Aggression Flashcards
(78 cards)
1
Q
What are the two neural mechanisms in aggression?
A
The Limbic System
Role of Serotonin
2
Q
Talk about the limbic system
A
This is the key structure in the brain that is involved in regulating emotional behaviour involved in aggression. Specific structures in the limbic system include the hypothalamus, the amygdala and parts of the hippocampus.
3
Q
What is the amygdala
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his regulates emotions such s fear and aggression. It is also involved in tying emotional meaning to our memories, reward processing and decision making.
4
Q
Talk about animal evidence for the role of the amygdala
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Animal Studies, research on hamsters have found that stimulation of the amygdala increases aggression and lesioning of this area reduces aggression.
5
Q
Talk about human evidence of the role of the amygdala
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in humans, an amygdalotomy reduces aggression in previously violent individuals. However, a side effect of this type of surgery is the loss of emotion and enthusiasm. This shows that while the amygdala may play a role in aggression it is more the processing of associated emotions.
6
Q
Talk about the frontal lobe
A
the frontal lobes are involved in many activities requiring decision-making like social behavior, motor functions, and impulse control. Reduced function of the frontal lobes has been associated with the aggression- violence tendencies.
7
Q
Talk about support for the role of the frontal lobe
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Phineas Gage- Accident where an iron pole was propelled through the skull causing damage to the frontal lobe changing his personality to more aggressive.
8
Q
Talk about the role of serotonin
A
Serotonin has a calming influence on people, so low levels may mean people cannot control their impulsive, aggressive behavior. It also regulates the prefrontal cortex, lower levels affect our response to external stimuli meaning the person becomes aggressive easily and finds it harder to control
9
Q
Talk about animal evidence for the role of serotonin
A
allowed male rats to fight with another rat at a specific time for 10 days, on the eleventh, they weren’t allowed to fight. Despite the fact that the rat wasn’t fighting the experience had changed the rats brain chemistry with serotonin levels reducing by 35%
10
Q
Talk about human evidence supporting the role of serotonin
A
- administored a drug which depleates seretonin to 25 adults and were given a questionnaire to determine aggression levels- rise in males but not in females.
11
Q
Talk about the role of Testosterone
A
Hormone directly implicated in aggression with variations in testosterone levels beeing used to explain both individual and gender differences. Testosterone is produced in spurts rising and falling suddenly.
12
Q
Talk about evidence supporting the role of testosterone in aggression
A
Gotez et al.- hypothesised that testosterone may influence the activity of the amygdala, like how seretonin does in other studies. used 16 healthy men over 2 days, the researchers made sure all pp’s had the same baseline testosterone level before the experiment began. There was two conditions- 1. treatment, condition- given 1 shot of testosterone. 2. placebo. Put in MRI scanner and shown pictures of different facial expressions.
Results show that in the increased testosterone condition had higher amygdala activity higher when shown angry faces.
13
Q
Talk about the XYY gene and aggression
A
Early psychologists believed that the Y chromosome could be an aggressive cause. They were interested in individuals with a genotype XYY which occurs in every 1000.
14
Q
What is some research supporting the role of the XYY gene
A
Price et al.- studied males in hospitals for the clinically insane and found 28% had the extra Y chromosome compared with 0.1% of the general population suggesting a link.
15
Q
Talk about the role of the MAOA gene
A
warrior gene’, responsible for the production of the protein monoamine oxidase which allows the metabolism of noradrenaline, seretonin and dopamine. A dysfunction in these can result in the neurotransmitter not being broken down
If adrenaline isnt metabolised, there is too much causing hypersensitivity and an overeaction in the fight or flight and they may percieve a threat where one doesnt exist.
If dopamine isnt broken down, excessive levels aren’t linked with aggressive behaviour.
16
Q
Talk about twin study research into the MAOA gene
A
Coccaro et al.- twin studies, found that the concordance of criminal behavior for both MZ ( 50% ) and DZ ( 19% ) show the role of genetics.
