aggression Flashcards
definitions of aggression - these can vary
behaviours :
* resulting in personal injury or destruction of property
* intended to harm others (of same species)
can be psychological or physical harm
4 methods of studying aggression
analogues of behaviour
signals of intention
ratings
indirect measures
studying aggression: analogues of behaviour (2) +eval
bobo dolls e.g. Bandura
pressing a button to deliver a shock e.g. Milgram
- maybe not generalisable to real life
studying aggression: signals of intention (1) +eval
expressing willingness to behave aggressively
- intention doesn’t mean behaviour
studying aggression: ratings (3) +eval
self-report
reports by others (parent or teacher)
observations
- social desirability bias
- observation - interpret behaviour in line with prior expectations/hypotheses
studying aggression: indirect measures (1) +eval
non-physical, relational / psychological aggression
- may inflate prevalence of aggression if comparing to direct/physical measures of aggression
approaches to explanations for aggression (3, 6)
biological:
* psychodynamic
* evolutionary
biosocial:
* frustration and aggression
* excitation transfer
social:
*social learning
psychodynamic explanation of aggression
Freud (1920)
unconscious drive → Thantos (death instinct)
instinct builds over time creating pressure which cannot be controlled and needs to be released
tension is redirected → catharsis
evolutionary theory of aggression
ensures genetic survival
link to living long enough to procreate
in animals:
* e.g. males fight each other for mating rights
* e.g. females protecting young using aggression
in humans - obtain social and economic advantage to improve survival rate of children
strengths (2) and limits (6) of biological approaches to aggression
strengths:
+ resonates with violence as part of human nature
+ supported compared with animal behaviour
limits:
* individual differences - some people aren’t aggressive
* gender differences
* not easily testable or measurable - only from observations
* humans aren’t only aggressive to protect children → can be targeted at them too
* doesn’t help interventions
* evolutionary is over many years - hard to measure in lab
frustration-aggression hypothesis
based on catharsis hypothesis from psychodynamic approach
frustration as an antecedent to aggression:
* frustration = when individual is prevented from achieving a goal by an external factor
* aggression = cathartic release of build up of frustration
cannot always challenge source of aggression
frustration-aggression hypothesis
define:
* sublimation
* displacement
sublimation = use aggression in acceptable activities e.g. sports
displacement = directing aggression onto something or someone else
excitation transfer (Zillmann, 1979; 1988)
experience physiological arousal in different contexts
arousal in one context can carry over to another and can increase likelihood of aggressive behaviour
3 stages:
* stimuli produces arousal
* another stimuli occurs before decay of arousal
* therefore misattribute excitation to second stimulus
e.g. work out at the gym and get home to find someone has taken your parking spot and take out anger on them
strengths (2) and limits (3) of biosocial approaches to aggression
strengths of biosocial approaches
useful opportunities for interventions to target
Marcus-Newhall et al (2000) → meta-analysis of displaced aggression → people took it out on innocent parties
limitations of biosocial approaches
frustration doesn’t always lead to aggression
some types of arousal can make us feel good which reduces aggression e.g. exercise and endorphins
participants venting by hitting a punch bag became more aggressive (Bushman et al 1999)
social learning theory of aggression
Bandura (1971)
aggression can be learnt
- direct → through operant conditioning
- indirect → observational learning and vicarious reinforcement
rewarding aggression = learn it is socially acceptable
bobo doll study:
observe an adult with a doll either:
* in person
* on video
* a cartoon
* control - saw nothing
when left alone with the doll they acted most aggressive when they observed in person compared to other conditions
strengths (2) and limits (5) of social theory of aggression
strengths of social theories
- how children learn aggression from others around them and the media
- empirical support from studies
limitations of social theories
- but many studies in a lab - not generalisable
- aggressive role models doesn’t mean aggressive behaviour
- does not consider individual differences
- effect of media on behaviour not consistently replicated
- boys more aggressive than girls with Bobo doll → could be hormonal or social??
