Aggression

Question 1

Moral behaviour

Answer 1

The carrying out of an action that is deemed right or wrong.

Question 2

Moral development

Answer 2

The process in which an individual develops the capacity to reason morally

Question 3

2 perspectives on moral behaviour

Answer 3

-Structural-developmental
-Social learning

Question 4

Structural-Developmental Perspective (Kohlberg’s 3 levels)

Answer 4

Kohlberg’s 3 development levels:
1. Pre-conventional morality (fear of punishment, hope of rewards)
2. Conventional morality (conform for approval)
3. Post-conventional morality (principled actions)

*Structural-developmental theorists view moral development as the change in reasoning patterns that are related to a person’s cognitive growth and development.

Question 5

6 Stages of Structural-Developmental Perspective

Answer 5

*Development Level 1
1. Abide by rules in fear of punishment
2. abide by rules in hopes of receiving awards

*Development Level 2
3. conform to avoid disapproval of others
4. upholds laws and social rules

*Development Level 3
5. actions guided by principles commonly agreed upon as essential
6. actions are self-selected and guided by ethical principles

Question 6

Social Learning Perspective

Answer 6

-Moral behaviour learned through reinforcement and modelling
-Participation in sport teaches ethical sporting behaviours

Question 7

4 Factors Influencing Moral Behaviour

Answer 7

1. Sport environment- Influenced by coach, what behaviours they encourage
2. Motivational climate- Mastery vs. performance (mastery= coach encourages cooperation and learning from mistakes, performance= coach emphasizes winning)
3. Team norms- Standards or expectations that influence behaviour
4. Goal orientation- Task vs. ego orientations (task=lower aggression, ego=higher aggression)

Question 8

Aggression definition

Answer 8

Any overt verbal or physical act that is intended to injure another living organism either psychologically or physically.

Question 9

Assertive behaviour

Answer 9

Forceful, vigorous, and legitimate actions with no intent to injure an opponent.

Question 10

Violent behaviour

Answer 10

An extreme act of physical aggression, with “no direct relationship to the competitive goals of sport and relates to incidents of uncontrolled aggression outside the rules of sport.”

Question 11

4 Key Points of Aggressive Behaviour

Answer 11

1. It is a behaviour, not an emotion or a feeling or a personality trait.
2. It can be verbal or physical.
3. It is intended to cause physical or psychological harm.
4. It is directed toward another living organism.

Question 12

Instrumental aggression

Answer 12

Aggressive acts serving as a means to a particular goal—such as winning, money, or prestige—in which intent to injure the opponent is involved. This type of act is impersonal and designed to limit the effectiveness of the opponent

Question 13

Hostile aggression

Answer 13

Aggressive acts undertaken for the intentional purpose of trying to harm or injure the victim.

Question 14

Bullying in sport

Answer 14

Imbalance of power between peers where the one who is more powerful repeatedly attacks the less powerful one with the intention to harm.

Question 15

Hazing in sport

Answer 15

Any potentially humiliating, degrading, abusive, or dangerous activity expected of an individual to belong to a group, regardless of willingness to participate

Question 16

5 Theories of Aggression

Answer 16

1. Psychodynamics
2. Frustration-Aggression Theory
3. Physiological Explanations
4. Social Learning Theory
5. Moral Disengagement

Question 17

Psychodynamics

Answer 17

-Humans are born with behavioural tendencies causing them to act in certain ways.
-Freud believed aggressive behaviour is innate (natural response).

Catharsis= purging aggression, release of built up aggression

*theory has little support today

Question 18

Frustration-Aggression Theory

Answer 18

-Aggression is a natural response to frustration.
-Theory has shortcomings.
-Revised theory: Aggression can have causes other than frustration and frustration can lead to behaviours other than aggression.

Question 19

Physiological Explanations

Answer 19

-Aggression is physiological in nature.

• Two supportive mechanisms:
  1. Brain pathology: Research indicates aggressive behaviour is often characteristic of people with brain tumours.
  2. Blood chemistry: Aggression has been linked to the hormone testosterone.

-Steroids can increase aggression in sport

Question 20

Social Learning Theory

Answer 20

-People are aggressive because they have learned aggression pays/can lead to success

2 forms of social interaction that influence aggressive behaviours:
1. Modelling: Observing aggressive models and retaining tendencies
2. Learning: Acquiring new responses due to reinforcement

Question 21

Moral Disengagement

Answer 21

-Individuals tend to cognitively separate the moral component from an otherwise unprincipled act in order to rationalize engaging in it.
-Extension of social learning to address moral behaviour
-Individuals refrain from behaviours that violate their moral standards

Question 22

Factors affecting aggression in sport

Answer 22

• Personal factors
• Situational factors
• Group factors

Question 23

Personal factors affecting aggression

Answer 23

-Gender (not significant, e.g. in hockey women tend to more psychologically aggress by taunting or provoking, but pretty equal b/t genders
-Age (older have more desire but not conclusive
-Physical size (bigger=more aggressive
-Retaliation motives
-Annoyances
-Self-presentation
-Passion/athletic identity (obsessive passion=uncontrollable urges)

Question 24

Situational factors affecting aggression

Answer 24

-Frequency of competition
-Home advantage
-Point differentials
-Coaching behaviours

Question 25

Group factors affecting aggression

Answer 25

-Individual’s role
-Team norms
-Collective efficacy for aggression (using it as a tactic)
-Group behaviours (teams more united in pursuit of goals, increased aggression)

Question 26

Ways to reduce aggressive behaviour in sport

Answer 26

-Punishment and encouragement
-Educational interventions
-Behavioural modification practices
-Changes to sporting environment
-Aggressive behaviour in media: show more assertive plays and role models