pysch p3 aggression Flashcards
What is the limbic systems and what structures does it involve?
limbic structures are strucutures within the subcortical region of the brain that include the hyopthalmus, amygdala and hippocampus.
what is the role of the amygdala?
is a predictor or has a role in respoding to aggressive behaviour and resposding the a environment which is seen as threatening so more heightened the amygdala, is the more aggressive will the person be.
descrieb the study that showed the role of the amygdala in aggression?
some particpiant provoked and fMRI scans showed that a fast and heightened response by the amygdala when they displayed aggressive behaviour.. But when given the drug benzopiazipene which reduces the arousal of the sympathetic nervous system they was decarseed aggression because it had lowered the actovty of the amygdala.
What is the role of the obriatl frontal cortex?
Normal levels of sertaonin, linked with the reduced firing of neurons so then greater self control of behaviour.
what effect does seratonin have on the brain?
has inhibitory effect and slows down neuronal activity, so if OFC has decreased serotonin then more impulsive behaviour and then more aggressiveness.
What is testosterones and what is it responsible for?
testosterones is the male sex hormone responsible for male features and is the reason why men are more aggressive than women because they have higher levels of it, is responsible for regulating certain social behaviours.
what do castration studioes show abput testrorenone in aggression?
removal of testes meant that the production of testrone was reduced or low so there was reductiuon in aggressive behviour of the species
another study found that there was positve correltation between testosterones levels and personlaity diroder and aggressive behaviour they were resprobile for.
What do low levels of progesterone do in women?
shows a important role in aggression in women as repots have found a negative correlation between women and progesterone levels
this is especially seen just after the menstrual phase where progesterone ; levels are low so they tend to be more aggressive and moody.
What is one strength of the hormonal mechanisms in explaining aggression?
one stregnth of HM for aggression is studies from animals. in male rhesus monkeys it was found that there was an ijcrseaede level of tetsroren and aggresive behaviour during the mating season and in rats the castration of tetst meant less mouse killing behaviour, therfore this shows a dircet link ebtween testroenr and aggression.
One limiation of dual hormone hypothesis HM?
one - is that there is mixed evidence showing how testroen may cause aggression in males but there maybe two hormones influenvcing each other. This is because high levels of testosterone can only lead to aggressive behaviour when coritsol level are low. but when cortisol is high then testosterone influence is blocked., therefore combined actviity of T and cortisol are better explanation for aggression
Why is drugs and serotini a stregnth for neural mechanisms in aggression?
rseaerch shwos the role of seratonin effects of drugs and aggression.
this is becausse drugs such as aproxetine increases seratonin levels ahs been found to also reduce aggressive behaviour.. Evidince for this comes from PTS who were playing a lab based games that involved giving and recieving electric shcoks in resoponse to provocation. the groups with the drug gave fewer/less shocks than the placebo group. showing a causal link between seratonin and aggressiion.
why are other brain structures a - for neural mechnaisms in aggression?
this is becasue recent resecrach has found there are onther nonlimbic sturctures brain structures involvedin aggression.
Limbic structures such as the amygdala function togther with the OFC which isnt part of the limibic system.. The OFC is involved in impuse regulation ad inhibiting aggressive behaviour, and evidience shows that OFC activity is reduced in those with psychiatric disorders and reduced activity block the OFC impulse control function, which makes the person behave more aggressively.
therefore its a limiation because the neural regulation of aggression is more than just the amgydala
What deso the etholgoical explannation of aggression suggest?
that aggression is adaptive
why is aggression seen as adaptive strategy?
becasue a its is beneficial to survval as the defeated animal or species is rarely killed., meaning that member of species are spread out have to discover a new place or resources to gain for which reduced the competition pressure and risk of species dying.
