9.2 Aggression

Aggression Overview

  • Definition of Aggression: Physical or verbal behavior intended to cause harm.

  • Types of Aggression:

    • Hostile Aggression: Driven by anger; performed as an end in itself.

    • Instrumental Aggression: A means to achieve another goal.

    • Animal Aggression:

      • Social Aggression: Maintains social hierarchy and authority.

      • Silent Aggression: In relation to predator-prey dynamics.

Theories of Aggression

  1. Aggression as a Biological Phenomenon

  2. Aggression as a Response to Frustration

  3. Aggression as Learned Social Behavior

Theories of Aggression: Biological Phenomenon

  • Instinct Theory and Evolutionary Psychology:

    • Suggests aggression is an innate, unlearned behavior critical for survival.

    • Freud's 'Thanatos': Concept of a death instinct contributing to aggression.

  • Controversies concerned with instinct theory as pseudoscience.

    • Example of cannibalism in rats explained by aggressive instincts.

    • Adaptive functions of aggression include resource acquisition, defense, and reproductive competition.

Neural and Genetic Influences

  • Neural Factors:

    • The prefrontal cortex moderates aggressive behavior; less active in murderers and antisocial individuals.

  • Genetic Influences:

    • Genetics combined with childhood maltreatment can predispose to aggressive behavior.

  • Biochemical Influences:

    • Factors like alcohol, testosterone, and low serotonin levels can escalate aggression.

Theories of Aggression: Frustration Responses

  • Frustration-Aggression Theory:

    • Frustration occurs when goal attainment is blocked, increasing aggression readiness.

  • Aggression can manifest as:

    • Direct Aggression: Outward aggression towards the source of frustration.

    • Displaced Aggression: Redirecting aggression to a safer or more acceptable target.

Revised Frustration-Aggression Theory

  • Findings suggest frustration can also lead to irritation rather than aggression.

  • Relative deprivation can cause frustration, leading to comparisons with others and feelings of unfairness.

Theories of Aggression: Learned Social Behavior

  • Rewards of Aggression:

    • Higher status, authority, and power; glorified in media.

  • Observational Learning:

    • Proposed by Albert Bandura; learned through observation and imitation from family and culture.

Vicious Cycle of Aggression

  • Bobo Doll Studies: Demonstrated children imitating aggressive behavior towards the doll after witnessing such acts.

Influences of Aggression

  1. Aversive Incidents: Experiences causing pain or discomfort can trigger aggressive responses. For example, during a boxing match, when Mike Tyson bit off a piece of Evander Holyfield's ear, it was an extreme reaction stemming from frustration and the heat of the moment.

  2. Arousal: The perception of physiological arousal can influence emotions and affect aggression levels. For instance, an individual who experiences heightened arousal due to an exciting sports game may misinterpret this arousal and become aggressive in situations that wouldn’t normally provoke such a response.

  3. Aggression Cues: Specific cues in the environment can increase the likelihood of aggressive behavior.

    • Toys and Weapons: Exposure to aggressive toys (like guns or violent video games) has been linked to increased willingness to engage in aggression. For example, children who play with toy guns may be more likely to demonstrate aggressive behaviors towards peers.

  4. Media Influences: Media can shape perceptions of reality and norms around aggression.

    • Pornography and Sexual Violence: Studies have shown that exposure to violent sexual content can normalize aggression in relationships, affecting individuals’ attitudes towards acceptable behavior in intimate contexts.

    • Television and Video Games: Continuous exposure to violent media, including violent TV shows and video games, can lead to desensitization, making people less sensitive to real-life violence and more likely to accept aggressive behavior as normal.

Specific Media Influences

  • Desensitization: Reduced emotional response to real-life violence.

  • Cognitive Priming: Violent media can predispose aggressive thoughts and reaction. Cognitive priming refers to the phenomenon where exposure to one stimulus influences the response to another stimulus.

  • Video Games: Mixed evidence exists; some suggest strong influences on aggression and desensitization.

Group Influences on Aggression

  • Groups amplify aggressive behavior through:

    • Diffusion of Responsibility: Individuals feel less accountable in groups.

    • Social Contagion and Identity: Group dynamics influence individual conduct and can result in extreme acts of violence.

Reducing Aggression

  • Catharsis: The idea that releasing aggressive energy can reduce aggression, though often disproven by research.

  • Social Learning Approach: Mitigating aggression through rewarding non-aggressive behavior, modeling positive actions, and addressing root causes of aggression.

Closing Thoughts

  • Quote: "Aggression only moves in one direction - it creates more aggression" - Margaret J. Wheatley.