Aggression Flashcards
What is aggression?
Behaviour that is intended to injure a person or to destroy property
Nature vs nurture ideas of aggression
- Nature = aggression is an innate drive
- Nurture = aggression is a learned response
Freud (1920) psychoanalytic theory
- Many of our actions are determined by instincts (esp. sexual)
- When expression of instincts is frustrated, aggressive drive is induced
- Aggression is a basic drive (like hunger)
- Catharsis - reduce aggression by expressing it
Id vs Ego vs Superego
- Id = primitive + instinctual (eg. “what an idiot, shout back!)
- Superego = moral conscience (eg. “it’s not right to shout at someone”)
- Ego = realistic, mediates between other 2 (eg. “if I shout back, people will stare. I’ll glare instead”)
Frustration-aggression hypothesis (Dollard et al., 1939)
Inability to attain goal –> frustration –> aggressive drive –> (over aggressive catharsis) / (symbolic aggression catharsis)
- Aggression always consequence of frustration
- Frustration always leads to some form of aggression
Revised frustration-aggression hypothesis (Berkowitz, 1989)
Inability to attain goal –> frustration –> negative effect –> aggressive drive –> overt aggressive behaviour <– aggressive cues
Aggressive cue theory (Berkowitz, 1966)
- Frustration produces anger rather than aggression
- Frustration is psychologically painful –> can lead to aggression
- For anger/psychological pain to be converted into aggression, cues are needed:
> Environmental stimuli associated either with aggressive behaviour or the frustrating object/person
Ethological perspective on aggression (Lorenz, 1963)
- Aggression is the fighting instinct in beast/man which is directed against members of the same species
- Important in development as allows us to adapt to environment, survive in it + successfully reproduce
Social learning theory (Bandura, 1963)
- All following lead to aggression:
> Past learning
> Current rewards & punishments
> Social & environmental factors - Aggressive behaviours are learned through reinforcement + imitation of aggressive ‘models’
What does the general aggression model (Anderson & Bushman, 2002) take into account?
- Social factors
- Cognitive factors
- Personality
- Developmental factors
- Biological factors
What is deindividuation?
- Group situations minimise the salience of people’s personal identities, reduce their sense of public accountability
- Produces aggressive/unusual behaviour
Differences in aggression based on sex, and what causes it
- Boys = 37% verbal, 37% physical, 26% indirect
- Girls = 31% verbal, 14% physical, 55% indirect
- Testosterone
Neurobiological factors in aggression
- Neuroanatomical differences
- Less serotonin
- More testosterone
- Less cortisol
Ways in which brain function can lead to aggression
- Increased arousal interfering with ability to think
- Decreased ability to inhibit impulses
- Impairment of attention, concentration, memory + higher mental processes
- Misinterpretation of external stimuli/events
Warning signs of aggressive behaviour
- Irritability
- Fast speech
- Restless pacing
- Loud voice
- Glaring eyes
- Verbal threats
- Intrusion into others’ personal space