Frustration-aggression Hypothesis Flashcards
What are social psychological explanations of aggression
Any theory that argues aggression is the result of an interaction between an individual’s characteristics and features of the situation in which behaviour occurs
What is the frustration-aggression hypothesis according to Dollard and Miller (1939)
The hypothesis suggests that frustration always results in aggression and aggression is always caused by frustration
What is frustration
Feelings which occur when we are prevented from achieving our goals
What is catharsis
A form of emotional release that is achieved by the person engaging in aggressive behaviour or having aggressive thoughts about the target which caused their frustration
What is displaced aggression
When aggression is displaced from the source of the frustration on to someone or something else
What are the role of environmental cues
Frustration creates a readiness for aggression, but it is the presence of cues in the environment which make use more likely to act upon it
Describe the study carried out by Green (1968)
- participants had to complete a jigsaw puzzle and had level of frustration manipulated in three ways
Group 1= puzzle impossible to solve
Group 2= ran out of time because confederate interfered
Group 3= confederate insulted them when they didn’t finish - participants then had to issue electric shocks to confederate when they made mistakes on another task
- Found that the insulted participants gave the strongest shocks on average, then interfered group, followed by impossible puzzle group
Describe the study carried out by Berkowitz and LaPage (1967)
- participants were given electric shocks (to create frustration) by a confederate, then gave electric shocks back to confederate which either gun or no gun present on the table
- average number of shocks: with gun present= 6.07,with no guns= 4.67
Where does the idea of catharsis originate
A psychodynamic concept which views aggression as a psychological drive akin to biological drives such as hunger
Explain the reasons aggression is not always expressed directly to the source
- cause of frustration may be abstract
- cause may be too powerful, and we may risk punishment by aggressing against it
- cause may be unavailable at the time