Chapter 4: Situational Elicitation of Aggressive Behaviour Flashcards
What are the two cues viewed in class?
- Aggressive cues
- exposure to aggression-related stimuli primes aggressive thoughts - Social cues
- being left out /ignored can lead to aggressive behaviour
Under the theme of aggressive cues; what has research found with the weapon effect?
The weapon effect, or linking aggression-related stimuli to aggressive thoughts, can occur without conscious awareness (ex. if we are subliminally exposed)
- Countries with stricter gun control laws have far fewer gun deaths
- A household with no gun is 5 times less probable having a suicide in the family
For example, in Canada, the rate of spousal homicides involving guns dropped 74% from 1980 to 2009; this can be directly linked to stricter gun laws passed in 1991 and 1995
- With a gun in the home, it is 22 times more likely to kill a family member in an argument than against a stranger as self defense
What did Bartholow (2004) find within the weapons effects by using hunters as participants? What conclusions can be drawn from this study?
The weapon effect only occurs if we link the object with aggression
Bartholow (2004) studied how guns were associated with aggression, they used hunters and non-hunters as participants
They found that assault rifles (non-hunter guns) were associated with aggression in both groups, but hunting rifles were only associated with aggression among non-hunters. Hunters view the hunting rifle as a tool for their hobby, rather than an instrument to kill.
This finding lead to two main conclusions:
- the aggressive meaning of a situational cue is not an inherent property of the stimulus itself, but is assigned on the basis of the perceiver’s pre-existing knowledge structures and past behavioural experience
- support provided for the General Aggression Model (GAM) by showing that differences in the accessibility of aggressive cognitions are linked to differences in aggressive behaviour
What did Frank & Gilovich (1988) find when studying uniforms?
Frank & Gilovich (1988) studied uniform colour and aggression
They examined penalty records of all pro football (NFL) and hockey (NHL) teams from 1970–1985
For all but one season, teams with dark uniforms were penalized more, but this study was limited to a context of aggression, since no one in dark clothing at a funeral is aggressive.
Under the theme of social cues; define ostracism. What is ostracism associated with?
Ostracism is being excluded, rejected, and ignored by others
Ostracism came from “Ostraka”, an ancient myth from Greece where they would write a name on a piece of pottery and if a person’s name reappeared thousands of times, they would shun the person for 10 years.
Ostracism is associated with negative psychological effects, especially over long periods of time, and can also lead to aggression, such as school shootings.
What experimental paradigms are used to study social cues?
- Cyberball
- virtual ball-tossing game in which a participant is excluded by 2 confederates - Life alone: results of “personality test” reveal participant will end up alone, relationships won’t last, then compared to a confederate who got positive results
- Get acquainted: participants told no one wants them in their group or that everyone wants them in their group
What did Eisenberger et al. (2003) find in an fMRI study when studying ostracism?
Using the cyberball paradigm, participants were rejected while in an fMRI machine
They found that social rejection activates the same brain area (dACC) as does physical pain
What did DeWall et al. (2010) find in regards to social rejection by using tylenol?
They had participants take a tylenol or a placebo everyday for 3 weeks
I.V: tylenol vs. placebo
After the three weeks, participants were given an fMRI while playing Cyberball
They found that in the placebo condition there was high dACC activation, however those who took tylenol had no dACC activation; meaning, tylenol (a pain medication) can help emotional pain like it helps physical pain
What did Warburton, Williams & Cairns (2006) find in regards to social aggression by using a game of catch?
They had participants playing game of catch with two confederates
IV.1: exclusion (participant only given ball 3 times) or included
IV.2: control vs. no control over unpleasant noises
DV: aggression towards a third confederate (hot-sauce paradigm)
They found that participants who had no control over noises and were excluded gave significantly more hot sauce to the confederate. Participants who were excluded but still had control over their environment didn’t give as much.
Social rejection undermines an individual’s sense of control, aggression is a means of regaining control.
How does alcohol affect aggression? What were the results of the university study conducted on alcohol?
Alcohol unleashes aggression when people are provoked.
A Canadian campus survey of 4000 students from 40 Universities (Mihic et al., 2009) found that greater reported consumption leads to greater reported aggression, especially at bars and parties.
Problem: desirability bias
What does Graham and Wells (2001) find for aggression in bars?
They observed 117 aggressive incidents at bars in London, ON.
They found that:
- more alcohol leads to more aggression, especially severe physical aggression
- aggressive confrontations usually include 5 or more people, and 3/4 of confrontations were all males
- the most aggression occurred between 12am-2am
- individuals will often change roles, the peace maker will become the aggressor
There were four general issues leading to aggression:
- conflict with staff
- bar activities; dancing, pool
- defensive behaviour; insults, stealing, bumping
- interpersonal/relationships; jealousy
What is the association between alcohol and domestic violence?
Alcohol is associated with domestic violence
Domestic violence is six times higher if spouse drinks heavily vs. moderately or not at all
2/3 of people in Canada accused of spousal homicide are found to be using alcohol or high at the time
Why does alcohol cause aggression?
Alcohol causes changes in thought, perception and interpretation
a. Alcohol myopia: the tendency for alcohol consumption to cause a narrowing of attention
- makes aggressive cues salient
- ex. shoving interpreted as aggressive
b. Reduces normal inhibitions against aggression
- decrease in glucose levels; not able to exercise self-control
c. Decreases self-awareness
- in turn, decreases morals and values
d. Expectancy effects
- people who believe alcohol causes aggression will be more aggressive
How is pain associated with aggression?
Animals in pain, who can’t flee, often attack anything in sight (Azrin, 1967)
It is unethical to induce high degree of physical pain in humans but observations of human behaviour suggest there is a pain-aggression link
ex. aggression in sporting events
How is heat associated with aggression? What did studies find when they manipulated and tested heat?
This is called the heat hypothesis, and seems to be supported.
Time period effects:
Violent crimes and riots are more likely to occur on hot days. The rates of murder, assault, and rape are highest in summer months.
It has been found that hotter cities have higher rates of violent crimes. This might be simply because more people are outside, but it is also found that domestic violence rates rise as well, and families typically spend more time together inside in the winter.
Reifman studied baseball games and found that when it was above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, pitchers hit the batters 2x as many times.
Concomitant heat paradigm:
An experimenter manipulated the temperature of room (ex. 20C vs. 27C vs 32C)
As heat increases, participants show more aggressive:
- thoughts & feelings
- word associations
- behaviour toward confederate
In one study, police were more like to perceive a burglar as threatening and shoot them as heat increased.
But extreme heat may lead to apathy.
Limitation: participants can make link that hot room is testing aggression
These same results are not found in uncomfortably cold conditions.
