Aggression Flashcards
Define Thanatos.
Thanatos is an inner aggressive drive that all of us have inside us. It is unconscious and cannot be measured so it is impossible to scientifically measure Thanatos as it isn’t really a real thing.
What is Freud’s theory of aggression?
We all have the Thanatos inside us and we can reduce this Thanatos by sublimating it through socially acceptable ways such as playing rugby or boxing. We can also displace our Thanatos by hurting ourselves through self-destruction or by hurting others to reduce our inner aggressive drive.
What is the social learning theory of aggression?
That people model aggressive behaviour and people imitate this behaviour as they may see the model being rewarded with praise through vicarious reinforcement.
Models are often influential people such as parents and brothers or sisters. This explains why families may be aggressive and this behaviour continues.
What is a biological way of reducing aggressive behaviour?
Many children with aggressive tendencies are prescribed Ritalin which makes them more passive and docile but we don’t know the long term effects of this drug and the ethical issues of essentially numbing people into behaving.
What happened in Young’s Monkeys study?
Aim: To see if testosterone plays a role in aggressive behaviour.
Method: Pregnant Rhesus monkeys were injected with testosterone within their tribe. Their behaviour was then observed and their aggression levels were measured.
Results: The pregnant monkeys became much more aggressive and expressed more dominating behaviour within the group while attempting to control the other monkeys and showing more male traits and behaviours.
Conclusion: Testosterone plays a large role in the onset of aggressive behaviour.
Conclusion:
What happened in Raine’s murderer study?
Aim: To see if the brains of murderers were any different to the brains of normal people.
Method: Raine gave murderers and a group of normal people a PET scan.
Results: The murderers had much lower levels of activity in the pre-frontal cortex area of the brain compared to the non murderers who were tested.
Conclusion: There are differences within the brains of murderers meaning aggression could be biological.
What happened in Banduras bobo doll study?
Aim: To see if children will copy aggressive behavior shown by role models.
Methods: Researchers divided 96 children into four groups. Three groups were shown role models attacking and kicking, punching a bobo doll and then the children were allowed into the room with the doll.
Results: The children that observed the aggressive behavior were very aggressive towards the doll and copied the behavior shown by the role models by attacking the doll and some attempting to destroy it.
Conclusion: Children will copy aggressive behavior shown by role models or other people.
What happened in Baron’s TV experiment?
Aim: To see if children watching aggressive behavior on television increased their aggressive behavior.
Method: One group was shown a violent tv program and the other was shown an equally exciting sporting event. Their behavior was observed.
Results: The children who watched the violent program were more aggressive when they were playing than the children who watched the sport on television.
Conclusion: Watching violence on television increases children aggression levels and their aggressive behavior overall.
What happened in the St Helena tv experiment?
Aim: To see if the introduction of television on a remote island increased children’s aggressive behavior.
Method: The island received television transmission and the children’s behavior was monitored.
Results: The children showed no change in their behavior once the television was introduced onto the island.
Conclusion: Watching violent role models on television is not enough to increase children’s aggressive behavior.
What happened in Barkers frustration study?
Aim: To see if making children frustrated will change their behavior.
Method: The group of children were allowed to play with lots of toys in a room but they were kept waiting a long time before they could play.
Results: The children showed more aggressive behavior after they were kept waiting a long time before they were allowed to play.
Conclusion: Being frustrated leads to an increase in aggression.
What happened in the aggression and personality type experiment?
Aim: To see if there is a link between aggression and personality type.
Method: A group of people who had committed horrible crimes took personality tests.
Results: The criminals had been over controlled and repressed their anger until it boiled over to such an extent they couldn’t control it.
Conclusion: If people do not let their aggression out in small bursts then it may boil over and become uncontrollable and they may do something bad or stupid.
What is a biological explanation of aggression?
That murderers have lower levels of activity in the pre-frontal cortex of the brain.
Also that there may be personality types that are linked to aggressive behavior.
Perhaps the XYY chromosome leads to an increase in aggressive behavior.
It is also proven in young’s rhesus monkey study that testosterone leads to an increase in dominant behavior over others and an increased onset of aggressive behavior.
