Aggression Flashcards
2 neural mechanisms in aggression?
1) . Limbic system.
2) . Serotonin.
Who identified the limbic system?
Papez and Mclean.
What is the limbic system?
Amygdala =
- fast response –> associated with aggression.
Who carried out a lab-based game to test the amygdala?
Gospic et al.
- used brain scans (fMRI).
Who found an association between serotonin and aggression?
Denson et al.
- Decreased serotonin (less elf-control) –> high aggression.
Evaluate neural mechanisms in aggression?
1) . Coccaro et al. –> OFC =
- Amygdala works with OFC (maintains self-control).
- Aggression cant be explained with just limbic system.
2) . Effects of drugs on serotonin –. Berman et al. =
- Serotonin enhanced drug in lab-based game = less aggression compared with placebo.
Hormonal mechanism in aggression?
Testosterone.
Which animal study supports the role of testosterone?
Giammanco et al. =
- increased testosterone = aggression.
- castration = less aggression.
Evaluate the hormonal mechanism in aggression?
1) . Mazur’s BMos –> Mehta and Joseph =
- 73% of high testosterone loser = rechallenge.
- 22% of low testosterone loser = rechallenge.
2) . Other hormones =
- Dual hormone hypothesis.
- high testosterone + low cortisol = aggression.
Genetic factors in aggression?
1) . Twin studies.
2) . Adoption studies.
3) . MAOA gene.
4) . Gene-environment interactions.
Who conducted twin studies in aggression?
Coccaro et al. –> physical =
- MZ = 50%.
- DZ = 19%
Who conducted a meta-analysis of adoption studies?
Rhee and Waldman =
- 41% genetic factors in aggression.
What did Brunner et al. find about the low activity MAOA in his study?
28 male Dutch family members =
- low activity MAOA = violent behaviour.
What is the gene-environment interaction?
Low activity MAOA + aggression = only when experienced childhood trauma.
- diathesis-stress model.
Evaluate genetic factors in aggression?
1) . Isolating genetic factors =
- genes interact with environment.
2) . Multiple genetic influences =
- Stuart et al. –> serotonin transporter gene + MAOA = closely related to domestic abusers behaviour.
3) . Measuring aggression =
- people measure aggression differently, sometimes findings don’t correspond.
4) . Lacks validity =
- Rhee and Waldman’s meta-analysis.
What is the ethological explanation?
Aggressive instincts - beneficial to survival.
What are the adaptive functions of aggression?
1) . Reduces competition.
2) . Establishes dominance hierarchy.
What is ritualistic aggression?
Appeasement display’s =
- loser indicates defeat, preventing damage from winner.
- e.g. ducking head or walking away.
What is an IRM?
Built-in physiological process that identifies threats.
- activates FAP’s (facial expression).
What is a FAP?
Specific stereotyped, unchangeable sequences of behaviour (e.g. aggressive attack).
What is the key study in IRM’s and FAP’s?
Tinbergen –> male stickleback =
- stickleback aggressive if model had a red spot, even if it wasn’t shaped as a stickleback.
- IRM –> triggered by red dot.
- FAP –> aggression.
Evaluate the ethological explanation of aggression?
1) . Supporting research =
- Brunner (MAOA) + limbic system = shows aggression is genetic.
2) . Cultural differences in aggression =
- Nisbett = Southern US males = more aggressive than North.
- can’t be explained by innate instincts.
3) . Evidence against ritualistic aggression =
- Goodall = appeasement displays in Gombe chimpanzees didn’t inhibit aggression.
4) . Can’t generalise animal studies =
- Tinbergen = can’t say the same for humans.
What is the evolutionary explanation of aggression?
Aggression enhances reproductive success.
What is meant by sexual jealousy?
- Greater in males.
- Prevents cuckoldry (defence).
- Drives aggressive strategies for retaining mates.
What are mate retention strategies?
1) . Direct guarding = man controlling.
2) . Negative inducements = threats of consequences (kill myself).
What is the key study into mate retention strategies and violence?
Shackleford =
- couples completed questionnaires.