What is another adapative function of aggression?
able to estabalshih dominant hierchies, such as male chimpanzeez who use aggression to climb to thier troops social hierachy to attains status and many goals/means.
this is also seen in humans where children are aggressive to get to the top of a hierachy, and bring many beenfits to them for survival and would then be naturally selected.
define ritualistic aggresion?
a series of aggressive violent behaviours carried out in a order. lorenz had found that fights between same species rarey ever lead to physical damage and just usually show ritualistsic signalling such as claws, teeth.
how is this adaptive ?
becasue when appeasemnt signals are shown it shows surrender and vulnrbalty to the other species/animal, so if aggressive attack happened it wold lead to the death and then threaten the exisistence of species.
Define innate releasing mechanism?
is an inbuilt physiological process taht is truggered by a sepfic enrvomental stimuli that is percived as a threat. this then releases a specific sequence of behaviours FAP
what are 3 features of FAP?
universal same behavour found in each species
ballistic course has to be completed and wont stop until finished.
single purpose/to only occru ina specific situation
What did timbergans research on male stickleback fish find?
regardless of shape or model that he used if the red dot under the belly was found then the aggressive FAP were ran its completion
the red spot triggered the innate releasing mechnisma dn develops as way of protecting their teritory
What is one limiation of FAPs not being fixed?
the view of FAPs is outdated
as he saw them as fixed and innate, however a researcher found that these are greatlyinfluenced by envroemntal factorsan learning experiences. as he found that the duraton of each behaviour isnt fied but changes from encounter toencounter and depending on the type of threat. and becasue they are modified they are seen as modal behaviour pattern, therefore lorenzs idea of FAPS arent so applicable .
Why is ritualistic aggresion a limitation of the ETH for aggression?
one - is that aggression againts same species isnt always non violent and not just ritualistic. Evidience comes from a 4 year war observed by a rsearcher in chimpanzees and killed all member o another group and even though appeasemnt signsla were given they didnt inhibit theri aggressive ebhaviour, as predicted by lorenz.
this challneges thet view that ritualistic aggresion doesnt always lead to aggresion.
why is rsearch support a +for ETH for aggression?
research to support that coems from genetic ad evolution. such as the MAOA gene ad low variant leading to aggression in humans. and twin and adoption studies show that there is a significant genetic compment to agressiona s is inherited so genetically based., shwoing that it is natural and adaptive as it is naturally selected.
What is decribe sexual jelousy?
is a main cause of men being more aggressive and men unlike women can never be sure about whether they are or they raent rhier child parent. fear of cuckoldry having to raise offspring that not their own.
How does sexual jelousy cause aggression and why?
becasue it means if a man has to raise someone elses offspring then they waste their materials and resources on them, contributing to the rivals genes and make them better adapted for survival than themselesv and their own family.
What are mate retention stratgeies?
strategies to keep their partners from straying to other males.
What are the 2 mate retention strategies?
direct guarding of behaviour, keeping tabs on their wifes phone or staying with them when out.
negative inducemnts of threat such as ill harm myself if you leave me
What did a research study/survey show about women experinceing physical violence by their husbands?
A rsearcher asked women to report bout mate retention startgeies in their partners and women whp agreed with such statement such as he insists on knowing who you are with at all times- experinced more physical violence - supporting that fact that mate renttion strategies are linked to physical violence.
What does the evolutionary explantion to bullying suggest?
that bullying occrus due to a imbalance of power
so a more powerful person uses aggression deliberatly against a weaker person. and ancestors have used it as a adaptive strategy to increase their chnaces of surval and reproduction
How can male bullying be explained?
bullying in males is due to charcatericts that are seen as attractive by a woman such as dominance strength and attaiing resources, so it can ward of rivals
this is then seen as naturally selected because male have a greater reproductive success for women
once aquiring all materials and being tough if benefits the bullys health and they gain a reputation and dont suffer from bullying themselves.
How can female bullying be explained by the evolutionary exp?
females involved in bullygin mainly becasue they want to control their partner so they contune to provide resources for them and their offspring ,increases reproductive success.
Why is gender differences a strength of EVo exp of aggression?
