Aggression

Question 1

Hostile Aggression

Answer 1

stemming from feelings of anger and aimed at inflicting harm

Question 2

Instrumental Aggression

Answer 2

as a means to some other goal other than causing pain

Question 3

Social Learning

Answer 3

Social Learning Theory: Aggression is learned by imitating aggressive behavior that others model

Question 4

BoBo Doll Study

Answer 4

o Children watch adults play with the Bobo doll, either violently or not
o Then imitate the behavior, including specific actions and words
o Also explains the role of media exposure: learning to be aggressive from the media

Question 5

Pornography Study

Answer 5

o	Female accomplice annoys male P’s
o	P’s then view
•	non-violent erotica
•	violent erotica
•	or neutral film
o	Then, have opportunity to shock woman
o	DV: Mean shock intensity 
o	Only violent pornography increased aggression
o	“R” rated films may lead to more violence against women than XXX rated films

Question 6

Culture of Honor

Answer 6

• Cultures vary in aggressiveness
• “culture of honor”
• Why did the culture of honor only develop in the south?
o North settled by farmers, south by herders
o Herding culture was more rural
• Poor law enforcement = need for self-protection
o A herd is more susceptible to theft than crops
o Developing a reputation for toughness was necessary for economic survival
o Tough reputation required brutal retaliation

Question 7

Insult Study

Answer 7

o P’s are white male students raised in the north or the south
o As P carries survey down a hallway, he is bumped by a confederate and called an “asshole.”
o Insulted southerners show:
• 1. Angry facial expressions
 southerners 85%
 northerners 35%
• 2. Increased cortisol and testosterone levels
• 3. More violent themes in story about man flirting with other man’s fiancé
• 4. More physical confrontation
 distance of “chickening out” after insult
 northerners: 60 inches
 southerners: 37 inches

Question 8

Gun Study

Answer 8

o Mere presence of weapon increases likelihood of aggression
o Subjects shocked by confederate and given change to retaliate
o IV’s:
• P is angered (receives 7 shocks) or not (1 shock)
• Room contains guns or badminton racquet
o Results: Shock intensity:
• Racquet: angered 35% not angered 33%
• Gun: angered 48% not angered 37%

Question 9

Rejection Aggression Study

Answer 9

o Does social exclusion lead to aggressive behavior?
o IV: participants accepted vs. rejected by group members
• Social acceptance: “everyone picked you as partner”
• Social rejection: “nobody picked you as partner”
o P’s then played a noise-blast game with a new partner
o DV: Aggression towards new partner, measured by intensity and duration of unpleasant noise
o Noise intensity: accepted 3.53, rejected 6.60
o Noise duration (ms): accepted 771.20, rejected 1,658.80