1st Lecture

Question 0

What is Aggression?

Answer 0

A) A form of behavior directed at the goal of harming or injuring another living being who is motivated to avoid such treatment (Baron and Richardson, 1994).
B) 4 Criteria
-A behavior (not an attitude or emotion)
-Involves harm or injury (can be either physical or psychological)
-Directed towards a living organism (hitting an object is not aggression)
-Involves intent (accidentally harming something is not aggression)

Question 1

Anger and Aggression in Sport

Answer 1

• A reflection of society in general
• Affects athletes, coaches, and fans
• Sport can promote violence and aggression
• Sport help to control and curb violence and aggression

Question 2

The Influence of Anger

Answer 2

A) Definition: An emotional state associated with high psychological and physiological arousal.
-Often leads to aggression

Question 3

Aggression Vs. Assertion

Answer 3

A) Assertion
-Playing all out, giving 110% 
-Playing with high intensity and emotion
B) Aggression
-Behavior that intentionally leads to harm, even if within the rules.

Question 4

Hostile and Instrumental Aggression

Answer 4

A) Hostile
-The primary goal is to inflict injury or psychological harm.
B) Instrumental
-Occurs in the quest for some non-aggressive goal.

Question 5

Theories on the Causes of Aggression

Answer 5

A) Instinct Theory
-An innate disposition to build up aggression that must eventually be released.
-Attacking others or through Catharsis.
B) Frustration-Aggression Theory
-Frustration always causes aggression.
-Catharsis also plays a major role.
C) Social-Learning Theory
-Aggression learned through observing others model behavior and being reinforced for it.
D) Revised Frustration-Aggression Theory
-Frustration increases the likelihood of aggression by increasing arousal and anger.
-Appropriateness.
-Frustration (Failure/Goal Blockage)> Increased Arousal (Pain/Anger)> Social learning signals appropriateness> Aggression.

Question 6

Special Considerations

Answer 6

A) Spectators
-Watching sporting events may increase aggression.
B) Game Reasoning
-Also called bracketed morality.
-Behavior on the field is appropriate while same behavior is not.

Question 7

Athletic Performance

Answer 7

A) Very complex relationship between aggressive acts and performances.
-Often aggression is a strategy.
B) Difficult because cannot ascertain whether and act is aggressive or assertive.

Question 8

Dealing with Aggression

Answer 8

A) Understand when it’s likely to occur.
-when losing, bad call, embarrassed, in physical pain, playing poorly.
B) Controlling it
-Stress management
-Do not over emphasize winning
C) Role-playing as an intervention (Brunelle, Janelle, and Tennant 1999).