Chapter 9: Aggression

Question 1

Aggression

Answer 1

Physical or verbal behaviour intended to cause harm physically or psychologically
Excludes unintentional harm
Excludes actions that may involve pain as an unavoidable side effect of helping someone (e.g. dental treatment)
Excludes microaggressions

Question 2

Hostile Aggression

Answer 2

Springs from anger and aims to injure (impulsive)
Erupt from arguments, romantic triangles, influence of alcohol/drugs
Impulsive emotional outbursts
E.g. domestic violence, mob rioting, murders

Question 3

Instrumental Aggression

Answer 3

Aims to injure but committed in pursuit of another goal
Most terrorism acts and wars
Rarely committed by those with mental illness
Strategic tool used during conflict
E.g. stealing things/mugging someone

Question 4

Indirect Aggression

Answer 4

Inflict harm without face-to-face conflict
E.g. gossip, rumours

Question 5

Direct Aggression

Answer 5

Behaviour aimed to hurt face-to-face
Physical: hitting, pushing, kicking
Verbal: insulting, cursing, threatening

Question 6

Biological Theories of Aggression

Answer 6

Instinct theory
Evolutionary theory
Neural influences
Genetic influences
Biochemical influences

Question 7

Instinct Theory

Answer 7

Instinctive behaviour: aggressive energy involves instinctive behaviour as it is innate, unlearned, and universal (Freud and Lorenz)
Organisms who successfully aggress gain resources
Aggression ‘builds up’
Evidence: less likely to aggress against kin, survival value of aggression in animals
Cons: not all behaviours are instincts, fails to account for ind. variations in aggression

Question 8

Evolutionary Theory

Answer 8

Aggression is sometimes rooted in basic evolutionary impulses
Men especially have found aggression adaptive
Purposeful aggression improved odds of survival and reproduction
Mating related aggression often occurs when males compete with other males

Question 9

Neural Influences

Answer 9

Neural systems in humans and animals that facilitate aggression
Hostility increases when these brain areas (e.g. hypothalamus) are activated
Cortex less active in aggressive acts, cortex smaller in antisocial men

Question 10

Genetic Influences

Answer 10

Animals of many species can be bred for aggressiveness
Temperaments observed in infancy usually endure
People with genetic siblings who are convicted of violent crimes are 4x as likely to also be convicted
MAOA-L linked to aggression (gene)

Question 11

Biochemical Influences

Answer 11

Alcohol: increases aggression by reducing self awareness, especially impacts men
Testosterone: more testosterone increases aggression, especially bursts (aggression can lead to more testosterone)
Poor diet: better food = less aggression (high omega-3 fatty acids)

Question 12

Sex Differences in Aggression

Answer 12

Men more directly aggressive
Women more indirectly aggressive (relational aggression)
Due to being raised in different gender roles

Question 13

Relational Aggression

Answer 13

Intended to damage relationships

Question 14

Frustration-Aggression Theory

Answer 14

Blocking of goal directed behaviour, frustration triggers readiness to aggress
Frustration: anything that blocks us from attaining a goal
Displace our hostilities to safer targets

Question 15

Revised Frustration-Aggression Theory

Answer 15

Less likely to react aggressively to someone who frustrates us if they apologize, accept responsibility, or otherwise tries to make amends
Original theory overstated the frustration-aggression connection
Frustration produces aggression only when people become upset

Question 16

Relative Deprivation

Answer 16

Frustration arises from the gap between expectations and attainments
Most economically frustrated are middle class North Americans who aspire to be rich
When expectations are fulfilled by attainments, and when desires are reachable at your income, you feel satisfied
When being rich feels out of reach, aggression results

Question 17

Aggression as learned behaviour

Answer 17

Bobo doll study
Children’s behaviour toward bobo doll was determined by adult model
After being frustrated by being shown all the nice toys they couldn’t play with
Children who watched filmed model or cartoon model who were aggressive still showed aggression (slightly less than live model)

Question 18

Rewards of Aggression

Answer 18

Positive reinforcement: aggression produces desired outcomes
Aggression as revenge can feel satisfying
Learn that aggression often pays

Question 19

Negative Reinforcement of Aggression

Answer 19

Aggression prevents or stops undesirable outcomes (e.g. violent protests bring about policy changes)

Question 20

Aggressive Cues

Answer 20

Violence is more likely when aggressive cues release pent up anger
Weapons effect: increased aggressive thoughts and behaviours in the mere presence of weapons

Question 21

Group Influences on Aggression

Answer 21

Groups can amplify aggressive reactions partially by diffusing responsibility
Participants directing someone else as to how much to shock someone said higher amounts than those individually responsible
Social contagion causes groups to magnify aggressive tendencies
Genocide requires widespread support, organization, and participation

Question 22

Ways to Increase Aggression

Answer 22

Being male
Aggressive or anger prone personalities
Alcohol use
Violence viewing
Anonymity
Provocation
Presence of weapons
Group interaction

Question 23

Catharsis

Answer 23

Aristotle
Express annoyance instead of bottling them up
Purge emotions by experiencing them
Emotional release obtained not only by observing drama but also through recalling and reliving past events, through expressing emotions, and through our actions
Caveat: Venting anger therefore actually causes more aggression

Question 24

Social Learning To Reduce Aggression

Answer 24

Children become less aggressive when caregivers ignore aggressive behaviour and reinforce nonaggressive behaviour
Inoculate children against effects of media violence
Reduce violent programming
Must prevent aggression before it happens
Teach nonaggressive conflict resolution strategies