Frustration-aggression Hypothesis

Question 1

What are social psychological explanations of aggression

Answer 1

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

Question 2

What is the frustration-aggression hypothesis according to Dollard and Miller (1939)

Answer 2

The hypothesis suggests that frustration always results in aggression and aggression is always caused by frustration

Question 3

What is frustration

Answer 3

Feelings which occur when we are prevented from achieving our goals

Question 4

What is catharsis

Answer 4

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

Question 5

What is displaced aggression

Answer 5

When aggression is displaced from the source of the frustration on to someone or something else

Question 6

What are the role of environmental cues

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Describe the study carried out by Green (1968)

Answer 7

• 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

Question 8

Describe the study carried out by Berkowitz and LaPage (1967)

Answer 8

• 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

Question 9

Where does the idea of catharsis originate

Answer 9

A psychodynamic concept which views aggression as a psychological drive akin to biological drives such as hunger

Question 10

Explain the reasons aggression is not always expressed directly to the source

Answer 10

• 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