Chapter 12

Question 1

Aggression

Answer 1

Intentional behavior aimed at causing physical harm or psychological pain to another person

Question 2

Hostile aggression

Answer 2

Aggression stemming from feelings of anger and aimed at inflicting pain or injury

Question 3

Instrumental aggression

Answer 3

Aggression as a means to some goal other than causing pain

Question 4

Frustration-aggression theory

Answer 4

The theory that frustration—the perception that you are being prevented from attaining a goal— increases the probability of an aggressive response

Question 5

Aggressive stimulus

Answer 5

An object that is associated with aggressive responses (e.g., a gun) and whose mere presence can increase the probability of
aggression

Question 6

Social learning theory

Answer 6

The theory that people learn social behavior (e.g., aggression) in large part by observing others and imitating them

Question 7

Scripts

Answer 7

Ways of behaving socially that we learn implicitly from our culture

Question 8

Catharsis

Answer 8

The notion that “blowing off steam”—by performing a verbally or physically aggressive act, watching others engage in aggressive behaviors, or engaging in a fantasy of aggression—relieves built-up aggressive energies and hence reduces the likelihood of further aggressive behavior