aggression Flashcards
jmnueral influences the limbic system
a system of structures lying beneath the cortex (subcortical) including amygdala hippocampus and hypothalamus. this region is associated with emotional behaviour to help coordinate behaviours that satisfy motivational and emotional urges
the amygdala
-in aggression responsible for quickly evaluating importance of sensory info and promoting approapriate response
eg if electrically stimulated animals respond with snarling and aggressive posture
-kluver and bury destruction of amygdala made dominant monkey lose its dominant position in group
the hippocampus
-formation of long term memories
-allows an animal to compare conditions of a current threat with similar past experiences
-for example being attacked by another animal in the past may result in an aggressive response to that animal again
Serotonin
-at normal levels excerpts a calming, inhibitory effect on neuronal firing in the brain
-inhibits firing the amygdala which controls emotional responses such as fear and anger
-serotonin at low levels remove inhibitory effect consequently leds to an individual less able to control impulsive and aggressive behaviour
hormonal influences testosterone
-produces male characteristics
-one thought to be aggression
-influence aggression from young adulthood due to its action on areas of the brain involved in controlling aggression
-Archer men r generally more aggressive then women
-due to age where testosterone concentrations are at their highest suggests it plays a role
miles and Carey
-meta-analysis of 24 adoption studies
-genetics account for 50% of variation in aggression at later ages
what happens when MAOA is dysfunction
neurotransmitters not being broken down in the body
adrenaline = too much adrenaline causing hypersensitivity in flight or fight response so individual may over react and percieve more threats
dopamine = increases likelihood of feelings of reward when aggression is carried out
serotonin = in low levels has a calming influence and regulated mood and emotion reduction of control over impulsive behaviour
what is MAOA
-a variant of a warrior gene
-responsible for production of protein monoamine oxidase
-which allows for the metabolising of noradrenaline, serotonin and dopamine
Brunner syndrome
-mutation in the MAOA gene
-characterised by lower than average IQ
-problematic impulsive behaviour such as pyromania, hypersexuality and violence
-sleep and mood disorders
evolutionary psychologists
-propose that aggression has evolved as a strategy for adaptive purposes
-such as gaining resources, intimidating or eliminating male rivals for females
-solving these problems enhanced the survival and reproductive success of the individual
who proposed sexual jealousy
daly and wilson
sexual jealously
- men have evolved strategies to deter their partner from committing adultery (vigilance, controlling) -the aim is to manage the threat of paternal uncertainty
what is cuckoldry
-when a man is tricked to raise another males offspring.
-a risk of investing resources into a child that is not his
-these adaptive functions reduce chance of infidelity of the women
buss 1988
suggested that males have strategies which prevent a female from straying such as threats of violence towards her or love rival
warfare
-evolved because of adoptive benefits to the individual and their offspring. warfare could enable males to attract a mate and to form bonds
-displays of aggression and bravery are attractive as it signifies protection and safety
-therefore male warriors may attract more mates than non-warriors
ethologists
-believe innate aggressive behaviour is triggered by environmental stimuli (releasers)
-aggression is adaptive to promote survival
-lorenz proposed species have strong instinctive inhibitions which prevent using weapons against their own species
fixed action patterns
behavioural sequences which occur as a result of innate releasing mechanisms.