→ Not 100%
17
Q
Talk about the dutch family and the MAOA gene
A
Brunner et al- Dutch Family- 5 male members with shortened versions of the MAOA gene so consequentlly had high levels of neurotransmitters. They were aggressive- some have neen in prison as attempted rage and assult. Females were unaffected. This shows the MAOA gene affects behaviour and that the condition is sex-linked and carried on the Y chromosome.
18
Q
Talk about MAOA gene and abuse in childhood
A
Caspi et al- interaction of the MAOA gene and abusive childhood lead to aggression i.e.boys with the gene who also suffered aggression in childhood were 3 times more likely to be aggressive in adulthood
19
Q
Talk about the issues and debates associated with biological explanations
A
Deterministic- determined by biological makeup with no free- will- this can have serious implications on the justice system- people may not take responsibility for their actions and blame it on their biology
20
Q
What is ethology?
A
is the study of animal behaviour and by extension, human behavior in terms of traits, characteristics and rituals which have adapted to become useful for survival
21
Q
What does the ethological approach believe?
A
As aggression is seen in all animals, it’s believed to be innate
So the ethological explanation looks at this innate bahviour of animals by studying them in their natural environment.
The focus of the approach is to try to explain and account for behaviour in terms of it’s adaptive value to the species. Aggression is seen as helping survival as aggression can protect their resources and help establish dominance hierarchies.
22
Q
Talk about ritualistic aggression
A
Ritualistic Aggression- This is designed to show competitors who is the leader and deter them from encroaching on the chosen territory. It’s more adaptive than direct aggression to ensure no harm (which would impar their ability to reproduce) but still gives out a threat. This includes: teeth baring, growling and snarling.
23
Q
Talk about innate releasing mechanisms
A
certain innate behaviours are produced in all individuals of the same species. Usually, these behaviours are triggered by the key stimulus which triggers an innate releasing mechanism which produces a fixed action pattern, a constant response. The IRM can be visual, hormonal or muscular resulting in a FAP- once started, can’t stop until finished
24
Q
Talk about features of fixed action potentials
A
- stereotyped behaviour- follows certain pattern each time
- Universal- all the animals of the same species
- Innate- all the animals in that species seem to be born with it
- Once starts cant stop
- Specific trigger sets it off.
25
Talk about research supporting FAP's
Male sicklebacks are highly terretorial during the spring mating season and developa red spot on their underbelly. If another male with the red belly enters, a sequence of highly- stereotyped aggression is initiated. When presented with a series of wooden models of different shapes. Regardless of shape, if the model had a red spot, their would be aggression and not if not. The FAP’s were also unchanging from one encounter to another.
26
Talk about the positives to the ethological approach
There is some validity to this theory from both animal and human studies, one being with Brunner (previous) showing evidence for MAOA gene- shows aggression is innate. also, Raine et al. 1997 found that impuslive murders respond without thinking/ instinctively to stimuli)
27
Talk about the negatives of the ethonological approach
- Some human aggression may be as a result of genes (and hence, innate and instinctive) as seen in Brunner et al.’s (1993) study on aggression and a defective MAOA gene
- As with any research based on animal behaviour it is extremely difficult to generalise to human beings who are more cognitively and socially sophisticated and nuanced than animals
- Human researchers are not best-placed to fully understand animal behaviour; interpretations and inferences only can be drawn from the behaviour of other species
28
What is sexual jealousy?
This refers to the emotions and behaviours involved in the perception that ones partner is engaging in infidelity or may be attracted to other males/females. This is greater in males as it is an evolved psychological mechanism to prevent cuckoldry.
29
Talk about sexual jealousy as an evolutionary explanation of aggression
male sexual jealousy may stem from paternity uncertainty—unlike women, men cannot be sure a child is biologically theirs without a DNA test.
Sexual jealousy may be adaptive, helping men guard their genetic line by deterring rival males and discouraging infidelity, though this concept is problematic by modern standards.
