18 Aggression Flashcards
Deifne aggression
What is the important part of this definition?
intending to harm another individual who does not wish to be harmed
intent is the important part
name 4 types of aggression
hostile / impulsive
instrumental
proactive vs reactive
relational aggression
What is hostile / impulsive aggression?
aimed solely at hurting another
What is instrumental aggression
a means to an end
What is relational aggression?
hostile aggression that does damage to another peer’s relationships
What is proactive aggression?
being aggressive to achieve a goal - not in reaction to another person being aggressive
What is reactive aggression?
reacting to a perceived threat or provocation
What is relational aggression?
gosssiping, spreading rumours, social exclusion
What are the two main contributors to aggression and what theories support them?
nature - psychoanalytic theory, ethology
nurture - social learning theory
What is psychoanalytic approach to aggression?
aggresion is innate
What is the cognitive approach to aggression?
aggression is learnt
What does thanatos mean?
aggressive or death instinct
What does eros mean?
sex or life instinct
What does athanasios mean?
a - immortal
thanos - death instinct (or aggressive)
What is id?
the part of the mind in which innate instinctive impulses and primary processs are made
UNCONCIOUS
What is the relationship between superego and id?
controls id’s impulses, especially those forbidden by that individual’s society
persuades ego to strive for moralistic goals
What is the role of ego?
mediates between id, superego, and the real world
it’s the decision making component of personality
What is the relationship between id ad aggression?
when expression of instincts (id) are blocked, there is increased arousal, leading to aggression
What is the frustration - aggression hypothesis?
aggression = consequence of frustration
the revised form accounts for aggressive cues to stimulate aggression
What are the problems with frustration - aggression hypothesis?
frustration is not sufficient to cause aggression
aggression is only one outcome of frustration - induced arousal
frustration provokes different resopnses between individuals
Frustration is more likely to produce aggression if it wasn’t anticipated
What is the aggressive cue theory?
frustration produces anger rather than aggression
anger can then lead to aggression, using cues
What is ethology?
learning about human psychology from studying animals
remember one argument supporting the notion that aggression is a basic drive
mild stimulation of the hypothalamus produces deadly aggressive behaviour in some animals - suggests we’re ‘hardwaired’ to be aggressive
What would suggest that aggression is based more off experience?
some mammals show aggression when stimulated in the cortex.
prestigous monkeys show aggression to subordinates when stimulated in the hypothalamus. lower down monkeys show submission
What part of the brain controls aggression in emotion regulation?
prefrontal cortex
What experiment supported the social learning theory?
Bodo doll experiment 1963
What are the differences between social learning theory and psychoanalytic theory?
Social learning theory is basically psychoanalytic theory but accounts for more outcomes of anger and different stimuli
What does the General aggresion model suggest and what other aggresion model does it incorporate?
agression is the result of both the personality and interaction of the person and the situation
neo association
Why are adults more influenced by media aggression in the short term?
priming of pre-existing schemas, these are interfered with in the long-term by existing beliefs
Why are children more influenced by media aggression in the long term?
children quickly learn new norms without interference from established schemas
How does deindividualism increase aggression?
minimise salience of personalities
reduce public accountability
What efffect does reducing public acocuntability have on identity?
personal identity decreased
group identity increased
What did milgram study?
how punishment affects human learning
how does self-esteem effect vulnerability to insult?
used to be thought that people with low self esteem are more likely to react badly
now the other way round!
What is the relationship between sensation seeking and aggression?
higher sensation seekers are more impulsive, and hence may be considered more aggressive
How does amygdala volume change with aggression?
greater amygdala volume -> increased trait aggression
What effect does serotonin have on aggression?
it inhibits it
What effect does cortisol have on aggression?
it inhibits it
What part does the amygdala play in aggression?
fear - determines fight or flight
What part does the hypothalamus play in aggression?
output to somatic motor and autonomic neurones of lower brainstem and spinal chord
Higher levels of what hormone pre-birth and in early childhood increase agggression?
testosterone
What are the areas of the brain associated with inhibiting and stimulating anger?
inhibiting - top-down (orbital frontal cortex)
stimulating - bottom-up (amygdala, insula)
why might Phineas Gage have become more irritable?
his frontal cortex was just obliterated, less inhibition of aggression!
How did Phineas Gage age?
with age he became far more measured - healing in the brian?
he was a stagecoach driver, which helped him
What effect would reduced serotonin and enhanced dopamine and norepinephrine have on aggression, and how?
more aggressive
may lead to a lesion (tumour), decreased cortical volume, or processing inefficiency
think of it as a sympathetic response
What effect would glutamate have on aggression?
it’s an excitator neurotransmitter
therefore, dysfunction leads to hypersensitivity
What effect would GABA have on aggression?
inhibitory NT
dysfunction leads to hyperexcitation - like glutamate
What is the role of MAOA?
mitochondrial enzyme monoamine oxidase A
helps with re-uptake and breakdown of neurotransmitters including serotonin
those with MAOA L(low) gene have excessive NT levels in the brain
What does serotonin do?
regulates mood and emotion
what does epinephrine do?
regulates the body’s response to stress
What does dopamine do?
regulates physical movements
Even with MAOA, does the environment affect aggression?
yes - abuse will still make for an antisocialhas much more of an affect on aggression
What is brunners syndrome?
MAOA deficiency
Low IQ, impulsivity, hypersexuality, and violence
XS monoamines in the brain
