret their elevated arousal as aggression in response to a frustrating incident (e.g., someone taking their parking spot).

Realistic Conflict Theory

  • Describes group behavior influenced by goals and perceptions of those goals relating to others.

  • Historical Example: Sherif's 1950s study with Rattlers vs. Eagles.

Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis

  • Conflict arises from competitive goals leading to frustration and resulting in aggression toward displaced targets.

Relative Deprivation

  • Group conflict can arise when people feel deprived (either realistically or perceived).

  • Example: Refugees feeling unwelcome leading to potential aggression.

Minimal Group Paradigm

  • Contextualizes how minimal distinctions can foster group conflict.

INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIAL FACTORS

Factors Influencing Aggression

  • Personality Traits: Self-esteem, attachment style, Type-A personality prone to aggression.

  • Biological Influences: Hormones such as testosterone can increase aggression.

  • Alcohol Influence: Disinhibition can trigger aggressive behaviors.

  • Deindividuation: Groups can foster aggression through anonymity (examples include the KKK, Purge).

  • Cultural Influences:

    • Honor cultures and machismo may promote aggressive norms.

    • Impact of small communities on behavior norms.

GENERAL AGGRESSION MODEL (ANDERSON)

Components

  • Inputs: Personal and situational factors influence aggression.

  • Routes: Current internal states including cognition, affect, and arousal determine outcomes.

  • Outcomes: Determining whether the response is a thoughtful or impulsive action.

REDUCING AGGRESSION

Strategies for Prevention

  • Address underlying factors contributing to violence (e.g., socioeconomic issues).

  • Implement Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs.

  • Strengthen law and societal support systems.