- men using mate retention strategies = more likely to be violent.
What is the evolutionary explanation of bullying?
It’s adaptive for males = signals desirable characteristics for females (e.g. dominance).
Evaluate the evolutionary explanation of aggression?
1) , Research support =
- link Shackleford’s findings to cuckoldry.
2) . Can account for gender differences =
- females = avoid physical aggression (threatens offspring), use verbal instead.
3) . Real-life application =
- can lead to better anti-bullying interventions.
4) , Methodological issues =
- can’t conclude as research is only correlational, not fact.
What is the 3 social-psychological explanations of aggression?
1) . Frustration-aggression hypothesis.
2) . SLT.
3) . De-individuation.
What is the frustration-aggression hypothesis?
Frustration and aggression always go together.
Who developed thee frustration-aggression hypothesis?
Dollard et al. =
- If a goal is blocked, we get frustrated, which is relieved by aggression.
- a cathartic experience.
Why might aggression be displaced?
Because we may be frustrated indirectly (e.g. at government, or it may risk punishment).
- so frustration is taken out on an object, or someone else.
What is the key study in frustration-aggression?
Geen =
- created frustration in students (doing jigsaw).
- most frustrated = gave strongest electric shocks.
Who studied the role of environmental cues in frustration-aggression?
Berkowitz and LePage =
- students got frustrated, but only gave electric shocks when gun was presented.
Evaluate the frustration-aggression hypothesis?
1) . Research support =
- meta-analysis –> frustration displaced when source of frustration is unavailable.
2) . Is aggression cathartic?
- Bushman = P. ‘venting’ anger made them more aggressive, not less.
3) . Negative affect theory =
- Berkowitz = it’s not just frustration that causes aggression, not every feeling leads to aggression.
4) . Real-life application =
- role of aggressive cues –> involved in USA gun debate.
What is the SLT of aggression?
Learn to be aggressive directly and indirectly.
How is aggression learned directly and indirectly?
- Directly = operant conditioning.
- Indirectly = observational (vicarious).
How is vicarious reinforcement linked to aggression?
- Child observes models aggressive behaviour.
- Child observes consequence (rewarded = imitate).
What are the cognitive mediational processes involved?
1) . Attention = notices aggressive behaviour.
2) . Retention = remember aggressive behaviour.
3) . Reproduction = repeats behaviour.
4) . Motivation = only repeat if the expect to be rewarded.
What is self-effiicacy?
Child continues to be aggressive if it keeps getting rewarded –> motivates them.
What is the key SLT study?
Bandura –> Bobo doll =
- children observed adult model assault doll.
- very close imitation of model (aggressive/non-aggressive model).
What are the evaluations of the SLT on aggression?
1) . Supporting evidence =
- Poulin and Boivin = aggressive boys formed friendships, observed each others aggression.
2) . Cannot explain all aggression =
- can’t explain aggression where rewards are less obvious (anger, hostile aggression).
3) . Real-life application =
- media = if a character is rewarded for aggression, can influence children.
4) . Cultural differences =
- !Kung San children still behave aggressively without adults being aggressive (against norm).
What is de-individuation?
Becoming aggressive in a crowd due to hidden identity.
Which study is de-individuation seen in?
Zimbardo =
- given guards reflective shades.
- monitor behaviour less, so more likely to be aggressive.
How does anonymity lead to aggression?
- Less fear of retribution as unidentified.
- Provides fewer opportunities for people to judge behaviour as negative.
What does Prentice-Dunn and Rogers say the role of self-awareness is in aggression?
Anonymity = reduces self-awareness =
- attention focused on surrounding event.
- pay less attention to own behaviour.
What is the key study into de-individuation?
Dodd =
- asked students to list what they would do if they could never be found out.
- 36% responses = anti-social.
- 26% = criminal acts.
- 9% = pro-social.
What are the evaluations of de-individuation?
1) . Research support =
- correlation between online anonymity and flaming (posting hostile images).
2) . Lack of support =
- Gergen et al. = de-individuation led to sexual behaviour but not aggression.