30
Talk about anti-cuckoldory
Men in our evolutionary past who could avoid cuckoldorywere more reproductivley successful.
Daly and Wilson say men ahve evolved different psychological mechanisms to stop their female partners from committing adultury and several of these are or can result in violence.
31
Talk about intimate personal violence (IPV)
According to researchers, these mate retention behaviout protects husbands use of violence against their wives. For example, direcr-guarding- vigilance over a partners behaviour i.e. tracking apps. and negative inducements0 issuing threats. These strategies linked with aggressive behaviours.
32
Talk about bullying as evolutionary aggression
This is a set of behaviours which are designed to intimidate, humilliate, control and torment another person. It is possible to explain the causes of bullying through evolutionary theory. Bullying happens due to a power imbalance.
**Reproductive Success-** **outward display** of strength, **social status**, success and **resources -** both material and in terms of attractive **traits**
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Talk about differences between male and female bullying
- The ultimate **evolutionary drive** behind (male) bullying is to attract females and, ultimately, to reproduce
- Female bullying is less likely to be openly direct and violent than that of males: it may include exclusion of the victim; spreading lies about the victim; **verbal abuse**; use of **cyber-bullying**
- The evolutionary advantages of female bullying may be to secure resources by warding off competition for a male with resources which in turn ensures that any future offspring will be secure and will carry superior **genetic material**
34
Talk about positives in understanding evolutionary bullying
* The understanding that bullying brings with it evolutionary benefits could be used to inform anti-bullying interventions i.e. by encouraging competitiveness in bullies so that they can display their positive qualities to potential mates without causing harm to others
35
Talk about evidence of male sexual jealousy
Larsen et al. (2021) - a survey of 1266 high school students aged 16–19 which found that adolescent males found the sexual aspect of imagined infidelity more distressing than adolescent females did
36
Talk about testability of evolutionary aggression
It is almost impossible to test evolutionary explanations as the ‘evidence’ is simply too far in the past to be able to operationalise or form meaningful conclusions from
37
Issues and debates link of sexual jealousy?
Evolutionary explanations of aggression bring with them a large serving of alpha bias by suggesting (or even outright stating) that there are huge differences in male and female behaviour in terms of sexual jealousy and bullying. While it is true that males are more likely to be prone to these negative behaviours, they are by no means alone in this: females also commit IPV, feel jealous and act in a bullying manner but there is less research which supports female aggression using an evolutionary perspective.
38
Talk about the frustration aggression Hypothesis
This is the idea that anger, hostility, and even violence are often the outcomes when we are prevented from achieving our goals and become frustrated. This frustration creates an aggressive drive leading to aggressive behaviours such as violent fantasy, verbal outbursts or physical violence.
39
Talk about the frustration aggression hypothesis and psychodynamic approach
It draws from the psychodynamic concept of **catharsis-** aggression serves to give vent to pent-up feelings in the moment which ultimately helps to reduce the need for further aggression.
The aggressive response as suggested by the FAH cannot always be expressed directly towards the source of the frustration (displaced aggression): the source may be at some remove e.g. the government; expressing frustration may lead to punishment e.g. from a court of law; the source may not be present
40
Talk about research into the frustration aggression hypothesis- Russel green
investigated the effect of frustration on aggression by getting male university students to complete a jigsaw puzzle but manipulate the responses. For some, the puzzle was impossible so ran out of time, the other one ran out of time due to interference and the last one had someone insulting them. The last part, the participant gave electric shocks to the confederate when they made a mistake on the same task.
The research showed that insulted participants gave the strongest shocks followed by the interfered group then the impossible task. All did more intense than the control.
41
Talk about environmental cues
Environmental Cues:- Even if someone felt angry, they may not act aggressive unless aggressive cues are present. Berkowitz argued that frustration creates a readiness for aggression, but environmental cues make aggressive behaviour more likely. In a study by Berkowitz found participants were angered by recieveing electric shocks from a confederate, later they got to shock them back. Results showed that participants gave more shocks- 6.07, when guns were present compared to fewer- 4.67, when no weapons.
