Aggression L10 Institutional Aggression in Prisons: Situational Explanations Flashcards

1
Q

What is the Situational Explanation for Aggression?

A
  • Social Psychologists argue that the social environment in the prison can cause aggression
  • Being in crowded conditions cause aggression and prisons by nature are stressful environments
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2
Q

Who put forward the Deprivation Model, and what are the 5 things prisoners are deprived of?

A

Skyes

  • Deprivation of Liberty
  • Deprivation of Autonomy
  • Deprivation of Goods
  • Deprivation of Heterosexual Relationships
  • Deprivation of Security
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3
Q

Deprivation of Liberty

A

Prisoners deprived of their freedom and often have to obtain permission to eat, sleep, shower etc

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4
Q

Deprivation of Autonomy

A

Prisoners have no power and few choices, leading to helplessness, frustration and aggression

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5
Q

Deprivation of Goods

A

Access to things we take for granted, e.g smartphones, leading to frustration therefore aggression

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6
Q

Deprivation of Heterosexual Relationships

A

Men feel emasculated and greater opportunities for homosexual behaviour can lead to anxiety amongst prisoners

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7
Q

Deprivation of Security

A

Prisoners live in fear of aggression from other inmates, this heightened sense of threat can lead to aggressive responses as defence

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8
Q

What other circumstances do psychologists argue have an effect on prisoner behaviour?

A

Overcrowding

Hot and Noisy - pre-dispose inmates to aggressive behaviour, creates negative emotions

Job Burnout - Experience of prison staff of being psychologically worn out and exhausted from a job

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9
Q

What are Strengths of Situational Explanations? (2)

A
  • Overcrowding
  • Practical Application
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10
Q

Practical Application (+)

A
  • Set up two units in HMS Woodhill where the overcrowding was reduced, music was introduced to reduce noisy conditions and the temperature was controlled
  • These conditions acted as a successful way of lowering levels of aggression
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11
Q

Overcrowding (+)

A
  • Found overcrowding in prisons is not just the cause of ill health and general misconduct, but also aggression and violence.
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12
Q

What are Weaknesses of Situational Experiences? (2)

A
  • Low Security and High Security Prisons
  • Little link between overcrowding and aggression
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13
Q

Little link between overcrowding and aggression (-)

A
  • Investigated aggression in 371 state prisons in the US and found little evidence to support link between violence and overcrowding
  • He argues stress is experienced by many individuals in prison, but only some resort to aggression
  • Assumption that stress and frustration always leads to aggression is wrong
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14
Q

Low Security and High Security Prisons (-)

A
  • Randomly allocated 561 male inmates to either a low security or a high security prison
  • Inmates were matched on criminal history and predisposition to aggression
  • Found individuals were likely to act aggressively regardless of the condition, 33% in low security and 36% in high security
  • Low Sec has lower stress so it should lead to less aggression, but its dependant on the individual, dispositional exp better
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