-triggered by a specific stimulus known as sign stimulus
-such as a dog chasing a cat running away
-desire to chase is automatic and instinctual
innate releasing mechanisms
-altered to the presence of sign stimulus and communicates with motor control cuirts to release the asscoaited FAP
-such as male sticklebacks produce ritual behaviour at the sight of red underbelly of a competitor
hydraulic model
-proposed by Lorenz
-each fixed action pattern has a reservoir of ‘action specific energy’ which builds up overtime
-when a sign stimulus triggers the innate release mechanisms to release its energy so the fixed action pattern is performed
-after this, The reservoir of action-specific energy is empty behaviour cannot be repeated until reserviour has built up again
ritualistic aggression
ritualised displays = form of aggrieve behaviour
-help to assess relative strength which prevents costly and dangerous physical aggression occurring
-this behaviour has been found in tribal warfare such as the dani of New Guinea and males in tory island
who proposed the frustration - aggression hypothesis
-dollard
frustration-aggression hypothesis
-suggested that all agression is as a result of frustration
-frustarion is caused when someone is prevented from getting what they want
-cause -effect relationship between frustration,agression and catharsis
-frustration increases aggressive drives which are relieved through an aggressive act or thoughts about target
definition of frustration
-prevention of the progress, success or fulfilment of something
-providing psychological relief through the open expression of strong emotions
what did pastore do
distinguished between justified and unjustified frustration
-such as if a bus passes by your bus stop but it has a ‘out of service’ sign on it frustration is lowered as it is justified
how else can frustration be expressed (frustration aggression model)
-frustration expressed towards the source (boss) so often it will be displaced onto a more acceptable target (shouting at partner at home after a bad day at the office)
who proposed the revised frustration-aggression hypothesis
Berkowitz
revised frustration-aggression hypothesis
-accounts for the fact that frustration isn’t always necessary or sufficient for agression
-not all agression is due to frustration
-berkowitz agreed many unpleasant experiences lead to agression
-unpleasant experiences create a range of negative effects which can trigger agression
social learning theory how do children learn aggressive behaviour
-through observation of other and then imitating them
-in particular will imitate behaviour of a role model they identify with
vicarious reinforcement
-indirect reinforcement
-they learn whether a behaviour is worth repeating or not depending on whether they saw it rewarded or punished
-learn about the consequence of aggressive behaviour through observation
schema
-children form a mental representation of events in their environment (schema) this is a script of rules of how and when to be aggressive
-child must also learn representations of possible rewards and punishments for their aggressive behaviour in terms of expectancies for future outcomes
-child will display learned behaviour only if expectations of reward are greater than of punishment
definition of institutions
-organisation or society founded for a particular purpose
-established law practice or concern
-eg prisons
definition of dispositional explaiantions
-emphasise the characteristics of the individual as dictating behaviour
definition of situational explainations
-emphasises the context/situation as being a cause of aggression
who proposed the importation model
irwin and cressey
what is the importation model
-prisioneros bring their own social histories violent pasts to prison
-draw on their experiences in environment when toughness is a survival skill
-not a “blank slate”
-previous gang members so have informal rules such as code of the streets
-which govern interactions with others eg respect imported to prison
gang membership
-importation model
-importation of norms and behaviours
-consistently related to violence and antisocial behaviour in prison
who developed the deprivation model
paterline and peterson
what is the deprivation model
-situational factors
-aggression due stressful and oppressive conditions
Sykes
-proposed proposed that agression in prisons is due to overcrowding, loss of liberty (freedom), loss of autonomy (no self control), loss of security (feeling threatened)
Cooke
-cited that heat and noise, plus job burnout (exhaustion and loss of care) in prison staff as factors in prison violence
which theory is deindividuation based on
gustave le bon’s crowd theory 1895
deindividuation
-in a crowd there is a combination of anonymity (being unidentifiable) and suggestibility (being influenced by others) and contagion (mood of group being infectious
-this leads to a ‘collective mind’ and person loses control
festinger
-described deindividuation as a psychological state where inner restraints are lost
-zimbardo developed suggested being in a large group gives a ‘cloak of anonymity’ which reduces personal consequences
eg uniform or altered consciousness due to drugs/alcohol
zimbardo
-stated that being in a crowd can dimish our sense of individuality by being faceless and anonymous
-there is divided fear of negative evaluation so reduced sense of guilt
-being in a crowd weakens normal barriers to anti-social behaviour that are based on guilt or shame
greitemeyer and mügge
-meta analysis of 98 studies
-involving 37,000
-effects on video games where the goal was either to harm or help other players
-prosocial behaviour (helpful kind)
-violent video games linked to increase aggressive outcomes and decrease prosocial outcomes
bjorkqvist
-violent films
-children aged 5-6 either exposed to violent or non-violent films
-subsequently violent films led to scoring higher on ratings on physical aggression eg hitting other children
anderson and dill
-participants blasted their opponents with white noise (random high frequency noise) for longer and rated themselves higher on the state hostility scale after playing a violent ‘first person shooter game’ than a puzzle game
anderson
surveyed 430 children between 7-9 age
-found when rated by themselves, peers and teachers
-those with high exposure to violent video games were most verbally and physically aggressive and less prosocial.