42
Research supporting the frustration aggression hypothesis?
Marcus-Newhall et al conducted a meta analysis of 49 studies on displaced aggression- when aggression is directed at someone other than the source of frustration. They found that provoked individuals unable to retaliate directly were more likely to aggress against an innocent party.
43
Talk about universality in the FAH
Bateson (1941) found that the FAH is not universal: the Iatmul people of New Guinea embraced aggression as a response to frustration compared to the Balinese who showed no aggression when faced with frustration hence the theory lacks external validity
44
Talk about the FAH and if it cathartic
Bushman found that venting anger (hitting a punch bag) actually increased aggression while doing nothing reduced it more effectively. He argued that venting is like using petrol to put out a fire. This challenges the catarsis assumption.
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FAH as a link to issues and deates
The FAH does not account for individual differences e.g. some people will become angry when frustrated while other people will retreat or not react at all which means that the theory takes a nomothetic approach. A nomothetic approach attempts to provide general, universal laws rather than an idiographic approach which aims to understand individual behaviour, which could be more meaningful when applied to the FAH.
46
Talk about bandura (SLT) view of aggression
Bandura said that aggression can be learned directly through mechanisms of operant conditioning involving positive and negative reinforcement making it more likely that the child will do this again in a similar situation. However, this cannot be explain aggression as direct forms of learning, so he argued that an indirect learning approach accounts for most aggressive behaviours:
47
What are the two types of indirect learning for aggression?
**Observational Learning-** Children aqcuire specific aggressive behaviours through observing aggressive models like siblings or parents- however, they may not perform this.
**Vicarious Reinforcment-**if the models behaviour was rewarded- the childs behaviour may learn that aggression is effective in getting what they want. This makes it more likely for imitation. And vice versa.
48
WHat is cognition control?
SLT is not a simple stimulus-response phenomenon, instead it involves cognitive mediations in the form of the thought-processes and motivations which will determine whether or not a specific behaviour is imitated
49
Talk about mediational processes role in aggression
- **Attention** has the child noticed the aggressive behaviour in the first place?
- **Retention -** can the child remember the actions of the aggressive role model?
- **Reproduction -** is the child able to perform the aggressive behaviour?
- **Motivation -** does the child believe that imitating the behaviour will lead to an outcome that they desire?
Self Efficacy- This may be a key mediating factor in learned aggressive behaviour as it concerns the belief that particular outcomes or objectives can be achieved
50
Talk about the Bobo doll study
Children watched an adult aggressivly attack a bobo doll using actions like hitting it with a mallet and aggressive phases. After being mildly frustrated, places in a room with Bobo doll and other toys. Many children imitated the adult’s aggressive behaviour and children with non- aggressive models with no aggression.
51
Supporting evidence of SLT?
Poulin & Bouvin (2000) used a real-world example of aggressive boys aged around 10 years old and found that they sought friendships with other aggressive boys who in turn positively reinforced their aggression and that this was stable over time. compelling piece of evidence that aggression is learned via operant conditioning
52
Talk about application of SLT theory of aggression
Application- SLT has good application to interventions in both educational and offender settings i.e. if aggressive/negative behaviour can be learned then prosocial/positive behaviour can also be learned via, for example, social skills training
53
Talk about temporal validity of SLT
SLT does not really account for examples of children who grow up observing aggressive adult role models without in turn imitating that aggressive behaviour so to some extent it lacks explanatory power
54
Link SLT to issues and debates
SLT as an explanation of aggression is relevant to the **nature/nurture debate** as it posits the idea that behaviour is a product of external environmental influences.
