Aggression Flashcards
What is aggression?
Aggression is behavior that is intended to harm :
- another person or animal or object
- physically or psychologically
- whether completed or not (e.g. miss)
What are the two types of aggression according to the textbook?
(I & E)
- Instrumental Aggression: Harm is inflicted as a means to a desired end.
- Emotional Aggression: Harm is inflicted for its own sake.
How does violence vary across cultures?
Cultures differ with respect to:
- The forms violence typically takes – e.g, more gun related in US
- People’s attitudes toward various kinds of aggression –e.g, is it okay to slap your wife
What subcultural factors influence aggression?
Aggression varies in US as a function of subcultural factors such as:
- Age –teens and young adults more
- Race – most murders within race
- Region– more murders in South and West
- Gender - men are viewed as more violent than women
How does aggression vary by gender?
Universal findings that men are more violent than women
Challenges to the notion that men are more aggressive than females :
- Boys tend to be more overtly aggressive.
- Girls often are more indirectly, or relationally, aggressive.
How does aggression relate to testosterone?
There is a strong positive correlation between testosterone levels and aggression, but correlation is not causation
- Testosterone goes up after winning and goes down after losing a fight
How does aggression relate to serotonin?
The neurotransmitter serotonin appears to restrain impulsive acts of aggression.
- Low levels of serotonin are associated with high levels of aggression, while boosting serotonin can dampen aggressiveness.
What are problems using punishment to stop aggression?
( D. Le. Lo. M.)
Problems with using punishment to reduce aggressive behaviors:
- Doesn’t generalize
- Leads to negative feelings toward the influence agent
- Lowers self-esteem
- Models aggression
How did Bandura study learning and aggression?
Bandura’s inflatable doll study serves as an example of the social learning theory
- Social Learning Theory : behavior can be learned through the observations of others
The study showed that those who watched a model hit the bobo doll hit it more because by watching aggressive models
People can:
- Learn specific aggressive behaviors
- Develop more positive attitudes and beliefs about aggression in general
- Construct aggressive “scripts”
- Nonaggressive models decrease aggressive behavior.
How do Cultures of Honor relate to aggression?
- A culture of honor emphasizes honor and status, particularly for males, and the role of aggression in protecting that honor.
- As a result cultures of honor promote violent behavior.
What is the Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis, and is it correct?
It is the idea that frustration always elicits aggression.
- No it is not correct because frustration does not always produce aggressive inclinations; there are other causes of aggression besides frustration.
What is catharsis, and does it reduce aggression?
Catharsis : the reduction of the motive to aggress, which is a psychological drive that resembles a physiological drive.
- It is viewed as a two-step sequence :
1. Aggression reduces the level of physiological arousal.
2. Because arousal is reduced, become less angry and less likely to aggress further
How does heat relate to aggression?
Heat increases aggression
What is excitation transfer?
It is the concept that arousal by one stimulus can increase a reaction to another stimulus
- Example : noise, violent movies, arousing music can increase aggression
What is the weapons effect?
It is the tendency that the likelihood of aggression will increase by the mere presence of a weapon such as guns
- Objects associated with
(a) successful aggression
(b) negative affect, serve as aggression-enhancers
