Chapter 11

Question 1

Aggression

Answer 1

o Intentional behaviour aimed at causing physical, psychological pain (physical or verbal)
o Hostile aggression: aimed at inflicting pain
o Instrumental aggression: serves as a means to some goal other than causing pain

Question 2

Biological Basis - Freud

Answer 2

• Death instinct thanatos leads to aggressive actions

- Aggressive energy must be expressed, otherwise can result in illness

Question 3

Biological Basis - Animal Models

Answer 3

• Universality of aggression among vertebrates indicates that aggression serves a survival function
• Expression of aggression dependent upon prior learning and social context
• Men more prone to aggression to perpetuate their genes…when they feel threatened they respond to aggression; so where dominance is an issue and also jealousy they become aggressive

Question 4

Biological Basis - Amygdala and Serotonin

Answer 4

o Amygdala
- Lower brain centre for aggression
o Serotonin
- Neurochemical that may inhibit aggressive impulses
- Violent criminals tend to be low in serotonin

Question 5

Cultural Basis - Culture of honour

Answer 5

• Human cultures vary widely in their degree of aggressiveness
• But is higher in those culture that define male honour in terms of power, toughness, and protection of one’s property
• US homicide rates higher in south; particularly in rural areas

Question 6

Cultural Basis - Testosterone

Answer 6

• Strong in criminal populations

- Meta analysis: weak, positive correlation (r=0.14) exists b/w testosterone and aggression

Question 7

Gender and Aggression; Boys Vs. Girls

Answer 7

o Boys 
- More overtly aggressive 
- Pushing, shoving, hitting 
o Girls 
- More covert 
- Gossiping, rumours, backstabbing

Question 8

Gender differences from 1989-1999

Answer 8

• Rate of violent crime for male youths was 3xs higher than for female youths
• 81% increase in females
• 30% increase in males

Question 9

Gender and types of aggression

Answer 9

o Overall men have been shown to be more aggressive than women
- But gender differences vary depending on the situation and the difference disappears under strong provocation
o Men: generally directed at other men, is likely to involve alcohol + be more violent
o Women: more likely to be directed at a romantic partner + less likely to involve alcohol

Question 10

Alcohol and Aggression

Answer 10

o Alcohol intoxication: violent crimes, family violence, relationship violence, bullying, date aggression, and air rage

1) reduces inhibitions (because less self-aware)
2) lowers threshold for aggressive behaviour
3) inability to consider consequences

Question 11

Pain and Aggression

Answer 11

oPain and discomfort have been linked with aggression
o Ex: heat, humidity, foul smells…
o Study: participants read story about car accident and task to finish the story; some in hot room; some were in normal room; those in hot room came up with a more aggressive ending to the story

Question 12

Frustration and Aggression: Frustration-Aggression Theory

Answer 12

o Frustration – aggression theory: frustration will increase the probability of an aggressive response

Question 13

Frustration and Aggression

Answer 13

o Closeness to the goal object and expectations influence aggression
o Frustration does not always produce aggression, especially if frustrator is superior in size and strength
o If the frustration is legitimate and unintentional, the tendency to aggress will be reduced
o Relative deprivation
- Causes frustration and subsequent aggression
- Perceive that you have
• Less than you deserve
• Less than you have been led to expect
• Less than people similar to you have
- Ex: gender inequality in the workplace

Question 14

Reciprocating

Answer 14

• People usually feel the need to reciprocate after deliberate provocation from another person
  o Rejection = aggression in the laboratory; high school shootings?

Question 15

Presence of aggressive stimuli

Answer 15

• Presence of aggressive stimuli (ex: gun) increases the probability of aggression
  o Ex: gun vs. racket study
• Walk into room; if there’s a gun on the wall the participants more aggressive; if tennis racket instead they’re less aggressive
  o Study: in Seattle handgun ownership is unrestricted and there’s 2xs the murder rate than in Vancouver where there’s restricted ownership
  o Cross-national study of violence found that the homicide rate in countries all over the world is highly correlated with the availability of handguns

Question 16

Social Learning Theory

Answer 16

o Learn social behaviour by observing others and imitating them
- Bandura; bobo doll study
- Children imitate aggressive behaviour (especially when it’s rewarded)
- Aggression in NOT cathartic
o Large percentage of physically abusive people were themselves abused
o When children experience aggressive treatment at the hands of their parents, they learn that violence is the way to respond to conflict or anger
o Not given tools to handle negative emotions

Question 17

TV and Aggression

Answer 17

• Being exposed to violence on TV + video games increases aggressive behaviour in children
• Average 12 year-old has witnessed over 100,000 acts of violence on television
  Television content:
  • 58% contain violence
  • 78% of these = no remorse or penalty
  • 40% of violent acts initiated by heroes
  o STUDY: Police drama vs. non-violent sporting event
• Aggression was highest for kids primed for high aggression; but even MORE aggressive if watch the police drama

Question 18

TV and Aggression in adults

Answer 18

• Longitudinal study of over 700 families showed relationship b/w time spent watching TV and subsequent violent behaviour

Question 19

Repeated exposure to violence = numbing effect; 4 routes

Answer 19

1) if they can do it, so can I; weakened inhibitions
2) oh, so that’s how it’s done; imitation
3) I think it must be aggressive feelings that I’m experiencing; priming of anger and aggression
4) Ho-hum, another brutal beating; reduction of our sense of horror and sympathy for victim
5) (in textbook) I better get him, before he gets me = heightened sense of danger

Question 20

Lab studies; exposure to violent porn:

Answer 20

1 – greater acceptance of sexual violence towards women

2 - men who view violent porn behave aggressively toward women

Question 21

STUDY: Paolucci-Oddone et al. (2000) – meta analysis of the effects of violent porn

Answer 21

1 – developing sexually deviant tendencies
2 – committing sexual offenses
3 – experiencing difficulties in one’s intimate relationships
4 – accepting rape myth

Question 22

Reducing Aggression - Punishment

Answer 22

Does punishment reduce aggression?
- For children, harsh punishment provides a model of aggression and does not provide a disincentive for not being aggressive when unsupervised
o Mild punishment, swiftly administered, does seem to reduce aggression in preschoolers and school kids
- Must be swift and not too severe**
- Consistency and certainty of punishment are key
o Death penalty countries have higher crimes rates; when remove death penalty no increase of crime rate

Question 23

Catharsis perspective

Answer 23

• Blowing off steam or venting to reduce aggression

- Has opposite effect, pumps you up even more

Question 24

Good ways to reduce aggression

Answer 24

o Exposing people to non-aggressive models reduces aggressive behaviour; Children exposed to such models show a much lower frequency of aggression than children who were not exposed
o Another tactic is to teach people how to communicate anger, or criticism in constructive ways
o Teaching empathy will also reduce aggressive behaviour
- Role playing, videotape modeling
- Higher self-esteem, higher academic achievement and lower aggression