Fiona's Lectures

Question 1

How many people die from violence according to WHO

Answer 1

1.5mill

Question 2

Define violence

Answer 2

physicalised aggression, involves intention to harm and victims motivation to avoid

Question 3

Reactive aggression

Answer 3

provoked, victims only have this form

Question 4

Proactive aggression

Answer 4

unprovoked/cold blooded, violent perpetrators often also have this form

Question 5

Bandura Bobo doll aggression

Answer 5

violence and aggression are modeled, its about the consequences to the model that influences us, implies cognitive capacity of the observer

Question 6

Crick and Dodge Social Information Processing Model

Answer 6

Cognitive Behavioral model

we create scripts/schema out of what is modeled to us

Question 7

GAM

Answer 7

General Aggression Model
multiply determined
interaction between determiners

social
cognitive
biological model

1. risk factors = genes, brain structure, early life influences
2. Maintaining factors = knowledge structures/schema
3. triggering factors = environment/provocation/pain + internal state affect - cognition - arousal loop which then becomes an appraisal/decision which then become VIOLENT BEHAVIORS which loop back to social factors and environmental factors which is the maintaining schema step

Question 8

Benifits of the GAM model

Answer 8

ticks all causal boxes
parsimonious
explains why we sometimes react sometimes don’t (cognitive element)
empirically validated
can help with interventions because its a cycle we can work out at which point in the cycle we should intervene
long term element; feedback loop, self maintaining

Question 9

Evidence for GAM

bio

Answer 9

1. genes MAOA (warrior gene) breaks down serotonin, aggressors have less serotonin and these genes
   also found 8% smaller PFC (inhibition control) and anterior singulate and other emotion areas smaller
   found in fMRI studies by Reine (psychoneural studies) ONLY correlational, i.e we don’t know whether bio or violent behavior comes first
   ALSO epi-genetics - violent environment can effect gene expression

Question 10

GAM evidence environmental

Answer 10

3. Environment - video games,
   Huntemann 2000 we engage with games PHYSICALLY EMOTIONALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY
   repeated activation of aggressive thoughts leads to neuronal efficiency and schema, long term use leads to more aggressive schemas generally (even though the short term affect dissipated quickly after playing a game)
   cognitive ‘over-learning’ of aggressive pattern

2007 study
under educated 14 year olds
violent video game group sounded horn at the end enough to cause permanent hearing damage
meta-analysis also show that exposure to violent video games is a causal factor to increased aggression and decreased empathy

Question 11

GAM evidence personality

Answer 11

2. Bettencout 2006 trait aggressiveness and trait irritability higher are more aggressive in BOTH neutral and provoking situations
   studied by using electric shock, verbal provocation, frustration (cant finish task), penalties
   trait ANGER and type A personalities only responded aggressively when provoked