SLT is also relevant to the issue of **culture bias** as it tends to assume that aggression is learnt in the same way across cultures which is not necessarily true e.g. Souweidane and Huesmann (1999) found that children born in the USA accepted aggression as normal compared to children who had emigrated to the USA from the Middle East.
55
What is de-individuation?
This is the tendency for people to lose their personaal identity of the social group when they are part of a crowd or wearing a uniform. This makes them think they are free from the constraints of social norms.
When someone is a part of a group, they become lost in the crowd and loose their sense of autonomy and self-awareness. People may find themselves behaving more aggressively than usual due to the effects of deindividualisation as its easier to act with and part of the group rather than standing out- conformitu.
56
Talk about zimbardo and deindividuation
**Zimbardo-** His theory started by his stamford prison experiment where he was able to distinguish between individuation (rational and norm based and conforms to social norms) and de-individuated (emotional and impulsive). So he said when we are in a de-inviduated state, we lose self-awareness nd stop regulating our own behaviour.
He also says there are factors influencing individuated behaviour like darkness, anonmynity, masks and uniforms.
57
Talk about the self awareness theory
Private Self Awareness- how we pay attention to our own feelings and behaviour which is redyced making people less reflected snd more impulsive
Public Self- Awareness- How much we care about other peeoples thoughts of behaviour, also decreases lowering acountability.
58
Talk about research to support self-awareness theory
**Dodd:**
Asked 229 psychology students what they would do if they could act without being caught. 36% gave antisocial responses like robbery and 26% described criminal act. Only 9% gave prosocial responses linking anonymity, de-individuation and imagined aggressive behaviour.
59
Talk about research to support deindividuation
Douglas ad McGarthy- found a strong link between anonymity and aggressive online behaviour in chatrooms and messaging. The most hostile messages came from users hiding their identity, supporting the idea that anyomity increase aggression
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Talk about deindividualisation not always causing aggression
Crossey et al. (2021) used the theory that when people walk in time with each other (in synchrony) it increases good feeling about the group and produces prosocial behaviours: their study asked participants to simply imagine walking synchronously with a crowd which resulted in participants feeling a sense of emotional closeness (affiliation) with the imagined group
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Metholodical processes of deindividuation
It is difficult to measure de-individuation as the process involves a range of complex, varying feelings and emotional states which are likely to differ from person to person
The processes and mechanisms of de-individuation could be applied to crowd situations in order to defuse tension and avert violence- real world application
62
What is institutional aggression and the two explanations?
This is aggressive or violent behaviour which takes place within the social context of a prison or other formal organised settings.
Dispositional and Situational
63
Talk about the importation model
- **Offenders** who are imprisoned are, after all, individuals who will enter prison with a distinct set of personality traits, just as they would any situation which is explained by the **importation model (Irwin & Cressey, 1962)** i.e. offenders ‘import’ (bring in) their personality to the prison and engage in behaviours in line with their personality (including their **past experiences**)
- The importation model assumes that if an individual enters a prison with a history of **violent and abusive** behaviour then this will be seen in their behaviour inside the prison i.e. they are simply **adhering** to what is for them a set of **personal norms**
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Evaluate the importation model
**DeLisi et al-** studied 813 juvenile offenders with traits like trauma, anger and violent histories. They were mmore likely to engage in violence and suiced comparen to not.
**Camp and Gaes-** inmates were randomly placed in high or low security prisons. Those in both settings showed similar aggression levels showing it was due to personal traits.
**The administrative Control-** Climas that aggression results from poor mamnagement- i.e. weak education, infomal rules or weak leadership- in prisons rather than inmate characteristics.
