Aggression - Social/Psychological Explanations Flashcards
SLT view on biological approach?
A persons biological makeup creates potential for aggressive behaviour, but the expression of aggression is learnt through SLT
Social psychological theories of aggression?
Social learning theory and deindividuation
Aspects of SLT?
Observation, mental representation and production of behaviour
Research on observation in SLT?
Bandura, Ross and Ross
Bandura Ross and Ross?
Showed pre-school children 3 short films and found that exposure to TV violence, whether it not it was rewarded on screen, could spur aggressive responses
Thorndikes law of effect?
Responses to a situation which are rewarded will be strengthened and become habitual responses to that situation
Self-efficacy in SLT?
If aggressive behaviour has ended disastrously in the past then they will have less confidence and a lower sense of self-efficacy so may not repeat the behaviour again
Strengths of SLT?
Real life applications
Culturally applicable
Reciprocal determinism
Weaknesses of SLT?
Reductionist
Low validity
Unethical
Real life applications of SLT?
Phillips
Phillips?
Daily homicide rates in the US almost always increase in the week following a major boxing match
Reductionism in SLT?
Dabbs
Dabbs?
Looked at criminals and found that those with the highest testosterone levels had been convicted for the most violent crimes
Low validity in SLT?
Noble
Noble?
“Look that’s the doll we have to hit”
Ethical issues in SLT?
Bobo doll study promoted aggression
Cultural applications for SLT?
Wolfgang and Ferracuti
Wolfgang and Ferracuti?
‘Culture of violence theory’ - some cultures emphasise non-aggression eg that KungSan tribe in Khalahari
Main research on deindividuation?
LeBon’s crowd theory
LeBon?
Anonymity, suggestibility and contagion = the ‘collective mind’ = loss of sense of individuality and identity = loss of inhibitions about violence and adherence to social norms
Aspects of deindividuation?
Nature, process and reduce private self awareness
Two main ways of deindividuation?
- Becoming part of a crowd
2. Identifying with a particular role
Research on uniforms in deindividuation?
Rehm et al
Rehm et al?
Children wearing uniform were consistently more aggressive when playing handball
Research on causes of deindividuation?
Zimbardo
Zimbardo?
Deindividuation due to anonymity and altered state of consciousness due to drugs or alcohol
Research on lynchings?
Mullen
Mullen?
Analysed newspaper cuttings of 60 lynchings in the US and found that the more people, the greater the savagery
Research on self-awareness?
Diener
Diener?
Self-awareness is blocked by other factors and events, eg strong feelings of membership, anonymity and external events
Research on public and private self awareness?
Prentice-dunne and Rodgers
Prentice-Dunn and Rodgers?
Public SA = impression if yourself presented to others
Private SA = sense of self, thoughts, values, standards etc.
Reduction in which SA leads to deindividuation?
Private
Strengths of deindividuation?
External validity
Weaknesses of deindividuation?
Contradictory evidence
Gender bias
Pro-social behaviour
External validity of deindividuation?
Diener
Diener? (Eval)
Anti-social behaviours (eg stealing) more likely in a large group with clothes that concealed identity
Contradictory evidence for deindividuation?
Postmes and Spean
Postmes and Spean?
Meta analysis of 60 studies found that disinhibition, anti-social behaviour and low SA weren’t more common in large groups
Gender bias in deindividuation?
Cannavale et al
Cannavale et al?
Increase in aggression was only obtained in all male groups under deindividuation
Pro-social behaviour in deindividuation?
Spivey and prentice-Dunn
Spivey and prentice-Dunn?
Factors such as pro-social environmental cues promoted more altruistic acts
Models of institutional aggression?
Importation and deprivation models
Aspects of the importation model?
Interpersonal factors and gang membership
Research on interpersonal factors?
Irwin and cressey
Irwin and cressey?
Prisoners import behaviour (normative systems) from their social backgrounds
Research on gang membership?
Allender and Marcell
Allender and Marcell?
Pre-prison gang membership is an important determinant of prison violence
Aspects of the deprivation model?
Situational factors and pains of imprisonment
Research on situational factors?
Paterson and Paterline
Paterson and Paterline?
Stressful and oppression conditions = fear and frustration = aggression
Research on pains of imprisonment?
Sykes
Sykes?
Prisoners cope with pains (eg loss of liberty, security and autonomy) by withdrawal or rebellion
Research on models of aggression within groups?
Jiang and Fisher-Giorlando
Jiang and fisher-Giorlando?
DM is better able to explain violence against prison staff but the IM explains it against other inmates
Strengths of institutional aggression?
Real world applications
Support for IM and DM
Individual differences
Weaknesses of institutional aggression?
Contradicting evidence
Limited applications
Limited applications of institutional aggression?
Nijman et al
Nijman et al?
DM doesn’t explain violence in all types of institution, eg psychiatric wards
Real world application of institutional aggression?
Wilson
Wilson?
Less prison like units virtually eradicated assaults on staff and inmates
Contradicting evidence for institutional aggression?
Delissi et al
Delissi et al?
Prison inmates with prior gang involvement were no more likely to engage in prison violence
Support for DM?
McCorkle et al
McCorkle et al?
Overcrowding, lack of privacy and lack of meaningful activity all influence peer violence
Support for IM?
Harer and steffensmeier
Hater and steffensmeier?
Black inmates showed more violence but had less alcohol or drug related misconduct than white, reflecting US society
