Application: Aggression (LEC) Flashcards
Which of the following best illustrates aggression based on the behavioral definition of aggression?
a) A dentist accidentally hurts a patient while performing a root canal.
b) A child pushes another child to get to the front of a line.
c) A toddler throws a toy out of frustration.
d) A parent disciplines a child with the intent to teach responsibility
a) A dentist accidentally hurts a patient while performing a root canal.
At what age do children typically begin showing clear signs of aggression?
a) During the first year
b) Between 1-2 years
c) Between 2-4 years
d) After 4 years
c) Between 2-4 years
A 3-year-old child fights with another child for taking their toy. This behavior is an example of:
a) Physical aggression
b) Verbal aggression
c) Instrumental aggression
d) Relational aggression
c) Instrumental aggression
(aggression motivated by the desire to obtain a concrete goal, such as gaining possession of a toy or getting a better place in line.)
Most aggression exhibited by children ages 2 through 6 is instrumental, with the majority of outbursts happening in fights over materials and toys. Toddlers and preschoolers are impulsive, have limited language skills and are egocentric. As a result, they may hit, grab, kick, or bite to get what they need.
According to Freud, aggression is derived from:
a) Learned experiences through observation.
b) The death drive, or thanatos, in the psyche.
c) Social rejection during early development.
d) Poor role-taking abilities in childhood.
b) The death drive, or thanatos, in the psyche.
In Kuo’s study with kittens, which condition resulted in the lowest likelihood of attacking a rat?
a) Kittens raised in isolation
b) Kittens raised with their mother
c) Kittens raised with a rat
d) Kittens exposed to aggressive models
c) Kittens raised with a rat
Bandura’s Bobo Doll Study demonstrated that:
a) Children learn aggression through direct experience.
b) Physical punishment leads to higher aggression in children.
c) Observing aggression increases the likelihood of imitating aggressive behavior.
d) Aggression is innate and cannot be modified through social interaction.
c) Observing aggression increases the likelihood of imitating aggressive behavior.
What is a limitation of using physical punishment as a strategy to reduce aggression in children?
a) It fails to address relational aggression.
b) It may reinforce aggression in children through modeling.
c) It only works with highly aggressive children.
d) It eliminates prosocial behavior.
b) It may reinforce aggression in children through modeling.
Which of the following is an example of indirect aggression?
a) Pushing a peer during a disagreement.
b) Spreading rumors about a classmate.
c) Yelling at a parent in frustration.
d) Throwing objects during a tantrum.
b) Spreading rumors about a classmate.
Hyper-aggressive children are more likely to:
a) Display enhanced role-taking abilities.
b) Exhibit a hostile attribution bias.
c) Avoid coercive interactions.
d) Thrive in environments with permissive parenting.
b) Exhibit a hostile attribution bias.
Hostile Attribution Bias is a cognitive distortion commonly observed in hyper-aggressive children, as described by Dodge’s theory. It involves the tendency to interpret ambiguous or neutral actions of others as hostile or intentionally harmful. For example, if someone accidentally bumps into a hyper-aggressive child, they are more likely to assume it was done on purpose, which can lead to an aggressive reaction.
What parenting strategy did Patterson recommend to reduce aggression in children?
a) Using physical punishment to discourage aggressive behavior.
b) Ignoring aggression to prevent reinforcement.
c) Employing timeouts and a point system to reward positive behavior.
d) Allowing natural consequences to discipline the child.
c) Employing timeouts and a point system to reward positive behavior.
Which of the following is true regarding the relationship between aggression and prosocial behavior?
a) They are positively correlated throughout development.
b) The correlation disappears after age 4.
c) Prosocial behavior always increases as aggression decreases.
d) They are negatively correlated in early childhood.
b) The correlation disappears after age 4.
Age 4 and Up
Physical aggression decreases after 4
Correlation between aggression and prosocial behavior disappears.
General decline in aggression, with studies traditionally focusing on direct/overt forms of aggression.
Positive correlation with prosocial disappears:
Level of aggression declines (these studies have traditionally focused on physical (direct or overt) aggression)
What outcome did role-taking training achieve in Chandler’s study?
a) Increased aggression in experimental groups
b) Reduced hostile attribution bias
c) Lowered frequency of arrests in experimental groups
d) Increased permissive parenting practices
c) Lowered frequency of arrests in experimental groups
Chandler’s study investigated how improving role-taking abilities (the capacity to understand another person’s perspective) could reduce aggressive behaviors in hyper-aggressive individuals. The training involved exercises designed to enhance empathy and perspective-taking, such as having participants play multiple roles in a scenario (e.g., in a filmed play). This improved their ability to consider the viewpoints of others, which is critical for reducing aggressive responses that often stem from misunderstandings or poor social cognition.
One key finding from Chandler’s study was that participants who received role-taking training were less likely to engage in criminal activities later on, as evidenced by a lower frequency of arrests in the experimental group compared to control and placebo groups. This result highlights the practical benefits of role-taking training in mitigating aggressive behaviors and promoting prosocial interactions.
Based on studies of media influence, children exposed to violent TV programming are more likely to:
a) Develop prosocial behaviors.
b) Show increased aggression, especially if they are already aggressive.
c) Display reduced aggression due to vicarious punishment.
d) Remain unaffected by media content.
b) Show increased aggression, especially if they are already aggressive.
What is a potential cause of aggression in children raised in coercive family environments?
a) Increased focus on role-taking abilities.
b) Parental encouragement of prosocial behaviors.
c) Reinforcement of aggressive behavior through negative interactions.
d) High levels of parental monitoring.
c) Reinforcement of aggressive behavior through negative interactions.
What change in aggression is observed after age 4?
a) Physical aggression becomes more frequent.
b) Relational aggression decreases significantly.
c) Physical aggression decreases, and relational aggression remains stable.
d) Prosocial behavior decreases in frequency.
c) Physical aggression decreases, and relational aggression remains stable.
Research on developmental trends in aggression indicates that physical aggression tends to decline after age 4 as children develop better emotional regulation, social skills, and language abilities. They rely less on physical means to express frustration or achieve goals.
At the same time,
Relational aggression (e.g., social exclusion, gossip, or spreading rumors) tends to remain stable or become more prominent as children age. This type of aggression often replaces physical aggression because older children use more sophisticated, non-physical strategies to assert dominance or harm others.
