aggression frustration hypothesis

Question 1

what’s the frustration-aggression hypothesis by
Donallard et al (1939)

Answer 1

frustration always leads to aggression + aggression is always result of frustration.

Question 2

how does the aggression-frustration hypothesis work

Answer 2

if our attempt to achieve goal is blocked by external factors we experience frustration = creates an aggressive drive - leading to aggressive behaviour. e.g. violence fantasy, verbal outburst, physical violence.

Question 3

how is the aggression-fustration hypothesis cathartic?

Answer 3

This is cathartic because aggression created by the frustration is satisfied thereby reducing the drive + making further aggression less likely. we feel better for getting it off our chest.

Question 4

what was the frustration aggression hypothesis based on

Answer 4

Based on psychodynamic concept of catharsis + views aggression as a psychological drive akin to biological drives like hunger.

Question 5

who created the frustration aggression hypothesis

Answer 5

Donallard et al (1939)

Question 6

the hypothesis recognises that aggression is not always expressed directly against the source of frustration for 3 reasons.
List them
(frustration aggression h)

Answer 6

-the cause may be abstract,
e.g. economic situation the government or music industry.

-the cause may be too powerful and we risk punishment by aggressing against it
e.g the teacher who gave you a lower grade than you expected.

-the cause may be unavailable at the time
e.g. perhaps the teacher left before you realised what grade you got.

so aggression is deflected onto an alternative- one that is not abstract, is weaker + is available.

Question 7

give just the 3 examples (TITLES) when frustration not at source

Answer 7

-cause may be abstract

-cause may be too powerful and we risk punishment by aggressing against it.

• cause may be unavailable at the time

Question 8

who conducted the research into fustration-aggression

Answer 8

Russell Green 1968

Question 9

what was Greens procedure into fustration-aggression

Answer 9

procedure:
male university students were given the task of completing jigsaw. their aggression was manipulated in 3 ways.
-some puzzle was impossible to solve
-some ran out of time because confederate P kept interfering.
-confederate insulting the P as they failed to solve the puzzle.
Next part of the study involved the participant giving electric shocks to the confederate when they made a mistake on another task.

Question 10

what was Greens findings

Answer 10

FINDINGS: insulted Ps gave the strongest shocks on average followed by interfered group, then the impossible task Ps. All 3 groups gave more intense shocks then control group (didn’t experience frustration)

Question 11

who studied environmental cues for aggressive behaviour

Answer 11

Berkowitz and Lepage

Question 12

what does environmental cues do for aggressive behaviour
(Berkowitz)

Answer 12

Berkowitz (1989), frustration creates a readiness for aggression.
But the presence of environmental cues make acting upon this more likely. TF, cues are an additional element of the fusrtration-aggression hypothesis.
This demonstrated in famous study

Question 13

what was the procedure into the role of environmental cues
Berkowitz and Lepage

Answer 13

PROCEDURE: arranged for student participants to be given electric shocks in lab situation, creating anger + frustration. The individual who gave the shocks was a confederate of the researchers. The participants then had the opportunity to turn the table + give electric shocks to the confederate.

Question 14

what was Berkowitz and Lepage findings

Answer 14

FINDINGS: the number of shocks given depended on the presence or absence of weapons in the lab. IN one condition, two guns whew present on the table next to the shock machine. Average number of shocks given in this condition was 6.07. When no guns were present, average number of shocks was at 4.67.

Question 15

how does Berkowitz and Lepage’s findings suggest their theory abt the environmental cues

Answer 15

This so-called weapon effect supports Berkowitz contention that the presence of aggression environmental cues stimulates aggression.

Question 16

Evaluation of frustration-aggression hypothesis

Answer 16

• RESEARCH SUPPORT
  Marcus-Newhall et al (2000) conducted meta analysis of 49 studies of displaced aggression. These studies investigated situations in which aggressive behaviour had to be directed against a target other than the cause of frustration.
  Conclusions: displaced aggression is a reliable phenomenon. P who were provoked but unable to retaliate directly against the source of their frustration were significantly more likely to aggress against an innocent party than people who were not provoked. This is exactly the outcome predicted by the frustration-aggression hypothesis.

-Is aggression Cathartic?
BUSHMAN (2002) found Ps who vented their anger by repeatedly hitting a punchbag actually became more angry + aggressive rather than less. In fact, doing nothing was more effective at reducing aggression than venting anger. B argues using venting to reduce anger is like using petrol to put out a fire. But this is the advice therapist give to clients. The outcome go this study is very different from that predicted by the frustration-aggression hypothesis. This cast doubt on the validity of a central assumption of the hypothesis.

-Berkowitz reformulation: negative affect theory
became clear from research that frustration doesn’t always lead to aggression + aggression can occur without frustration. so Leonard Berkowitz reformed the hypothesis - argued that frustration is just one of many adverse stimuli that creates negative feelings; jealousy, pain, loneliness. So aggressive beh is triggered by negative feeling generally rather than frustration specifically. The outcome of fustration can be a range of responses, only one of which is aggression. e.g. the frustration someone receives from a low grade might not necessarily lead to aggression but to despair, anxiety, hopelessness or determination. This demonstrates the original hypothesis was inadequate as it could only explain how aggression arises in some situations but not others.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
Berkowitz argument that ‘the trigger can pull the finger’ has featured in the gun control debate in the US. some states allow ‘open carry’, where a gun does not have to be concealed. There is more concern, bolstered by many research studies, that open presence of a weapon can act as a cue to aggression, making its use more likely.

Question 17

RESEARCH SUPPORT
Marcus-Newhall et al (2000)

Answer 17

conducted meta analysis of 49 studies of displaced aggression. These studies investigated situations in which aggressive behaviour had to be directed against a target other than the cause of frustration.
Conclusions: displaced aggression is a reliable phenomenon. P who were provoked but unable to retaliate directly against the source of their frustration were significantly more likely to aggress against an innocent party than people who were not provoked. This is exactly the outcome predicted by the frustration-aggression hypothesis.

Question 18

Is aggression Cathartic?
BUSHMAN (2002)

Answer 18

found Ps who vented their anger by repeatedly hitting a punchbag actually became more angry + aggressive rather than less. In fact, doing nothing was more effective at reducing aggression than venting anger. B argues using venting to reduce anger is like using petrol to put out a fire. But this is the advice therapist give to clients. The outcome go this study is very different from that predicted by the frustration-aggression hypothesis. This cast doubt on the validity of a central assumption of the hypothesis.

Question 19

Berkowitz reformulation

Answer 19

negative affect theory
became clear from research that frustration doesn’t always lead to aggression + aggression can occur without frustration. so Leonard Berkowitz reformed the hypothesis - argued that frustration is just one of many adverse stimuli that creates negative feelings; jealousy, pain, loneliness. So aggressive beh is triggered by negative feeling generally rather than frustration specifically. The outcome of fustration can be a range of responses, only one of which is aggression. e.g. the frustration someone receives from a low grade might not necessarily lead to aggression but to despair, anxiety, hopelessness or determination. This demonstrates the original hypothesis was inadequate as it could only explain how aggression arises in some situations but not others.

Question 20

PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
Berkowitz

Answer 20

Berkowitz argument that ‘the trigger can pull the finger’ has featured in the gun control debate in the US. some states allow ‘open carry’, where a gun does not have to be concealed. There is more concern, bolstered by many research studies, that open presence of a weapon can act as a cue to aggression, making its use more likely.