One + of the EVO exp of aggression is that ot can explaine the differences in uses of aggression between females and males.
this is becauseit can be due to socialisation but can be explained in terms of adaptive strategies. An example comes from a rsearcher who explained why women tend to be less physical and more verbally abusive as this would put their own survival at risk and her child at risk, and verbally abusive to reatin their partner, therfore it can provide support for EVO exp.
why is RWA for EVo exp a strength?
one + for evo exp is that it can be used in real world aplication to reduce bullying. This is becasue the evo exp assumes that the person who bullies other are because of their deficiences and wanting to be at a high status. This can then be applied in a school where they are given responsibilities as an alternative source of status, and promot pro social alternative instead. therefore this is a strength for EVo exp because it can applied ot reducing bullying in a real world contxt.
why is cultral differnecs a limiation of EVo explaintions?
one limiation of Evo exp i sthat it cant explain cultural differences.
this is because in some cultures agression appears to be looked down upon and not so adaptuve. .For example the people of african botwana were seen to be harmless as a anthropolgist studies them and found that aggressive behaviour was discrouarged from childhood with both bys and girls and those who do use it to have a status in their community are diminished, so it shows cultural norms and values contrain aggressive behaviour.
therfroe aggression may not be seen as a dapive strategy for all cultursand and people.
Does frustration always lead to aggression and how?
yes frustation always lead to aggression and aggression always the result of agression
experinced frustartion when our attempts to reach a gola are blocked by an exterbal factor, creating a aggressive drive and act violent/aggressively
How does this help remove negative emotiona and what is this called?
called catharsis and root froma psychdynmaic explantion becasue it helps take out frustation on another object and frustation is satisfied
What are the 3 reason why aggression is not always expressed against the source of frustation?
abstract cause, too powerful so we fear punishment or unavaible at the time, so aggression is placed on soehting weaker avaiblable and non abstarct.
What does the weapon affect suggest on agression?
that even if we become angry we might not bevae aggressively but frustation creates a readiness for aggression and enviromental cues make us act upon it more likely.
What did BERKOWITZ study show?
showed how ps who had a gun infront of them gave higer fake electric shock to the confederate when all provoked shwoig that presenec of envromentl cues stimluates aggression
Why is the frustation aggression link a limitation of the hypothesis?
because the link is complex. This is because in research shown that frustration doesnt always lead to aggression and aggression can occur without frustration. For example somone who feels frustarted may behave in a range of ways, such as being determined or helpless rather than being aggressive and someone who is aggressive might do it for many reasons.
therefore this is a limitation because the hypotheisis states that agression arises in some situations but not in others.
Why is the role of catharsis a - for FS ?
irseaech shows that agressino may not be cathartic.. a rsearcher who found Ps that vented their anger by repeatdky hitting a punching bag ebcame more aggressive compared to doing it less
What is the effect of excessive TV veiwing in aggression?
aggressive behaviour can be indirectly linked to antisocial behaviour and being aggressive.
What did the researcher find about tv in new zealnaders?
measured tv viewing hours of 1000 new zealnders upto the age of 26
found the time spent watching Tv childhood was predictor of aggression in early adulthood
linked with reduced social interactions and poorer educational attainment, so behave more aggressively.
How does violent film content affect children and learning aggressive behaviour?
veiwing violent media content has most significant media influence on behaviour. Bandura followed up on his research by replicating it but by children watching a bobo doll being beaten by an adult on SCREEN.–
outcome was similiar and children tended to imitate the model, so social learning processes can also work through media and face to face.
How does computer games ahve a more powerfull effect than anyother screen based media?
because players take a more active role than just passively watching the screen as they play
player experiences direct rewarding positve reinforment and operant condtioning
What did a lab experiment show the effect of violent computer games on volumes of white burst noise?
Ps delivered white blasts of noice at chosen volumes to punish a non existent opponent. students qho played violent games for ten minutes selected significantly higher volumes of white noise than students who played a non violent golfing game.
one +of media influnces on aggression?
can explain research findings through SLT.
