Aggressive behaviour

Question 1

What is aggression?

Answer 1

Any behaviour directed toward another individual that is carried out with the proximate intent to cause harm. The target must be motivated to avoid the behaviour.

Question 2

What is violence?

Answer 2

Aggression that has extreme harm as its goal.

Question 3

What gender differences did Archer (1988) identify in animal behaviour?

Answer 3

Male animals are more aggressive, more likely to attack and more likely to fight

Question 4

What was Lorenz’s view on aggression?

Answer 4

Aggression is instinctual and released in certain circumstances. Aggression needs to be released regularly or it becomes pent up.

Question 5

Who is credited for aggression research in clinical psychology?

Answer 5

Berkowitz, Huessmann, Dodge

Question 6

How has aggression been linked to neural networks?

Answer 6

Neurons are activated together and links become stronger through repetition of experience. More aggression experienced = greater number of nodes and strength of connections.

Question 7

What is cognitive neo-association theory?

Answer 7

Unpleasant or threatening situations arouse negative feelings that stimulate physiological responses (fight/flight)

Question 8

Who proposed script theory? What is it?

Answer 8

Rowell Huesmann (1986, 1998)
When a situation is familiar and has been experienced multiple times, responses become automatic

Question 9

In relation to aggression, developmental psychology studies:

Answer 9

Development of aggression over the lifespan, constancy of trait aggression, influence of parents, media and environment, gene-environment interactions and hostile attributional bias

Question 10

What kinds of studies do developmental psychologists undertake?

Answer 10

Large longitudinal studies

Question 11

Which emotions are linked to aggression?

Answer 11

Shame, humiliation, jealousy, frustration

Question 12

What is the frustration-aggression hypothesis? Who developed it?

Answer 12

When blocked from attaining a goal, frustration ensues. All frustration leads to aggression, all instances of aggression can be traced back to frustration.

Dollard et al (1938), reworked by Berkowitz (1989)

Question 13

How is aggression related to evolutionary psychology?

Answer 13

Aggression is hard-wired. Strong links to animal work (Lorenz, Higley). Reproductive success, survival of the fittest (Buss & Shackleford).

Question 14

Why is aggression linked to health psychology?

Answer 14

Aggressive individuals at increased risk of poor health, early mortality, mental health problems and decreased life satisfaction.

Injury, recovery, trauma related to victimhood.

Question 15

What forms of learning encompass adoption of aggressive behaviour?

Answer 15

Classical conditioning, instrumental learning, social learning

Question 16

What is Bandura’s (1973, 1983) Social Learning Theory?

Answer 16

People acquire aggressive tendencies through direct experience or through observing and copying the behaviours of aggressive role models.

Question 17

What did the Bobo doll experiment reveal?

Answer 17

The occurrence of observational learning in the absence of reinforcement to the observers.

Question 18

When is a learner more likely to copy an aggressive model?

Answer 18

They are respected or liked or high status
They are similar or familiar
If they are rewarded for their behaviours
If the learner has a self-efficacy for aggression

Question 19

How many genes are linked with aggressive behaviour? Which are most notable?

Answer 19

16 or 17 (Maxson)
Polymorphism in the promoter or the MAOA gene (interacting with child maltreatment)
Variation in serotonin transporter gene

Question 20

Which neurotransmitters are linked with aggression?

Answer 20

Serotonin deficits (poor impulse control)
High GABA (rodents)
Dopamine with ADHD (impulsive)

Question 21

Which hormones are linked with aggression?

Answer 21

High testosterone (especially when low cortisol, serotonin)
Low cortisol, low oxytocin
Low oestrogen, progesterone

Question 22

Which areas of the brain are linked to aggression?

Answer 22

Frontal lobes
Orbitofrontal cortex (RH)
Anterior cingulate cortex (RH)
Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (LH)
Limbic system (esp amygdala)

Question 23

How is aggression linked to the stress system?

Answer 23

lower resting heart rate
under-arousal of CNS and autonomic NS
lower electrodermal, cardiovascular and cortical arousal
low basal cortisol levels

Question 24

What does excitation transfer mean?

Answer 24

Residual excitation from one stimulus will amplify the excitatory response to another stimulus

Question 25

In regards to aggression and personality, Freud believed:

Answer 25

every person has an innate aggressive and sexual drive that pushes them forward in life

Question 26

Which of the Big 5 relate to aggression?

Answer 26

Low agreeableness
Low conscientiousness
High neuroticism
Low extraversion

Question 27

Which of the HEXACO traits relate to aggression?

Answer 27

Low honesty/humility

Question 28

Social interaction theory (Tedeschi & Felson, 1994) relates to:

Answer 28

aggression as a way of achieving desired goals. It is an instrumental approach.

Question 29

According to the GAM, an episode of aggression depends on what?

Answer 29

1. Person (readiness) and situation (stimulus) variables
2. Cognitions, accessible affects, arousal
3. Immediate appraisal
4. Resources