3/ Agression - Social psychological explanations Flashcards
what are the three social psychological explanations of aggression?
- the frustration-agression hypothesis
- social learning theory
- de-individuation
who suggested that aggression was caused by frustration and frustration always led to some form of aggression?
Dollard et al
what is the frustration - aggression hypothesis based upon?
psychodynamic concept of catharsis (a form of emotional release). frustration leads to a aggressive drive, leads to aggressive behaviour, leads to catharsis - reducing aggressive drive because energy has been released - makes you feel better.
why did Dollard et al believe that the aggressive behaviour is not always expressed towards the source of frustration? 3 reasons.
- practically impossible e.g. being frustrated at the weather.
- risk punishment e.g. at a teacher
- sure is unavailable - sister may have taken your clothes with her on holiday. –> aggression re-directed on alternative source.
What evidence is there to support the frustration-aggression hypothesis?
male uni students to complete a puzzle in four groups. 1. impossible to complete 2. confederate distracted 3. confederate insulted 4. a control group. after study all pps had to give electric shocks to the confederate when they made a mistake on another task. strongest was insulted group then 2, 1 & weakest was control group.
What evidence is there to challenge the frustration-aggression hypothesis?
challenges ida of catharsis - pps asked to vent their frustration by hitting a punch bag and they became more aggressive than calm. pps who did nothing to vent became less aggressive.
why does the frustration-aggression hypothesis explanation fail to account for individual differences?
frustration does not always lead to aggression, may respond by crying.
What practical applications is there for the frustration-aggression hypothesis?
found pps in the presence of aggressive cues - more likely to be aggressive - gun control debate in America, less guns, less aggression.
what is meant by the explanation for aggression social learning theory and proposed it?
Bandura and aggression is learnt via operant conditioning and role models.
give an example of how paying attention to role models could result in aggressive behaviour?
boy watches his father attack his mother is more likely to become an abusive parent or husband.
what 4 cognitive conditions must be met for the observational learning to take place in the social learning theory?
- attention
- retention
- motor reproduction
- motivation - must WANT to behave in an aggressive manner.
What evidence is there to support the social learning theory?
Bobo doll experiment
What evidence is there to challenge the social learning theory?
cannot explain all forms of aggression e.g. creative aggression e.g. pain or loneliness - not learnt, may be better explained by frustration-aggression hypothesis.
why is the social throning theory explanation criticised?
ignores the role of biological, unbalanced on the nature nurture scale.
why is the social learning explanation good at explaining cultural differences?
lack of aggressive role models in e.g. Kalahari desert. when children fight they don’t punish or reward them they distract them - less aggressive behaviour.
who proposed the explanation de-individuation?
Zimbardo
what three things can trigger de-individuation?
- being in a large crowd
- wearing a uniform
- effects of drugs or alcohol
how does de-individuation lead to aggression?
increases anonymity and reduces the chances of identification because they loose theory identity as an individual person.
What evidence is there to support the explanation de-individuation?
zimbardo found that pps dressed in oversized lab coats and hoods gave more painful electric shocks than them wearing a name badge.
What evidence is there to challenge the explanation de-individuation?
pps either dressed in masked uniform or nurses uniform - nurses gave less electric shocks - should be the same as they were similarly de-individuated.
why is the de-inviduation explanation a deterministic explanation?
assumes when we are de-indivituated we MUST behave aggressively. not a satisfactory explanation because it doesn’t account for the conscious decisions to act aggressively. rejects the idea of free will.