desensitisation
-in normal conditions anxiety inhibits violence
-media violence removes this anxiety
-frequent viewing causes people to be less anxious about violence
-making them more likely to use it
-takes a long time to occur repeated exposure
-indicated through reduction in physiological arousal when exposed to violence eg skin conductance response
definition of desensitise
make someone less likely to feel shock or distress at scenes of cruelty or suffering by over exposure to such images
definition of legitimise
able to be defended with logic or justification valid to deem something as acceptable
definition of disinhibited
loss of restraints / boundaries to acting out behaviour and impulses
what is disinhibition
-exposure to violent media may change moral standards and legitimises peoples violence
-because it undermines normal social sanctions that inhibit behaviour
-in the short term increase arousal (heart rate/adrenaline) and drive to act aggressively
-in the long term prolonged exposure reduces guilt or concern
-may lead to disinhibition about acting aggressively
cognitive priming
-berkowitz suggested constant exposure to violent media eg killing games temporarily lowers threshold for activation of violent thoughts or ideas
-which in turn activates other aggressive thoughts through association in memory pathways
-influences how a person interprets social information increasing chance of an aggressive response
evaluation of neural and hormonal mechanisms in aggression
+pardini found reduced volume can predict the development of severe and persistent aggression. Longitudinal study 56pp’s MRI at age 26. those with lower amygdala volume exhibited higher levels of aggression and violence TMB compromises ability to evaluate importance of sensory info
-inconsistent evidence eg Albert positive correlation reported between levels of testosterone and self reported aggression among prison yet not found actual violence inmates TMB suggests relation of testosterone and aggression unclear
-supporting evidence role of neural factors eg Raleigh velvet monkeys fed high tryptophan (increases serotonin levels) decreased aggression low levels of tryptophan increased aggression
evaluate genetics factors
+genetics supporting study eg hutchings and medick 14,000 Denmark adoption. significant correlation of criminal conviction and previous conviction (mainly fathers) TMB genetics do play a role more likely to take part in criminal behaviour even when raised in a non-criminal adoptive.
+MAOA supporting study. From 500 male children significantly more likely to exhibit anti-social behaviour if they were maltreated in adoption as a child. TMB supports genetic component
-methological problems androcentric only male participants can’t extrapolate results
evaluate ethological explanations
-problem with hydraulic model von halst suggested that instead of action specific energy running out instead aggressive behaviour could cause itself to provide a further stimulus rather than reducing lilkihood of further aggressive behaviour TMB unclear
+there are benefits of ritualised aggression. chagnon such as Yanomamo people chest pounding snd club fighting can settle extreme violence TMB even in violent cultures rituals can reduce actual aggression
-underestimated role of environment eg Lehrman as a result of learning and experiences FAP now behaviour pattern not innate TMB patterns of aggressive behaviour are not very fixed
evaluate evolutionary explanations
+supporting study buss suggested males have strategies evolved specifically for purpose of keeping a mate such as threats of violence TMB supports adoptive function
-gender difference better explained by socialisation childhood girls they are less powerful than men social forms of aggression harm others social status TMB hasn’t evolved is entrenched
-other factors ignored such as neural and hormonal reductionist
evaluate frustration aggression hypothesis
+real world application in sport violence priks agression = number of objects thrown on pitch when team performed less well more things thrown TMB supporters more aggrieve when expectations of good performance were frustrated
-lack of research bushman found aggressive behaviour kept aggressive thoughts making people more angry TMB contradicts cartharsis
-other factors ignored such as genetics
evaluate social learning theory
+bandura 1/3 repeated viral sayings
+gee+Leith 200 games of hockey North America more likely to have aggressive models therefore less likely to be punished for aggressive play in comparison to Europe
-cultural differences kung san child rearing practices in Kalanai desert extremely rare aggressive behaviour no physical punishment TMB absence of direct reinforcement
evaluate institutional aggression
+research support for importation model measured street code belief system which affects inmate violence especially those who lacked family and went to gangs
-challenges inmates with prior street gang involvement were no more likely to encage in violent behaviour
+ reserch support for deprivation model Wilson violence in prisons with heat when added windows and more cells eradicated problems
evaluate de-individuation
-gender issue eg cannavale male and female respond differently greater disinhibition in males TMB don’t respond in same way to provaction
+baiting crowd Mann sucide reports 10/21 crowd urged to jump TMB anyoymous
+zimbardo 4 females pps in deindivation condition held shock button twice as long
