PSYC*2310 Chapter 11: Aggression Flashcards
How is aggression defined?
Physical or verbal behaviour that is intended to harm another individual who is motivated to avoid such treatment
What are the four key factors that define aggression?
- A behaviour that harms others
- Involves intention
- Involves a negative consequence for the victim
- Involves a victim who is motivated to avoid the treatment
Can thoughts, motives, and emotions such as anger be considered aggression?
No
Can accidents be considered aggression?
No
Can acts with intended harm, but no actual harm, be considered aggression?
Yes
What is emotional/hostile aggression?
Aggression that is inflicted simply to cause harm
What is instrumental aggression?
Aggression in which one inflicts harm in order to obtain something of value
What is the behavioural perspective on aggression?
Aggressive behaviour results in physical and personal injuries
Which perspective of aggression focuses on the outcome of the behaviour?
The behavioural perspective
What is the cognitive perspective on aggression?
Aggression is behaviour that is intended to harm another individual
Which perspective of aggression focuses on the intention of the perpetrator?
The cognitive perspective
Which neurotransmitter has been shown to play a role in aggression?
Serotonin
What is catharsis?
The release of suppressed energy or emotion
Is catharsis a good way to reduce aggressive feelings?
No
Were those whose anger decreased after being aggressive more or less likely to be aggressive in other situations?
More likely
What is the instinct theory of aggression?
A theory that describes aggression as an innate biological drive
Which theory of aggression is suggested as an explanation for why men tend to be more aggressive than women?
The instinct theory of aggression
Marked individual differences in rates of aggression can be seen as early as what age?
Three years old
Aggression and rule-breaking were found to be influenced by what latent common factor?
Antisocial behaviour
People who are highly aggressive have higher levels of what hormone?
Testosterone
T or F: Female prisoners tend to be more aggressive than male prisoners.
True
T or F: Some evidence suggests that the link between aggression and testosterone is bidirectional.
True
What has the MAOA-uVNTR genotype been associated with?
Measures of reactive impulsive aggressiveness in both men and women
What does the social learning theory propose about the gender difference in aggression?
Males show more aggression than and females because they are taught different things about its costs and benefits
What are four potential explanations for the gender difference in aggression?
- Genetics
- Evolutionary perspective
- Hormonal factors
- The social learning theory
Are current gender differences in aggression smaller or larger than older ones?
Smaller
Do men have higher or lower rates of physical aggression compared to women?
Higher
Do men have higher or lower rates of verbal aggression compared to women?
Slightly higher
Do men have higher or lower rates of relational aggression compared to women?
Lower
What type of aggression are women more likely to initiate?
Aggression causing psychological or social harm
What seems to be an effective method of inducing anger and aggression that shows no gender difference?
Provocation
Which gender appears more aggressive in verbal venting situations when they are identifiable, but not when they’re anonymous?
Males
Regardless of testosterone levels, do men with high income have relatively low or high rates of delinquency?
Relatively low rates
Do men with low income and low levels of testosterone show high or low rates of delinquency?
Low rates
Do men with low income and high levels of testosterone show high or low rates of delinquency?
High rates
What is disinhibition?
The weakening or removal of inhibitions that normally restrain people from acting on their impulses
Does alcohol exposure lead to more or less aggression at a subconscious level?
More
When primed with alcohol-related images and images of weapons, did participants show any difference in their identification of aggressive words?
Yes, they recognized aggressive words faster than neutral words
What is the frustration-aggression theory?
A theory that frustration always leads to the desire to behave aggressively and that aggression is caused by frustration
What causes frustration?
Being prevented from getting what you want
Which theory of aggression incorporated the Freudian idea of aggression as a basic impulse?
The frustration-aggression theory
What is displacement?
The tendency for people to transfer their anger onto whatever target is available
When the target or cause of a person’s frustration is not available, what does the frustration-aggression theory claim that they do?
Claims that they use displacement
What/ who is displaced aggression particularly likely to target?
Designated victims
What are designated victims?
People in society who are seen as easy targets for displaced aggression (ex. immigrants and the unemployed)
What happens when the victim of displaced anger doesn’t reciprocate the aggression?
They are seen as nicer than before and diminish the perpetrator’s aggression
When is displaced anger particularly common?
When the person is provoked, then is given the opportunity to think about this provocation
What are two critiques of the frustration-aggression theory?
- Frustration doesn’t necessarily have to lead to aggression
- Not all aggression stems from frustration
Which theory of aggression describes it as caused by experiencing any kind of negative affect because it evokes aggression-related thoughts, memories, feelings, and ideas
The cognitive-neoassociation theory
What is the relationship between hot temperatures and aggression?
As temperature increases, so does the incidence of aggressive acts
What does it mean to say that the relationship between violence and temperature is curvilinear?
Up to a certain point, violence increases as temperature increases, then violence decreases as temperature increases
According to the cognitive-neoassociation theory, the mere presence of what type of object can trigger aggressive behaviour?
Objects associated with aggression (ex. guns)
What is the excitation transfer/ arousal-affect model?
