frustration - aggression (F-A) hypothesis

Question 1

F-A hypothesis

Answer 1

• social psychological explanation
• focuses on the idea that aggression is the result of an interaction between an individual’s characteristics + features of the situation in which the behaviour occurs
• based on the psychodynamic explanation of catharsis
  = only way to reduce aggression is to engage in an activity which released it
• drive for aggression = innate
• when we experience frustration –> leads to aggression (cathartic release)
• if the individual is prevented from achieving a goal, leads to frustration –> ALWAYS lead to aggression
• frustration not always expressed directly against source of frustration
• defence mechanisms used = sublimation + displacement

Question 2

is frustration always expressed directly against the source of frustration?

Answer 2

• F-A hypothesis recognises that frustration isn’t always expressed directly against the source of frustration:
• when causes are:
• abstract
• too powerful
• unavailable

Question 3

abstract - cause of frustration

Answer 3

cause of our frustration may be abstract
e.g. the economic situation, government, music industry

Question 4

too powerful - cause of frustration

Answer 4

cause of our frustration may be too powerful + risk punishment by being aggressive against it
e.g. the teacher who gave you a lower grade than you expected

Question 5

unavailable - cause of frustration

Answer 5

cause of our frustration may be unavailable at the time
e.g. teacher left the room before you realised what grade you got

Question 6

two defence mechanisms used in catharsis of aggression

Answer 6

• sublimation
  = using aggression in acceptable activities e.g. sport
• displacement
  = directing our aggression outwards onto something or someone else

Question 7

the weapon effect

Answer 7

• a revised F-A hypothesis was proposed by a psych
• frustration doesn’t always lead to aggression
• aggression would only occur in the presence of certain cues
  e.g. the presence of weapons will be more likely to trigger aggression

Question 8

strengths of F-A hypothesis

Answer 8

• jigsaw puzzle
• guns

Question 9

weaknesses of F-A hypothesis

Answer 9

• ecological validity
• complex

Question 10

jigsaw puzzle - strengths of F-A hypothesis

Answer 10

• research support
• psych conducted a lab experiment
• asked male students to undertake a jigsaw puzzle
• while they were completing the puzzle, 3 diff conditions to raise levels of frustration of parts
• one condition = unattainable time limit to complete the puzzle
• second condition = impossible to complete
• third condition = confederate said derogatory remarks to students as they failed
• second part of study –> parts had opportunity to give shocks to the confederate if answered incorrectly on a task
  = group of parts that had experienced insults from the confederated gave the highest level of shocks
  = supports theory that frustration leads to aggression

Question 11

guns - strengths of F-A hypothesis

Answer 11

• practical application
• study by Berkowitz, carried out a lab experiment
• parts given the opportunity to shock a confederate who had previously angered them
• however set up 3 different conditions:
• one w/ an aggressive cue (gun)
• one w/ non-aggressive cue (badminton racket)
• one w/ no clue at all
  = found that parts in the presence of the aggressive cue gave higher levels of shocks than the other two groups
  = practical application shed new light on the gun control debate in America + impact gun laws

Question 12

ecological validity - weaknesses of F-A hypothesis

Answer 12

• the actual research support has mainly come from lab experiments
• issues of ecological validity
• ecological validity is the extent to which any research can be applied outside of the research setting
• whether the parts in lab experiments would carry out actual aggression, when faced w/ an external stimulus that incited aggression = not certain

Question 13

complex - weaknesses of F-A hypothesis

Answer 13

• the link between frustration + aggression is more complex than theorised
• very early research into the F-A hypothesis showed that frustration doesn’t always lead to aggression
• there is nothing automatic about the link between the two
• someone can behave in a range of ways if they feel frustrated
• e.g. MAOA-L gene = more likely to act aggressive
• FA hypothesis doesn’t take into other factors like genes/ biology
  = limited explanation