Lecture 15: Agression + violence

Question 1

what is aggression?

Answer 1

any beh intended to harm another person who doesn’t want to be harmed

Question 2

key features of aggression?

Answer 2

1. its a behaviour
2. its intentional (intent to cause harm)
3. victim needs to be motivated to avoid harm

Question 3

what is violence?

Answer 3

aggression that has its goal
extreme physical harm (injury, death)
= so all violent beh is aggressive, but not all aggressive beh is violent

Question 4

what are the sub-types of aggression?

Answer 4

• direct vs indirect aggression

- reactive vs proactive aggression

Question 5

direct physical aggression=

Answer 5

hitting, punching

Question 6

direct verbal aggression=

Answer 6

name calling

Question 7

indirect aggression=

Answer 7

gossiping, social exclusion

Question 8

reactive aggression=

Answer 8

“hot”, impulsive angry beh– motivated to harm

Question 9

proactive aggression=

Answer 9

“cold”, calculated harmful beh– motivated by other goal (ex. getting money)

Question 10

theories?

Answer 10

• biological
• learning
• integrative

Question 11

• biological theory

Answer 11

• evolutionary approach
• aggression= survival
• genes + brain structures
  
  • 50% of variance in antisocial beh= attributable to
    genetic influences
  • genes–> brain–> anti social beh model

Question 12

learning theory

Answer 12

• Bandura–> social cognitive theory: aggressive behs modelled from others’ behs through vicarious or observational learning

Question 13

integrative theory

Answer 13

anderson + bushman (2002)

• general aggression model
• only social-cog model that includes biological, personality, social processes, basic cog processes (ex. perception, priming), short-term + long term processes, and decision processes into understanding aggression

Question 14

what are risk factors of aggression

Answer 14

• person factors

- situation factors

Question 15

• person factors: personality

Answer 15

• high in trait aggressiveness + trait irritability–> be aggressive under both: neutral and provoking conditions
• high in trait anger, type A personality, emotional susceptibility, narcissism, impulsivity–> behave aggressively ONLY under provoking conditions

Question 16

• person factors: self-esteem

Answer 16

• high in self-esteem= more likely to act aggressively

Question 17

• person factors: gender

Answer 17

• physical aggression: M > F
• indirect: M < F
• direct verbal: M and F same

Question 18

• person factors: age

Answer 18

• violent criminal offending–> highest for those (esp men) from 15-30 yrs old– and then declines sig after that
• average age of murderers–> about 27 yrs old

Question 19

role of toxic masculinity + aggression?

Answer 19

masculinity= socially constructed, not innate

• western countries–> stoicism, self-reliance, restricitve emotionality
• manhood–> needs to be continuously be proved
• want to validate their masculinity= physical force, public displays of aggression
• from early age= anger seen as acceptable emotion in men= its reinforced

Question 20

traditional gender stereotypes: Feminine

Answer 20

• not agg
• dependent
• submissive
• home-oriented
• talkative

Question 21

traditional gender stereotypes: Masculine

Answer 21

• aggressive
• independent
• dominant
• active
• tough– boys don’t cry

Question 22

what is hegemonic masculinity?

Answer 22

values established by powerful men= organise society in gender unequal ways

Question 23

violence=

Answer 23

indicator of power

Question 24

when men feel that their status in under attack=

Answer 24

have the right to be angry and ashamed

- for some men= motivated for violent + agg behaviours= aimed to reinstate their manhood

Question 25

research findings of toxic masculinity?

Answer 25

• when threatened= more likely to think of physical aggression (gun, blood, punch)
• threats to manhood= act to get back their masculinity by being aggressive (ex. aggressive driving)
• more likely to commit sexual assault
• criticise source of threat (ex. women, gay men)

Question 26

• situation factors: hot weather

Answer 26

• hotter temp= more aggressive + violent

Question 27

• situation factors: weapons

Answer 27

• weapons effect: mere presence of a weapon–> increased aggression
• turner– motorists trapped behind car with either: 1, 2, or 0 aggressive cues– found: more aggressive cues the trapped driver saw= more likely to honk

Question 28

• situation factors: violent video games

Answer 28

• you immerse yourself in game= you become those characters
• influence adolescence to behave more aggressively against others
• research: brief exposure to violent childrens VG= delivered more high intensity noise blasts to opponent by 40%– elementary and college students