A model describing aggression as influenced by both the intensity of arousal and the type of emotion produced by the stimulus
T or F: According to the excitation transfer model, any type of arousal can be interpreted as aggression if a person is in a situation that cues aggressions.
True
Which model of aggression is based on Schachter and Singer’s two-factor theory of emotion?
The excitation transfer model
What is the social learning theory?
A theory that describes behaviour as learned through modelling, rewards, and punishments
What does the general aggression model propose?
That both individual differences and situational factors lead to aggression-related thoughts, feelings, and/or arousal, which in turn, can lead to aggressive behaviour, depending on how a person interprets the situation
What are the four “steps” leading to aggressive behaviour according to the general aggression model?
- The presence of individual and/or situational factors
- The activation of accessible cognitions, accessible affects, and/or arousal
- Appraisal processes/ interpretation of situation
- Behaviour choice
What is one clear way in which exposure to violence on television can lead to aggression via modelling?
Modelling
What are Helfgott’s six proposed motivations for committing copy cat crimes?
- Watching violence on TV diminishes some people’s aggressive propensities
- People copy the violence they see demonstrated (social learning theory)
- Priming
- Watching violence on TV increases arousal, so one acts violently to try to feel the same way
- The more a person is exposed to violent media, the more they become desensitized
- Being desensitized leads to a willingness to act aggressively
What are two reasons why physiological arousal leads to aggression?
- Arousal can heighten whatever a person is already feeling, and thus increase the likelihood that they will act on those feelings
- People may misattribute the cause of their arousal, and thus react more strongly if provoked
What is desensitization?
The reduction of physiological reactions to a stimuli due to repeated exposure to it
Can desensitization reduce people’s inhibitions about engaging in aggressive behaviour?
Yes
The circuit consisting of the orbital frontal cortex, amygdala, and anterior cingulate cortex is suggested as the neural correlate for what?
Aggression
Does lower activation in the neural circuitry associated with aggression increase or decrease aggression?
Lower activation leads to more aggression
What are four ways to reduce aggression?
- Punishment
- Modelling non-aggressive responses
- Training in communication and problem-solving skills
- Increasing empathy and perspective taking
What is one of the most common ways of trying to reduce aggressive behaviour?
Punishment
What are two reasons why punishment may not be the most effective method of reducing aggression?
- Some forms of punishment model the use of aggression
- It can lead to the belief that the only reason to not behave aggressively is to avoid punishment
What is one of the most effective communication strategies for reducing aggressive behaviour?
An apology
Under what three circumstances are apologies most effective?
- When delivered shortly after the transgression
- When delivered intensely
- When delivered empathetically
T or F: Although expressing anger violently leads to increased aggression, letting someone know you’re upset can be an effective way of reducing it.
True
Does ruminating about a problem increase or decrease anger towards it?
Increases anger
Does distracting one’s self from a problem increase or decrease anger towards it?
Decreases anger
Did perspective-taking or empathy prove to be more effective in strategic games?
Perspective-taking
Did perspective-taking or empathy prove to be more effective in games based on the strength of interpersonal connections?
Empathy
In high-honour cultures like Turkey, are people more or less likely to be submissive?
Less likely
Are individuals from collectivistic or individualistic culture more likely to retaliate against the aggressor?
Individualistic
Which three demographic traits are most common in people who approve corporal punishment?
- Male
- Less educated
- Older
Are those who experienced corporal punishment as children more or less likely to use it as a method of punishment for their own children?
Less likely
Which four countries are among those with a high level of homicide?
- Russia
- Mexico
- South Africa
- Venezuela
T or F: Some data suggests that collectivistic cultures show higher rates of aggression (including violent crimes and homicides).
True
What is one explanation for why collectivistic cultures show higher rates of aggression?
There is a greater distinction drawn between in-group and out-group members
Is peer-directed aggression higher or lower in collectivistic cultures?
Lower
Are rates of domestic violence higher in collectivistic or individualistic cultures?
Collectivistic
How is a woman who remains in an abusive relationship viewed differently in collectivistic cultures vs individualistic cultures?
- Collectivistic: Seen as strong and loyal
- Individualistic: Seen as passive and foolish
What do the Batek in Malaysia believe about engaging in acts of violence?
Engaging in violence is a threat to the natural cosmic order and will result in consequences from the gods
What does the “honour culture” in South America promote?
Aggressive acts to protect one’s self and defend one’s honour
When faced with a situation that causes social anxiety, how are American Southerners likely to react?
Aggressively
What is the cue-arousal theory?
A revision of the frustration-aggression hypothesis that emphasizes the role of both anger arousal and situational cues in determining the amount of aggression a person displays
Which theory of aggression was proposed by Leonard Berkowitz?
The cue-arousal theory
T or F: Simple arousal, even if aggressive cues are present, is rarely sufficient for aggressive behaviour to be exhibited.
True
According to Zillman, what is preappraisal?
The recognition of potential danger
What do Huesmann and Guerra maintain about aggressive behaviour?
That it’s controlled to a great extent by cognitive schemas about aggression formed through early childhood experiences
