Agression, Coercive Action, and Anger (chpt.8)

Question 1

Types of Aggression p.208-209

Answer 1

Predatory aggression
Intermale aggression
Fear-induced aggression
Territorial aggression
Maternal aggression
Irritable aggression 
sex-related aggression
Instrumental aggression

Question 2

Aggression

Answer 2

behavior against another person with the intention of committing harm.

Question 3

The fight-flight system (FFS)

Answer 3

This system is activated when we experience pain and frustration

Question 4

The behavioral Activation system (BAS)

Answer 4

This system is activated in connection with frustration

Question 5

The behavioral Inhibition System

Answer 5

This system is referred to as the stop, look, and listen system.

Question 6

Amygdala

Answer 6

one of the central structures of the FFS is a structure within the limbic system a system that has been implicated in a wide range of emotional behaviors the limbic system is often referred to in connection with emotions

Amygdala: Brain structure related to fear, anxiety, rage.
Mainly ‘R-complex.’

Question 7

Frustration

Answer 7

can be viewed as having its roots in the need to control or need to be in control Other person ‘in way of plans’ can lead to feeling of frustration.
Frustration is a bad feeling (‘negative affect’).
Can be expressed as aggression.

Or aggression may be ‘displaced’ to others.
Most likely target: Similar to person ‘in way of plans.’

Question 8

Tedeschi and Felson (1994)

Answer 8

proposed a theory of coercive that focuses on the social functions of harm doing both physical and psychological harm

Question 9

How do we measure Aggression?

Answer 9

Milgram study shock experiment proved strong pressure by authority/society will cause most people to aggress.

Retaliation.
If aggressed on (e.g., shocked) most will retaliate equally.
If told that others will not fight back, even more retaliation.
People sometimes massively retaliate.Often ends the
fight unless the other is very angry.This is also seen in animal packs.

Question 10

Unified person vs. different subsystems

Answer 10

Statements can assume unified person. Hostility involves feelings of injustice.’
‘Justice’ is a high-level human idea. Subsystems are unlikely to know ‘justice.’

In most case, ‘unified person’ can stop from acting on aggressive feelings.
But many aggressive feelings start at the subsystem level.
Subsystem can ‘intend to harm’ without recognizing other as person. Justice’ requires person recognition, but aggression may not.
Theory needs to take into account both the ‘start’ and ‘stop’ factors.
Clear statements are important.

Question 11

Agression (Bio. component)

Answer 11

Genetics.
Mz/Dz twin studies show that some aggression (aggr.) is genetic. , aggression is related to ‘impulsivity.’
Impulsivity is sometimes caused by low serotonin neurotransmitter (NT).
but, also, high dopamine NT (compare ‘extraversion’).
Both NTs partly controlled by genetic factors.

Question 12

Impulsitivity

Answer 12

Impulsivity is a ‘failure to stop’
takes away dignity of ‘unified human.’
Neurotransmitter systems are subsystems.
a person must practice (‘learn’) to integrate subsystems to become ‘unified human.’

Question 13

Hormones

Answer 13

Testosterone (Tst) high blood Tst linked positively to aggression in males but not in females related to sexual arousal and male vs. female roles. Tst linked directly to social dominanceOnly indirectly linked with physical aggression.

Question 14

PMS (Premenstrual syndrome )

Answer 14

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
Includes increasing in negative affect, impulsivity, and aggression.
Low Pr and Es near start of menstruation may cause PMS.
But may also be other factors (e.g., low vitamins, low blood sugar).

About 25% of aggression is due to hormones.
Tst, Pr, Es, and also more rare ones.
high androstenedione (precursor to Tst and Es) may cause aggression in teenage boys and girls.

Question 15

Reptalian brain & Mammalian brain

Answer 15

Maclean’s (1970) ‘triune brain’ theory.’Reptilian brain’ (R-complex);’mammalian brain’ (mainly, limbic system); and
Neocortex. Evolutionarily more primitive parts of the brain still maintain old functions

Question 16

Reptilian brain’ (R-complex) instinct

Answer 16

Routine behaviors, concerns for safety, survival, territoriality.
‘Feelings’ (or lack):
Fight-or-flight: intense, immediate compulsion to act.
–little ‘qualitative’ feeling (unlike, e.g., sadness, love).
‘Pure’ non-feeling aggression (e.g., pushing someone ‘out of your way’ in your routine territory’) compare text description, family murderer (p. 216).

Question 17

Mammal brain Maclean’s theory

Answer 17

Herd behaviors, social action (e.g., communication by sound).
E.g., distress vocalizations not found in reptiles
–R brains are not smart; if young R attract parent, they will eat young.

Feelings: Many–the limbic system is the main ‘emotional brain.’
Maternal feelings, bonding, love, social play–and all kinds of play.
–Mammals, but not R, practice to become adults.
Also: Maternal protectiveness, ‘outgroup’ dislike, hatred, ‘mischief/impishness’ (compare ‘impulsivity’).
–some theorist suggest that apparent ‘ADHD’ is often a misdiagnosed ‘need to play.’
Many aggressions can come from mammal brain,
e.g., wars, competition, ‘pranks.

Question 18

Neocortex

Answer 18

Thinking, reasoning, planning.
Feelings: No feelings directly in Nc.
Nc can be very related to aggression.
E.g., people may be very aggr. towards others if
aggression leads to goal (e.g., robbery); or
other person is ‘in the way’ of plans (e.g., business plans).

R-complex, mammalian brain both have strong ‘start’ reactions for aggression.
Nc is needed for ‘stop’ reactions.
Nc also needed to decide ‘justice’ so that worse aggression can be stopped.
May need wise aggression to stop bad aggression.

Question 19

Type A behavior pattern (TABP)

Answer 19

Character:
Competitive: striving to win.
Overly urgent.
Interpersonally aggressive (‘anger-out’).
Likely victims for heart attacks.
But ‘anger-in’ TABP have even more heart attacks.
Solution: Use neocortex to plan a practice to gradually learn to be less like TABP.

Question 20

Cynical hostility

Answer 20

Most prone to heart attack of all.
‘Negative (downward) spiral.’
Believes all others full of hatred.
So, cynically acts full of hatred,
causing ‘self-fulfilling prophecy’ of others acting hatefully back.
Neocortex planning is necessary to stop the cycle.
As in other cases of aggression.