Chapter 11 Flashcards
aggression
behaviour aimed at causing pain/harm to another
aggression can be
physical or psychological
types of agression
- instrumental aggression
- hostile aggression
instrumental aggression
- used as a tool to accomplish some other goal
ex. to protect loved ones, to win a game/war
hostile aggression
- used as an end to itself or the only thing you’re trying to accomplish is cause pain to someone else
where does aggression come from
balance of nature and nurture
- neural/chemical influences
neural/chemical influences
- brains structure
- testosterone
- alcohol
- discomfort or pain
brain structure
there are different parts of the brain associated with aggression
- amygdala
amygdala is known as the
aggression center
- stimulation can depend on hierarchy
testosterone
- only shown in those with unusually high testosterone
men’s testosterone increase when
- handling a weapon
- winning of a game
alcohol
- reduces self awareness
- disinhibitor
- if provoked
- higher levels of preexisting aggression
disinhibitor
turns off the part of brain for self control
alcohol and self awareness
- when we are less self aware we are more likely to act in ways that contradict our fundamental values
discomfort or pain
can cause pain attack response
pain attack response
physical pain causes an outburst of aggression ex. stubbing your toe and being angry
situational causes
- frustration
- provocation
- social exclusion
- aggressive cues
- imitation
- media
frustration
- blocked goal attainment
ex. when you put money in the vending machine and nothing comes out
frustration aggression theory
- frustration doesn’t not always lead to aggression
- aggression is always the result of frustration
frustration aggression theory factors that increase the likelihood of aggression
- closeness of the goal
- unexpected frustration
- relative deprivation
closeness of goal
the closer you are to achieving the goal when you become blocked increases aggression
ex. the closer you are to the front of the line, the more likely you are to be aggressive
relative deprivation
you subjectively have
- less than you expect
- less than you deserve
- less than others
absolute deprivation
you objectively have less of whatever it is you want to have
ex. not having a bonus at work
frustration creates 1, 1 creates 2
- anger
2. readiness to aggress if the situation is conducive
frustration can lead to
- instigation to aggress
- other responses (ex. withdrawal)
ways of instigation to aggress
- inward (to our self ex. self harm)
- outward (towards something else)
if we aggress in an outward way it can be
- indirect
- direct
direct agression
- when we aggress directly to the source of aggression
indirect aggression
- when we aggress towards others that have nothing to do with our aggression
provocation
- can result in reciprocation
ex. if someone hits your car with a shopping cart - importance of perceived intent
ex. did they hit you on purpose?
perceived intent can be
- hostile intent
- unintentional intent
- can even affect our physiological responses
hostile intent
- they did it on purpose
- aggressive reciprocation
unintentional intent
- they didn’t do it on purpose
- less/no reciprocation
social exclusion
- effect of being rejected by others
- increases aggression
- can also lead to create other social bonds
aggressive cues
- lab setting vs real world
- objects must be clearly associated with aggression (hunting rifles vs. assault weapon)
- any object can be associated with aggression
lab settings vs real world
LS: when aggressive cues are present, aggressive behaviours can increase
ex. knifes and guns on tables when participants arrive can increase aggression
RW: when aggressive cues are present, aggressive behaviours may or may not increase
ex: having a gun in the house; seattle vs. vancouver and gun control
imitation
- bandura
- agression in professional sports
- intergenerational cycles of family violence
- copy cat aggression
bandura
- the bobo doll study
- when kids saw an adult playing aggressively with a bobo doll, once they got a turn they also acted aggressively turns it
- kids will imitate aggressive behaviours if they have seen it in their lives
intergenerational cycles of family violence
children who grow up where violence occurs, they are more likely to use violence when they are adults themselves
- 3% if not, if so 30% more likely to occur
copy cat aggression
- highly sensationalized act of aggression
ex. on anniversary dates of past aggression situations people are more likely to aggressive
media violence
- debates over media violence
- short term vs. long term
- correlation does not equal causation
- individual variations
short term media violence
- there is affect on people of all age groups, gender etc.
long term media violence
- correlational research
individual variation of media violence is based on
- pre-existing aggression
- media violence has a grater affect on those with a higher aggression to start with
explanation of effect of media
- weakened inhibitions
- imitation
- priming
- desensitization
- perceptions of hostility
weakened inhibitions
- media violence is a disinhibitor (lowers self control)
perceptions of hostility
- the tendency to perceive hostility in the world around you
- contributes to mean world syndrome
mean world syndrome
- the tendency to see the world as a scary and mean world
- see ourselves placed at more risk
individual variations
- hostile attributional bias
- personality dimensions or behaviour patterns
hostile attributional bias
- internal attribution focuses on hostility
- he acted that way because he’s hostile
personality dimensions or behaviour patterns
nature of their thoughts, feelings and actions
- certain people have a constellation of traits
ex: type A vs type H
Type A
(were competitive, hurry and hostile)
type H consolation
- cynicism (you think people are selfish and incompetent and the only person you can rely on is yourself- cognitive)
- anger (affective)
- aggression (behavioural)
ways to reduce aggression
- punishment
- catharsis
- self-awareness
- apology
for punishment to be efficient in children it must be
- mild
- swift (occurs immediately after the act)
- certain (punishment given every single time)
for punishment to be efficient in adults it must be
- swift
- certain
- proportionate to the act (used to be severe)
catharsis
- releasing aggression (ex. by punching something)
- makes people feel better but doesn’t reduce their aggression
self-awareness
- noticing early signs of aggression, can enable people to express those feelings in positive ways
(not bottling things up)
ex. noticing you’re clenching your teeth
noticing the thoughts going through your mind
apology
- can reduce aggression but only if seen as sincere