gender as a factor for aggression
men are more frequently aggressive than women
– is this hormonal or social
individual variation in testosterone across genders, and testosterone is only weakly related with aggression
learning gender appropriate behaviours
- physical aggression is unacceptable for women
- indirect forms of aggression may be more socially acceptable for women
therefore not amount but type differs
2 types of aggression
relational aggression:
* excluding
* rumours and gossip
* manipulation
direct aggression:
* threatening
* hitting
* fighting
* name-calling
lit review of female aggression (Denson et al., 2018)
overall women are more indirect (relational) than direct
in the lab this is true too - less physical aggression by women than men
this may be due to socialisation
personality as a factor for agression (big 5 study)
Bartlett and Anderson (2012)
big 5 personality traits and aggression:
agreeableness:
* negative association both direct and indirect via attitudes and emotions
* more agreeable = less aggressive
neuroticism:
* positive association with physical aggression directly and indirectly via emotions
* more neurotic = more aggressive
supported my recent meta-analysis
alcohol as a factor in aggression - direct and indirect
68% incidents of physical aggression have alcohol present
increases aggressive behaviour in men
direct effects:
* less cortical control - impaired cognitive function and decision making
* increases activity in primitive areas
* physiological arousal - in line with excitation transfer model
indirect effects:
* placebo effect - thinking you are having alcohol makes you more aggressive
* priming effect - thoughts of alcohol increased aggressive behaviour
alcohol and aggression study - shock study
Taylor and Sears (1988)
placebo or alcohol given to men
do a competitive task involving reaction time
loser is given an electric shock by the winner - they can choose the strength
confederate applied social pressure to participant
alcohol group were more susceptible to pressure and delivered “larger shocks” (it actually remained the same)
heat as a factor in aggression - study
Cohn and Rotton (1997)
hotter weather means more aggression
not linear effect of heat - dips again when it gets too hot
stronger effects in the evening - potential interaction between heat and alcohol too
crowding as a factor in aggression
more dense population = higher crime rates
increased stress, irritation, frustration, and physiological arousal
anonymity in crowds:
* disinhibition → social forces that would restrain us are reduced
* deindividuation → feel unidentifiable in a crowd of others - therefore feel unlikely to face consequences e.g. in a riot
disadvantaged groups as a factor of aggression
socially disadvantaged = more violent if:
* disadvantage is unjust
* cannot improve disadvantaged position
rates of homicide and non-lethal violence higher among urban, poor, ethnic minority males → social and ecological factors
relative deprivation → discontent and feeling that conditions aren’t likely to improve
violent media as a factor in aggression
access to sanitised versions of aggression → desensitises viewers
social learning theory → copy acts you see
video games increasing aggression
viewing violent films increased aggression compared to non-violent films → esp when violence is unpunished
general aggression model (GAM)
Anderson and Bushman (2002)
interplay between personal and situational variables
influence 3 internal states: cognition, affect, arousal
affects our appraisal and decision processes → influences aggressive outcomes
application in many contexts - media, domestic violence etc
use this to inform interventions and reduce aggression and violence
GAM - 4 stages
input
persona and situation factors increase or decrease likelihood of aggression through influence on internal state variables
internal state
affect, cognition, and arousal is effected and then effect appraisal
appraisal
either thoughtful or impulsive depending on internal state
action
whether they act aggressively or not in a social encounter
GAM with video games in undergrads study
Anderson et al (1995)
measure hostile affect, cognition, perceived and physiological arousal with undergrads playing video games
they increased temp in the room
found hot temps increased aggressive tendencies in all 3 internal states
excitation transfer processes may increase of bias appraisal of ambiguous social events → therefore more likely to be aggressive
institutionalised aggression
aggressive behaviours by members of an institution e.g. in prisons or schools
prisoners:
* 25% victimised by violence each year
* 4-5% experience sexual violence
* 1-2% are raped
schools:
* 30% students annually experience aggression at school
causes of institutionalised aggression
dispositional:
* personalities of members e.g. gender, attachment etc.
situational:
* loss of freedom, crowding, uncomfortable temperature
links to GAM and frustration-aggression hypothesis
IPV - intimate partner violence - WHO definition
any behaviour within an intimate relationship that causes physical, psychological or sexual harm to those in the relationship, including acts of physical aggression, sexual coercion, psychological abuse and controlling behaviours
causes of IPV (3 categories)
personal/situational
biology, gender, stresses (finances, jobs, illness), alcohol consumption, football
social
social learning theory - generational cycle of abuse
biosocial
excitation transfer (football, alcohol), frustration-aggression hypothesis (stresses), GAM (personal/situational factors)
rates of IPV
30% women globally over 15 have experienced physical and or sexual IPV
female perpetrated IPV occurs more in modern, secular, and liberal societies –> reflects changes in traditional gender roles/norms (societal influence)