This is because a researcher has descibed the SLT as a convincing theoritial framwork as widely accpeted exposure to violence at home is harmful to children so it makes sense that video games are sources of SLT, so are more likely to imitate aggressive behaviours when rewarded or when children identify with role models on screens.
therefoe this is a + as having an explantion for the findings enhances the validity of the research
why is defining aggression a - of media influnces?
this is becasue aggression can be defined in various ways., for example the DV of violent behaviour in volume of white noise blasted . but violence isnt aggression and not all aggression is violence., and so the ffet of the stidy depends on how aggression is define. so findings of studies are hard to compare to lack generalisibility.
What is a counter point for defining agression as a -?
meta analysis can help overcome the problem.
as a researcher did a comprehnesive MA of 136 studies defining aggression in different ways ,behviour thiughts or feelings. and found that exposure to violent computer games all gave increased outcomes of aggression for both men and women.
therefore MA that include different definitions of aggression are a valid method for discovering effects of media on aggression
How can indirect and direct learning be used to explain aggression?
in SLT learning of a behaviour aggression can be learned directly through positive reinformnent negative reinforment and punishment–
How does this direct reinforcemnt teach the child to behave aggressively?
When a child snatches atoy of another it makes it rewarding so it will be more liekly that the aggressive behaviour will be more likely to repeated in a similiar situation.,
However learning can also be indirect aswell as direct
What are 2 examples of indirect learning?
observational learning and viacrious reinformemtn
How do children learn aggressive behaviour htorugh observational learning?
learn through observing theri role models such as their sibling parents or friends in media.
What is nessaccary for the child to actaully learn the aggressive behavour ?
to observee the consequences of that behaviour and if it is rewarded or punished to learn that this is what the childwill get what they want.
VICARIOUS REINFORMEnt
Whate are the 4 cognitive conditions for learning?
attention to pay attaention to models behaviour
retention obersver needs to remeber the models actions
reproduction obervser must be able to carry out the physical action.
motivation observe needs a reason to imitate the behvaiour which is where the consequences of the behaviour need to be remembered.
What does self efficacy mean and how does it related to learning aggression?
is the extent to which we belive our actions will help us achived a desired goal.,
and a childs confideince in their ability to be ggressive will increase if if brings rewards. such as child grabbing a toy out of usig agressive behaviour, then they will learn that this will give them a posituve outcome and each time they use this technique the more confideint they will be become more and more aggressive.
What does BANDURA BOBO DOLL EXPERIMENT show?
childrn vieweda adult /model hit a bobo doll agressively kicking or punching.
the children were then told to not play with attractive toys in another room including the bobo doll.
without being told to do so they imiatted the behaviour to that what they observd.
What research can act as a strenght for the SLT?
one +is that research supporting ithe explantion of aggression of SLT.
evdience comes from researcher who found boys aged 9 to 12 form freindships with other aggressive boys and mutually reinforced eachothers aggresive behaviour through modelling. for example they would observe each other using aggression against other to get what they wanted providing reinforment and also gained reinfoemnt from the rewarding approval from the rest of their gang.
therefore SLT proceses have shown that predictiosn made by slt i aggression can be seen.
Why is RWA a +for SLT theory?
because it can help reduce aggression.. This is because children will imitate the behviour of another when they see it is rewarded espcially whent they identify with them. This can also be applied to modelling NON AGRESISVE BEHAVIOUR so it can produce non aggressive behaviour.
For example encpruaging cildren to form friendships with children rewarded for non aggressive behaviour can help them imiate those non aggresive behaviours.
therfore it can be used to reduce the development of non aggressive behaviour in chidlren
Why is BIOLOGICAL INFLEUNCES a - for SLT theory?
one - is that it underestimates the bioloigcal factor and its infelunce on aggression.. This is becasue alhtogh bandura recognised that the urger to be aggresive is in nature- but is shaped and reifnorced or encourage by nurture our enrviment. But other studies in hormonal neural and evoltionary powerful influnces on aggression which SLT cannot explain.-
therfor ehtis is an incomplete explantion as it underplays the role of thse biological factors.
