Frustration-aggression hypothesis Flashcards
What is the frustration aggression hypothesis and who theorised it?
-This is a social psychological explanation for aggression
- Suggests that aggression is caused by frustration
-Suggests that aggression is alike a biological drives such as hunger
-Dollard (1939)
What is frustration caused by in the frustration aggression hypothesis and what does frustration cause?
- When our goals are prevented from being achieved by an external factor
- frustration causes aggressive drive which leads to aggressive behaviour such as violent fantasy or verbal outburst
What are social psychological explanations for aggression?
-Explanations that argue that aggression is a result of an interaction between an individuals characteristics and features in which the situation occurs.
What is catharsis?
-As the aggressive drive is acted it removes the negative emotion as the frustration is released.
What are the 3 explanations why aggressive behaviour is not released immediately
1) Because the cause of frustration may be abstract - such as the economic state or music industry: not tangible
2) As the cause may be too powerful and we risk punishment if we act against it - e.g. a teacher giving a bad grade
3) The cause may be unavailable at the time
What did Berkowitz state about aggression and aggressive behaviour?
-Frustration merely creates readiness for aggression
-aggressive cues in the environment make aggressive behaviour more likely.
What is the weapon effect study by Berkowitz?
-Participants were given real shocks by a confederate causing frutsration
-Participants could later give shocks back to the confederate
-The number of shocks were greater when there were 2 guns on the table opposed to other conditions - average 6.07 vs 4.67
What is Russell Geen (1968) study on how frustration affects aggression?
-University students( men) completed a jigsaw puzzle whilst their level of frustration was manipulated in 3 different ways:
1) Puzzle impossible
2) Confederate kept interfering
3) Confederate insulting participant
- participants could later give shocks to confederates
-On average, participants gave more severe shocks to the interfering group, then the impossible task condition. All conditions gave more severe shocks than non-frustrated control group.
Strengths of the frustration aggression explanation for aggression?
-Research Support: Newhall (2000) meta-analysis of 49 studies of displaced aggression on a human target whilst the cause of aggression was unavailable. Researchers concluded that displaced aggression is a reliable phenomenon as frustrated participants would displace aggression onto innocent party. Shows frustration can end up leading to aggression on a weaker target
Weaknesses of the frustration aggression explanation for aggression
-Role of catharsis: brad Bushman (2002) found that people who punched a punching bag to release anger actually become more aggressive. He stated that doing nothing is more successful than venting and suggested that “the better people feel after venting, the more aggressive they are”.
-Frustration aggression link: the frustration and aggression link is complex. Frustration will not always cause aggression and aggression can be caused without frustration. nothing automatic about the link and frustration may lead to other things such helplessness. Suggests this explanation is limited as does not explain all aggressive scenarios.
-However, Berkowitz reformulated the explanation to explain this limitation. He created the negative affect theory which suggested that frustration is only one of the aversive stimuli for a negative emotion e.g. jealousy . The outcome of aggression may be many responses only one of which is aggression.
