situational explanation Flashcards
what is a situational explanation?
where aggression is explained through the prison context rather than the individual
what are the three types of factors that come from the prison environment?
-organisational (rules and regulations, can prompt aggression because prisoners are expected to blindly follow them)
-physical (cramped conditions, threatening environment etc)
-staff characteristics (eg clash of personalities, power imbalance)
what is the deprivation model?
a situational explanation that sees institutional aggression as arising through the loss of prisoners key needs in a prison setting
what are the 5 types of deprivations used in the deprivation model?
-deprivation of liberty
-deprivation of autonomy
-deprivation of goods and services
-deprivation of heterosexual relationships
-deprivation of security
what is meant by ‘deprivation of liberty’?
prisoners can’t go where they please when they please
Sykes 1958 argued this reinforced the feeling of rejection from society which prompted aggression
what is meant by ‘deprivation of autonomy’?
no independence, prisoners have day-to-day schedules, which can lead to helplessness which in turn becomes aggression
what is meant by ‘deprivation of goods and services’?
very limited access to goods eg mobile phones, causing anger and resentment and therefore aggression
what is meant by ‘deprivation of heterosexual relationships’?
no access to companionship, could be a need for sex or a need for someone to experience emotional intimacy with
what is meant by ‘deprivation of security’?
prison environment doesn’t feel safe, leading to a heightened awareness and defensiveness, which can cause overreaction
research on situational explanations
-Lahm 2008 - looked at inmate-on-inmate violence of 1054 prisoners across 30 prisons, finding the main predictors of violence were age and aggression levels, suggesting the importation model is the better explanation, however overcrowding also played a part, so situational factors involved too
-Cheeseman 2003 - found that aggression in prisons acted as a form of stress relief, so the frustration-aggression hypothesis can be applied, and as frustration is prompted by a situation, it can support the situational model
briefly evaluate the situational explanations
-Maslow’s hierarchy of needs can support it, as the first step is physiological needs which can’t be met in prison (neither can safety needs)
-Haslam & Reicher 2006 - modification of zimbardo, found that it wasn’t the adoption of the prisoner role that affected behaviour, but the need to be part of a group (prison context, supports)
-prison riots can support and oppose the situational model; they occur when there’s been a withdrawal of privileges but can also flare up for no reason
who argued that the best explanation for institutional aggression was an interaction between situational and dispositional explanations?
-Jiang & Fisher-Giorlando 2002 - aggression towards fellow inmates seemed to be better explained by the importation model, and aggression towards prison officers seemed more influenced by situational factors