How does the dispositional explantion IAG?
through imporatation model that suggests its the prisoner that bring in their aggression from the outside.
Describe the imporattion model of dispositional explanation?
prison inmates come from th outside world and bring their subculture type of cimrinalty in with them into the prison
what tyope of things do prisoner come into the prison with import in?
their belifs norms and attitudes and other perosal characterstcs such as ehtincity bring in thier subcultural norms with them.
what is this dispostional exp based on?
based on nurture and inherited temperemant teir nature ,
and the willingnes to use violence in the prison is used to fight other before getting into prison to attain power status and access to resources.
what rsearch shows that prisoner charactersts are linked to outcomes?
young offenders in californina had negative backgrounds and imprted these characteristcs into the prison
negatively background inmates were more lieklt o tnegnage in sexual isodncut and acts of physical aggression.
How does the sitatuonal explantion explaing IAG?
through deprivation model, with the harshc donditions being ore stressed oiut or frustarted.
what does the deprivation model suggest?
that its the prisons envrioemnt itself
harsh prison conctions become stressfull for inmates and to cope they resort to aggresive behaviour, and can be deprived of freedom sexual inimatcy and goods.
what does deprivation of good also lead to ?
competition for resoruces amongs other inmates.
How does the prison rules and restrction cause aggression?
is locks up are used to control behaviour they feel frustration they then feel no joy in doing other activities and thn get punsihed casuing more violence.
What rsearch is ther to support deprivation model?
in 500 US prisons there was more hogher proportion of inmate on inmate violnce that were caused by overcrwoding staff who were women and cramped spaces.
Why i research support s atrgenght for importation model?
becasue rsearcher studies 560 male inmates with simiiar criminal histories and predisposition so to agression.
half were radomly placed in a high secuirty prison and half in a low secirty prison and found there was littl differencein level of aggression and misconduct between 33% ad 36%
which found that features of a prison are less important factors ot aggression than charcteristc of inmates.
therefore this is a strenght as it shows that due to rabdom allocation of imnates the aggressive behavour was still the same, in different prisons.
Why is ignoring key factors a - for then importation model?
one - is that it ignore key factors suh as the way the prison is run.
the ADMINETRATIV E CONTROL MODEL states that porrly managed prison sare more likely to have inmate violnce because it included weak leadership , a thriving culture of unoffical rules. so th importation model is an inedauqut explantion because factors withing the prison can affect the inmates and their behaviour on other.
where does rsearhc support for the deprivion model come from?
rs fro the deprivation model.
this is because a researcher analysed 35 inmate murder in a prisons between 2000and2008 and found the people ho killed had motivations fro their violent behaviour were liked to the ones in deprivation model such as boundairies tp have been crossed such as argments over drugs, sexual activty and personal possessions
therfore this supports the deprivation model ad supports its validity.
why is contradictory research a - for the deprivation model?
one - of research is contradicting the DP model.. this is because the model would predict aggressive behaviour due to lack fo heterosexual conttact,
but a researcher studied male ad femal inmates from two prisons that allow conjugal visits
and found that there was no link between visits and reduced aggressive behaviour.
Describe what happend when we repatdly veiw violen or aggressive content?
when we see a violent action we experience a phsyiloigcl arousal associated with the sympathtic nervous system
such as heart rate incresed high blood pressure, but when children repeatdly watch aggressive content they bcome used to its effects so stimulus has a lower imoact and arousal becomes lower with repeated viewing or playing.
Describe the role of desensitisation in aggression?
desensitises us physiolgically and psychologically as it promites a belief that aggression is a way of resovling a conflict, so socially acceptable, and the negative attitdes towards violence weakens.
What did a lab based study find using a film?
participaint watched a grahic rape scene from straw dogs and then PS watched a reinactment of a rape trial.
compared to the control group who saw a non sexual film, the male viewers of straw dogs showed less empathy to the rape myths and sexual aggression and less likely to feel defend the guilty.
Describe and explain the role of disinhibtion of aggression?