3) . De-individuation and situational cues =
- Johnson and Downing = P. dressed as nurses less aggressive than those as KKK.
4) . Real-life application =
- helps us understand aggressive behaviour in online games (those with anonymity).
Why is institutional aggression in prisons studied?
To see if the person is aggression (disposition) or if its the situation that makes them aggressive.
What model is used to explain the dispositional factor of prisoners?
The importation model –> Irwin and Cressy.
What does Irwin and Cressy say the importation model is?
Inmates bring (import) their aggressive behaviour with them to prison.
- use it to establish power and status in prison.
What study supports the importation model?
DeLisi et al. =
- studied juveniles who had negative dispositions (childhood trauma).
- more likely to be violent which brought more attention.
What are the evaluations of the importation model?
1) . Research support =
- offenders allocated to different prisons, equal amount of violence (disposition = key).
2) . Alternative explanation =
- ignores the role of officers = poorly ran prisons more likely to be more violent.
What model is used to explain the situational factors in prisons?
Deprivation model –> Clemmer.
What does Clemmer say the deprivation model is?
- Prisoners deprived of ‘goods’, freedom and independence.
- Harsh conditions cause stress = frustration = violence.
What study supports the deprivation model?
Steiner =
- 512 US prisons.
- situation-level factors predicted aggression in prison (e.g. high proportion of female staff, blacks, etc).
What are the evaluations of the deprivation model?
1) . Supporting evidence =
- Cunningham = 35 prison homicides linked to deprivation (e.g. arguing over drugs).
2) . Contradictory research =
- Hensley et al. = no link between conjugal visits and reduced aggression (weren’t deprived but still aggressive).
What are the 2 explanations of media influences on aggression?
1) . Effects of computer games.
2) . Desensitisation, disinhibition and cognitive priming.
What are the 4 types of studies into the effects of computer games?
1) . Experimental = Bartholow and Anderson.
2) . Correlational = DeLisi et al.
3) . Longitudinal = Robertson et al.
4) . Meta-analysis = Andersen et al.
What did Bartholow and Anderson find in their experiment on computer games?
Players of a violent game selected higher volumes of white noise than players of a non-violent game.
What did DeLisi et al. find a correlation between?
- 227 juveniles.
- aggression correlated with how often the juveniles played violent video games.
What did Robertson et al. find in his longitudinal study on computer games?
- 1037 people.
- time spent watching TV in childhood a reliable predictor of aggressive crimes as adults.
What did Andersen et al. find in their meta-analysis?
136 studies.
- violent computer games linked with aggression, including males and females.
Evaluate thee effects of computer games?
1) . Cathartic? =
- playing games could be purging feelings, preventing them from occurring in real-life.
2) . Meta-analysis =
- usually on publish significant results, hard to redict original validity.
3) . Correlational studies =
- no cause-and-effect, so conclusions cannot be made.
4) . Experimental studies =
- artificial measures of aggression (no fear of retaliation), but maintains ethics.
What is desensitisation?
Repeated viewing leads to reduced arousal = greater acceptance of aggression as a method of problem solving,
What research support is there for desensitisation?
Krahe et al. =
- showed P. violent film clips.
- showed lower arousal and more proactive aggression due to regular exposure to violent media.
What is disinhibition?
Violent media gives aggressive behaviour social approval =
- loosens social restraints.
- reduced inhibitions, creating new social norms.
What research support is there for disinhibition?
Berkowitz and Alioto =
- more electric shocks given when viewed justified violent media (vengeance).
What is cognitive priming?
Metal triggers =
- aggressive media provides a ‘script’ about violent situations.
- these are readied where we perceive aggressive cues.
What is the practical application of cognitive priming?
Bushman and Anderson =
- someone who watches violent media accessed stored aggressive ‘scripts’ –> more likely to interpret aggressive cues in real-life.
- allows intervention of cues to inhibit aggression.
Whats an alternative explanation of desensitisation?
Krahe et al.
- cant find link between media viewing and reactive aggression –> could be cathartic and desensitisation can’t explain this.
