frustration-aggression hypothesis Flashcards
who purposed the frustration aggression hypothesis
Dollard
what is the basis of the frustration aggression hypothesis
aggression is always a result of frustration, frustration always leads to the arousal of an aggressive drive, which leads to aggressive behaviour, relieving the urges to be aggressive (catharsis)
what approach is the frustration-aggression hypothesis rooted in
psychodynamic theory
when does frustration increase
when our motivation to achieve a goal is strong, we expect gratification and when there is nothing we can do about it
what type of frustration is the most likely to lead to aggression
unjustified aggression
using an example, what is the difference between unjustified frustration and justified frustration
unjustified: bus not stopping at a bus stop
justified: bus not stopped but shows an out of service sign
how is aggressive behaviour cathartic
the aggression created by the frustration is satisfied, thereby reducing the drive and making further aggression less likely
why might aggression not be displayed towards the source of frustration
The cause of our frustration may be abstract:
E.g. the economic situation or the government
The cause may be too powerful and we risk punishment by aggressing against it:
E.g. the teacher who gave you a lower grade than you expected.
The cause may be unavailable at that time.
E.g. perhaps the teacher left before you realised what grade you got.
what is displacement in the frustration aggression hypothesis
in situations when you can direct aggression to the source of frustration, it is then deflected or displaced onto an alternative:
one that is not abstract, is weaker and is available such as an inanimate object, pet or a younger sibling.
what was the procedure for greens research in the frustration-aggression hypothesis
Male university students were given the task of completing a jigsaw puzzle.
Their level of frustration was experimentally manipulated in one of three ways:
For some participants, the puzzle was impossible to solve.
For others they ran out of time because another student in the room (a confederate of the researcher) kept interfering.
In the third group, the confederate took to insulting the participant as they failed to solve the puzzle.
what were the results from greens study
The next part of the study involved participant giving electric shocks to the confederate when they made a mistake on another task.
The insulted party gave the strongest shocks on average.
Followed by the interfere group.
Then the impossible task participants.
All three groups selected more intense shocks then a non-frustrated control group.
what is a problem with the concept of catharsis in this hypothesis
not all aggression is cathartic
what evidence is there that not all aggression is cathartic
Bushman (2002) tested the idea that venting anger (e.g., hitting a punchbag) would reduce aggression.
Instead, participants who vented their anger became more angry and aggressive
what did bushman find in his study on catharsis
doing nothing to vent anger was more effective at reducing aggression and anger than physically venting it
what implications does bushmans research have the frustration aggression hypothesis
This contradicts the Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis, which suggests that venting frustration (catharsis) should help reduce anger and aggression.
what does bushmans research mean for the frustration aggression hypothesis
this research questions the validity of the catharsis concept in FAH and led Berkowitz to reformulate the theory into Negative Affect Theory, where aggression is seen as a result of negative emotions, not just frustration.
how is the frustration aggression hypothesis deterministic
it assumes that frustration always leads to aggression
what was made as a result of the hypothesis being too deterministic
revised frustration-aggression hypothesis
what is the revised frustration aggression hypothesis
Berkowitz (1989) argued that frustration is just one of many aversive stimuli (unpleasant feelings) that can trigger aggression.
Other negative feelings, such as jealousy, pain, loneliness, temperature, and overcrowding, can also lead to aggression.
Research shows that frustration doesn’t always lead to aggression, and aggression can occur without frustration.
what is the implications of the revised hypothesis on the original model
FAH oversimplifies aggression by implying it’s always caused by frustration, while negative affect theory suggests aggression can result from various negative emotions, not just frustration.
Berkowitz’s reformulation into Negative Affect Theory is more flexible and accounts for a wider range of negative emotions that can trigger aggressive behavior, rather than viewing frustration as the sole cause.
what does the frustration aggression hypothesis ignore
how arousal and learning interact
what do social learning theory suggest about aggression and the role of arousal
the frustration may only lead to aggression if the emotional arousal is high enough for the individual to act.
a mild level of frustration may not provoke aggression, but when arousal reaches a certain threshold, it may trigger aggressive responses.
whether aggression occurs also depends on whether the individual has learned aggressive behavior through past experiences or observing others.
for example, if a person has seen others react aggressively to frustration and gain rewards (such as attention or success), they may be more likely to act aggressively in similar situations.
what does SLTs approach mean for the frustration aggression hypothesis
FAH is too simplistic because it doesn’t account for how learning and arousal interact. SLT adds depth by suggesting that frustration can lead to aggression, but only if the arousal is strong enough and the individual has learned that aggression is an effective way to cope with frustration.
what is a strength of the frustration aggression hypothesis
has real world applications
what is an example of a real world application of the frustration aggression hypothesis
In the UK, frustration stemming from political and social issues, such as economic hardship, immigration, and perceived inequality, led to displaced aggression.
Specifically, during the Southport riots, local residents frustrated with the housing of immigrants in nearby hotels targeted those establishments.
The frustration of the community, by political discourse, led to scapegoating immigrants, who were seen as responsible for the perceived strain on resources and services.
what does this mean for the frustration aggression hypothesis
The Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis can be applied to understand how political and social frustrations can escalate into displaced aggression.
The Southport riots show that frustration, when not addressed, can lead to aggressive behavior directed at easy targets (such as immigrants or minority groups), highlighting the importance of addressing the underlying frustrations in society to prevent violent outcomes.
