Slides Session 10 Flashcards
What is aggression?
AGGRESSION is defined as behaviour directed towards the goal of harming another living being who is motivated to avoid such treatment
What are contributing factors to aggression?
A.1) The role of Biological factors: accepting that any given form of behaviour is influenced by genetic factors implies that there is a potential to engage in behaviour that is partly generated by biological factors
A.2) Drive Theories: Aggression stems from external conditions that arouse the motive to harm or injure others
Frustration-aggression hypothesis/model: Frustration leads to the arousal of a drive whose primary goal is that of harming some person and object, particularly the cause of the frustration. {Theory holes; not all frustration leads to aggression and aggression has many other causes}
Modern Theories of aggression:
Modern theories of aggression focuseon multiple causes of aggression, such as:
- Social learning perspective: depending on culture and past experiences individuals learn; ways to harm others, who they can harm, what behaviours by other justifies aggression, and in which context aggression is permitted
- The General Aggression Model (GAM) is a social-cognitive model that includes situational, individual, and biological factors that interact to produce a variety of cognitive, emotional, physiological and behavioral outcomes
What are Basic sources of Aggression?
Frustration and Provocation
- Frustration: the way you feel when prevented from getting what you want or expect
- Aggression is not an automatic response to frustration
- Provocation: Direct provocation is an obvious reason why people become aggressive.
a) Aggression towards you, unjustified Criticism, Teasing, Threat to self-identity - concerns of status / reputation, and Condescension – arrogance or disdain, are powerful forms of provocation
- Emotions in aggression: The impact of emotions in aggression is complex
a) To explain this phenomenon; according to the relevant Excitation Transfer Theory: arousal produced in one situation can persist and intensify emotional reactions later.
What are Social Causes of aggression
Social exclusion – Initiates a hostile mindset
Exposure to media violence and violent pornography can increase aggression.
Cultures of honour – Norms promoting aggression e.g. response to stealing
Why some people are more aggressive than others
Personality and Aggression
Hostile Attributional Bias: A bias by people who attribute even innocent actions by other to the fact that they are hostile. Everyone is out to get them
Narcissism: Narcissistic people react very aggressively (Narcissistic rage) when their self-image is threatened – feelings vulnerability leads to aggression
What are possible causes of aggression
- Basic sources, such as frustration
- Social causes, such as exclusion
- Personality, such as hostile attributional bias
- Gender –> men
- situational determinants, such as heat
Gender and aggression:
Males are usually more aggressive or more likely to be targets of aggression
Women tend to be involved in indirect aggression and men with direct aggression
When strongly provoked men and woman respond with some form of aggression equally
Gender differences in aggression is complex
What are Situational determinants of aggression:
The effects of heat, alcohol and gun availability
Heat: is linked to some forms of aggression but not at high temperatures
a) Temperature-aggression Hypothesis: High temps (34’C) reduces tendencies to be aggressive (people become lazy)
Alcohol: Increases aggressive behaviour because:
It lowers inhibitions
Causes people to be easily provoked
Impairs cognitive functioning
Gun availability: Impacts on the intention to commit violent acts (the weapons effect) and makes it possible for such acts to be committed successfully.
a) Research indicates that living with guns increases the risk of homicide/suicide.
What are forms of aggressions in the workplace/ classroom
Bullying/Cyberbullying: is a pattern of behaviour in which an individual is the target of aggressive behaviour by one or more people
Workplace aggression: is any form of behaviour through which individuals seek to harm others in their workplace
a) Effect-danger ratio principle: a principle suggesting that those engaging in this type of aggression try to maximize harm, while minimizing the danger of retaliation e.g. Boss
When can bullying be reduced?
Bullying can be reduced when;
a) Strong supervision efforts
b) Training teachers to recognize and act against it
c) Involving parents in the process
d) Involve bystanders by placing an expectation on them to report bullying
e) Outside people are used to identify the cause and develop programmes to stop/prevent it
f) Victims are given the means to deal with it (e.g. Counselling)
How can aggression be controlled?
- Punishment: A procedure followed in which negative consequences are delivered to or imposed on a person
- Self-regulation: Internal mechanisms for restraining Aggression
- Catharsis: Catharsis Hypothesis – the view that releasing anger in non-harmful ways can then they reduce their chances of engaging in dangerous types of aggression
- Thinking nonaggressive thoughts: Divert our thinking away from the negative thought
