Chapter 12

Question 1

Give an example of frustration that seems to be arbitrary.

Answer 1

When you go to the popcorn stand and the person says you can’t have any popcorn (even though there is plenty in box behind the counter). You are more frustrated than if the person said they were out of popcorn.

Question 2

Aggression

Answer 2

Any physical or verbal behavior that is intended to harm another person or persons or any living things. This can be physical or psychological. Key word is intention.

Question 3

What are some individual interventions to help reduce aggression?

Answer 3

1) Improve self-awareness 2) Increase self-regulatory strength 3) Teach how to minimize hostile attributions 4) Improve people’s sense of self-worth and significance

Question 4

High levels of the neurotransmitter __________ are correlated with low levels of aggression.

Answer 4

Serotonin.

Question 5

Human-animal parallels

Answer 5

Aggression against another organism attempting to acquire or gain control over survival-related resources, property Attack against self or offspring; competition over social status or threats to reputation

Question 6

What is the low-status compensation theory?

Answer 6

It suggests that those who have low-status (or greater status disparities between the rich and poor) are especially sensitive to threats and try to protect their status and sense of self-worth.

Question 7

What are two main differences between humans and animals when it comes to aggression?

Answer 7

1) Technology outstrips natural controls on aggression. We can now kill people from far away distances and not even feel bad about it because we don’t have to interact with them. We just have to push a button or send a message. 2) The human mind specializes in self-control. We an inhibit aggressive behavior.

Question 8

Hostile attribution bias

Answer 8

The tendency to attribute hostile intent to others’ actions, even when others’ intentions are innocent.

Question 9

Alcohol myopia

Answer 9

The phenomenon where a drunk person becomes insensitive to facial and social cues in others because of the alcohol’s disinhibiting effects. This can lead a lot of drunk people to be victims of crimes. They can also be perpetrators of violence as well.

Question 10

Violence

Answer 10

Acts of aggression with more severe consequences.

Question 11

Thanatos

Answer 11

Freud’s term for what he proposed is the human inborn instinct to aggress and to destroy.

Question 12

Displaced aggression

Answer 12

Aggression directed to a target other than the source of one’s frustration.

Question 13

What is the function of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex?

Answer 13

To alert us when there is a conflict between our expectations and the situation we are in. It also goes off after receiving an insult and when we feel rejected by others.

Question 14

Weapons effect

Answer 14

The tendency for the presence of firearms to increase the likelihood of aggression, especially when people are frustrated.

Question 15

People who are narcissistic are more aggressive. Why?

Answer 15

Because they have an unstable self-esteem.

Question 16

Instrumental aggression

Answer 16

Harm-seeking done to another person that serves some other goal. Not triggered by strong emotions. Doing harm for a purpose, like for money.

Question 17

Who is more likely to be physically aggressive? Who is more likely to be verbally aggressive?

Answer 17

Men. Women.

Question 18

Borderline abuser

Answer 18

Narcissistic and likely borderline, which entails an uncertain, insecure sense of self, a proclivity for defensiveness, abandonment issues, anger, and impulsivity.

Question 19

What are some social interventions to help reduce aggression?

Answer 19

1) Reduce frustration by improving the quality of life. 2) Gun control. 3) Punishing aggression (it has to be severe, delivered promptly, perceived as justified, and administered consistently) 4) Reduce or reframe media depictions of aggression

Question 20

What is triggered displaced aggression?

Answer 20

When the alternative target adds a bit to your level of frustration.

Question 21

This region of the brain is involved in the detection of social threat

Answer 21

The dorsal anterior cingulate cortex.

Question 22

Overcontrolled abuser

Answer 22

A man who generally is not violent but builds up resentments from various aspects of his life and eventually uses his relationship partner as a target for his displaced aggression.

Question 23

What are some interpersonal interventions to help reduce aggression?

Answer 23

1) Improve parental care. 2) Strengthen social connections 3) Enhance empathy

Question 24

What are some examples of Nonlethal Physical harm

Answer 24

Psychological trauma; overgeneralized anxiety, hypervigilance, sleeplessness, irritability, self-blame; PTSD; serious harm or death

Question 25

Psychopathic abuser

Answer 25

Likely to employ physical aggression both inside and outside the relationship.

Question 26

Eros

Answer 26

Freud’s term for what he proposed is the human inborn instinct to seek pleasure and to create.

Question 27

Trait aggressiveness in childhood _______ correlate with aggressiveness 40 years later.

Answer 27

highly

Question 28

What are some other areas in the brain that are involved in emotional experiences of fear and anger?

Answer 28

The hypothalamus and amygdala.

Question 29

What was Berkowitz’s theory called?

Answer 29

The cognitive neoassociationism model

Question 30

People high in ___________ tend to expect, readily perceive, and overreact to rejection with aggressive responses.

Answer 30

rejection sensitivity

Question 31

Describe the study where people from the North or South were bumped into.

Answer 31

Those from the South were more aggressive to the person who bumped into them and swore at them. They were more likely to think their masculine reputations were threatened and were more upset and primed for an aggressive response.

Question 32

Frustration-aggression hypothesis

Answer 32

Originally the idea that aggression is always preceded by frustration and that frustration inevitable leads to aggression. Revised to suggest that frustration produces an emotional readiness to aggress.

Question 33

What are two factors that potentially increase hostile feelings?

Answer 33

1) physical or emotional pain. 2) Arousal (think of the excitation transfer theory)

Question 34

Which hormone is correlated with aggressiveness?

Answer 34

Testosterone.

Question 35

What is catharsis?

Answer 35

Blowing off steam. A way to reduce aggression, but it really increases aggression and is rather ineffective.

Question 36

Learning to aggress is caused by ______.

Answer 36

Operant conditioning

Question 37

Ethological perspective

Answer 37

Humans and other species have a shared, innate psychological mechanism for aggression (Lorenz).

Question 38

Which part of the US is defined as the culture of honor?

Answer 38

The South and West

Question 39

Initial acts of aggression is usually followed by more severe acts of aggression later.

Answer 39

There’s nothing more to say..

Question 40

Berkowitz expanded on the frustration-aggression hypothesis in three important ways. What were they?

Answer 40

1) A variety of unpleasant, stressful conditions can make aggression more likely. 2) Negative affect in the form of anger or hostility is a central feature of affective aggression 3) Specified features of situations that prime aggressive cognitions.

Question 41

Affective aggression

Answer 41

Harm-seeking done to another person that is elicited in response to some negative emotion. Harming the other person simply for the sake of doing so.

Question 42

Which regions of the brain regulate impulsive behaviors? (not on the test)

Answer 42

The prefrontal cortex, medial prefrontal cortex and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.