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Talk about the deprivation model
- The deprivation model assumes that prisons are **stressful** environments in which bullying, abuse, depression, isolation and distance from loved-ones and material comforts all combine to promote aggression
- Situational explanations have some relevance to the frustration-aggression hypothesis i.e. it is frustrating to be obstructed from pursuing one’s daily activities, to be locked up for hours on end, to have to endure the company of others without any personal choice, to have no heterosexual contact in the matter and such frustrations may easily fuel aggressive behaviour
- A key situational factor which contributes to aggressive behaviour in prisons is that of overcrowding as this exacerbates the negative effects of prison life and may link to the idea of de-individuation as a factor in aggression (e.g. loss of self-awareness and identity in a crowd)
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research supporting the deprivation model
**Steiner-** found higher levels of inmate on inmate violence on prisoners with more female staff, agrican-american or hispanic inmates . These are prison level factors as they are independant of individual characteristics.
**Cunningham et al-** analysed 35 innmate homocides in texas prisons and found that many were triggered by deprivations like drugs, possession and relationship disputes supporting the model
**Hensley et al-** studied inmate in mississipi where conjual visits were allowed. found no link between these visits and reduced aggression challenging the thought that intimacy increases violence
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Give general evaluation for both instiutional models- application, biological, issues and debates
- Both models have good **application** to possible **interventions and therapies** which could be used to make life less difficult for both prisoners and prison staff e.g. **social skills training, anger management,** more space per prisoner
- Neither theory really accounts for **biological factors** as an explanation of aggression in prisons e.g. high levels of **testosterone, cortisol** and **adrenaline**
There is both culture and gender bias in much of the research on this topic: the bulk of prison-based research uses samples taken from individualistic cultures such as the USA which means that there is a lack of cultural relativism i.e. different cultures may respond differently to incarceration. Similarly, although some research using female offenders does exist (e.g. Steiner & Wooldredge, 2009) the bulk of research uses male prisoner samples which means it may be prone to beta bias (i.e. the assumption that males and females will respond in the same way to being in prison).
68
Talk about experimental studies on the effect of computer games + evaluation
lab based and look at short-term effects.
**Bartholow and Anderson** got students to play either a violent computer game or a non-violent game for 10 mins. They then completed a reaction time task where a pp devivered blasts of white noise at chosen volumes to punish opponents. Those who played violent games selected significantly higher noise levels compared to non-violent
**EVALUATION:**
- Strength - establish causal link between media aggression & aggressive behaviour.
- Allows you to study behaviour that would be otherwise unethical to do so e.g letting people hit each other so researchers have no choice but to be creative in devising ways of measuring aggression.
- Measuring aggression in the lab can be accused of being artificial and unrealistic e.g the Taylor Competitive Reaction Time Test which measures how loud noise is selected.
- Also lab situations are unrealistic in that they do not involve any fear or retaliation. Give’s the pp permission to be ‘safely’ aggressive.
69
Talk about correlational studies into media influences + evaluation
investigate real life variables which are usually short-term
**DeLisi et al.-** studied 227 juivinielle offenders all with histories of serious aggressove behaviours like hititng a teacher or parent of gang fighting. using **structured interviews**, they gathered data on several measures of aggression and violent computer game playing and found that behaviour significantly correlated with how often they played the games and how much they enjoyed it.
**EVALUATION:**
- Allows us to investigate realistic forms of aggression including violent crime
- Inability to draw cause and effect conclusions
- Also.. No random allocation of pp’s to violent or non-violent media conditions.
70
Talk about longitudinal studies into the effect of computer games + evaluation
Studies conducted over a period of time looking at long- term effects.
**Robertson et al.-** Wanted to see if there was a link between ‘excessive’ television viewing in childhood and aggressive behaviour in adulthood. Studied 1037 people born in New Zealand in 1972 & 1973 and measured their TV viewing hrs at regular intervals until they where 26. Found… time spent watching TV was a reliable predictor of aggressive behaviour in adulthood. Measured in terms of convictions for aggressive and violent crimes.
Those who watched most TV more likely to be diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder. Appears that it was the amount of TV watched rather than whether it was violent or not.
**EVALUATION:**
- Allows you to investigate changes in aggressive behaviour over time.
- But…. Studying change over time leaves longitudinal studies vulnerable to the effects of confounding variables.