Because many people hold the view that aggression is harmful and antisocial they have strong psycholgical inhibitions against aggression to solve conflicts.
these are learned by SLT.
what happend after we are exposed to vioent media?
after exposre to violent media this effect/control is disinhibted and restraints are loosened.
and if appareaed to be normtive on media then this minimised the effect sof violnce on vcitims and is seen as justfied
describe the effect of cognitive priming on aggression?
when watching aggressive media again and again it prepares a scrpit in our heads about how a violent action should play out
so the script is stored our memory and become ready to aggresive.
this happens automatically without even realising it ,and can be triggered when we encounter cue in a situation that we percive as aggressive.
what did song lyrics show about cogntive priming?
men listened to song lyrics abot women that were derogatriy and had deveopd more negative qualties about women and bhaved more aggressively to a woman confederate.
this also was seen in women.with men hating lyrics.
Define de indivuation?
a psycholgicla state in which a person looses theri perosnal identity and takes identity of social group.
How can crowd behviuor link to de induviduation?
We usually idenfitified by others our behavior is constrained by social norms and aggression is discouraged, but when we become part of a crowd we loose the restraint for our behaviour, and resoponislbyt becoems throughout crowd and is more shared so we dont feel as responsiblty or personal guilt.
What did zimbardo say about de indiduation and aggression?
when in a individuated state we are ratola and show normal behviour, but when we become deindiviated they become emotional impulsive and irrational or ignores social norms.
What are some of the conditions that promote aggressive behaviour according to zimbardo?
darkness drugs uniforms maks and disguises and anonimty. because we have less fear of responsiblity so so are small and seen as a unidentifiable part of a crowd
the bigger the crowd the more anonmyous we are, providing less oppertunities to be judged negatively.
How does reduced self awareness lead to aggression?
aggression does not stem from anaonmity dircetly but from the consequences of anonimity.
What are is private self awarness? decribe?
private self awareness how much we pay attention to our feelings and behaviour which is reduced when we are a part of a concerns.
so our attention becomes on events around us and pay less attention o our own beliefs and feelings promoting a deinvidyated state.
we are less crtitical and less thoughtful.
what are two type of self awarness?
private self awarness and public self awarness
How does pubic self awareness lead to aggression?
refers to how uch we care about how other people see usand what they think of or behviour
which is reduced in crowds becasue we realise the attention is not on us as we are amongst many so less judged by others-so we become less accountable for our behvaiours.
How was research abou de induaton carried out?
carried out by DODD who asked undergraduate psych students the questions if you could do anything huanly possible wihout being detected and respoible what would you do? responses where anonymous.
what were the findings of DODD study?
36% antisocial behaviour
26% rob bank and murder rape and only 9% prosocial behvaiours
which shows that de indviautio promotes anonmity and therefore aggression.
why is research support for deiniduation co,e from ?
researcher looked at aggressive online behaviour in chat rooms and instant messaging.
they found a strong correltion between anonmity and posting hostile messages and the most hostile messgaes were sent by those whoh hid their real identities.
this is a common behaviour od online trolls therefore ther is a link between anonmity and deindivaution.
What is a conterragument fro rearch support for deindiviation and devaince in the dark?
found that de indviuaton does not always lead to aggression.
a group of 8 strangers were placed completely in a dark room for one hour and told they could do whatever they wanted and could not identofy eachother and would never meet again and began to start kssing and intametly touching eachother.
but in another group they weretold that they would come face to face to eachother and the amount of kssing and touhing was much less,so it does not always lead to aggression.
why is real world de individuation a +?
becasue ot ca explain the aggressive behaviour of baiting crowds from suicidal cases.
a researcher looked at 21 cases from US newspaper of a crowd gathering a bait to jump.these occurred more so in the dark and a big distance from the jumper
this is stregnth becasue these are the condtion predicted by de individaution theory to leads to aggressive baiting and state of de invidiaution,
therfore there is some valiity to idea tht a large group can become aggressive in a faceless crowd.