- It also becomes difficult to separate the effects of role models in the form of friends and family members.
71
Talk about meta analysis investigations into the effect of computer games
Bring together a variety of studies to give a judgement of the size of the effect of violent media on aggression
**Anderson et al-** Meta analysis of 136 studies which included all three types of methodology. Found.. Exposure to violent computer games was associated with increases in aggressive behaviours, thoughts and feelings. This finding was true for both males and females and across collectivist and individualistic cultures.
**EVALUATION:**
- Meta-analysis is an analytical technique designed to summarize the results of multiple studies.
- By combining studies, a meta-analysis increases the sample size and thus the power to study effects of interest.
- There are many downsides in performing a valid meta-analysis, and in some cases a meta-analysis is not appropriate and the results can be misleading.
72
Talk about desensitisation
This is the process where what was once a source of alarm or feat has transformed into something harmless or unremarkable. Therefore, there is a loss of sensitivity toward a specific stimuli i.e. violence in aggression in the game is viewed as ‘normal’
This is a physiological process: the sympathetic nervous system is triggered when someone is in the presence of violence or aggression (increased heart rate etc.) leading to a fight or flight response. Over-time exposure , they will become inured to the effects of violence and experienced a decreased emotional response.
Someone who is desensitised to violence is less likely to view violence as bad or harmful and feel little sympathy to victims of violence.
73
Give evidence to support desensitisation
Carnagey et al. (2007) - Participants who played a violent computer game for 20 minutes followed by a 10-minute video of real-life violence had a lower heart-rate and galvanic skin response than participants who played a non-violent computer game, thus the violent game may have produced physiological desensitisation to violent content
74
Talk about disinhibition
This occurs when someone lets go of the usual restraints and caution which holds them back from behaving the way they may want to. This involves breaking social norms in a spirit of why not? that may well be learnt from behaviour exhibited by role models from the consumption of mass media escpecially violent and aggressive content. Examples of media-led disinhibition may include a teenage boy who thinks that violence is an acceptable way to deal with problems because this is how his favourite film character behaves or a woman who is openly hostile to asylum seekers because of derogatory comments she reads almost every day in her newspaper.
75
Talk about evidence into disinhibition
Josephson (1987) - A naturalistic observation of grade 2 and 3 boys during a game of floor hockey found that naturally high-aggressive boys played hockey more aggressively after watching a violent TV programme compared to low-aggressive boys who had watched the same violent TV programme
76
Talk about cognitive priming
This refers to the ways in which environmental cues work to trigger aggression.
Huesmann (1998) claims that cognitive priming is a sort of schema (specifically a script schema) in which an individual’s memory makes associations between objects, people and situations to provide cues as to how to act/behave. Script schemas outline our expectations per situation (as long as we are familiar with the context). People who consume a lot of violent media are likely to develop rigid schemas and are easily primed to anticipate or respond to aggressive stimuli than those who do not consume a lot of violent media (Berkowitz, 1984)
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Evidence for cognitive priming
Leyens & Dunand (1991) - Male participants were told that they would watch a violent or a neutral film and were then told to give (fake) electric shocks to a confederate: the participants who were primed to watch a violent film gave higher levels of electric shocks than those in the neutral-film condition
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EVALUATE MEDIA INFLUENCES
- All of these features of media influence on aggression are hugely important for policy-makers and those working in fields such as education, health and law enforcement to understand e.g. the fact that a weapon is a key priming stimulus which could be used to try to prevent the growing problem of knife crime
- An awareness of cognitive priming could be used to promote prosocial behaviours or attitudes in computer gaming e.g. introducing weaponless combat games, emphasising resolution rather than conflict
- There is no concrete, 100%-watertight proof that media consumption causes - or even triggers - aggressive behaviour so the theories linked to media influence on aggression remain debatable
- All of these features of media influence on aggression are difficult to operationalise and measure e.g. at what point does an individual become disinhibited and how can this be observed in their behaviour?
