Social Psychological Explanations Of Aggression Flashcards
What are the 3 basic stages of the frustration aggression hypothesis?
- Aggression always follows frustration
- Frustration will always lead to aggression
- Releasing aggression is cathartic i.e a drive reducing mechanism makes ya feel better.
What is catharsis?
A form of emotional release.
Explain the frustration aggression hypothesis.
Aggression is a drive. If people are prevented from getting what they want they experience frustration. This triggers the aggressive drive behaviour such as a violent fantasy or verbal outburst or even physical violence. The aggressive drive is high when our motivation to reach the goal is strongest. responding is cathartic as the drive is reduced. We then feel better.
Why would aggressive behaviour not always be expressed towards the source of frustration?
- Not practically possible - may be economic situation or weather
- We risk punishment
- Source is unavailable
In these situations the aggressive drive is triggered but we redirect onto an alternative source - the kicking dog effect.
Evaluate the frustration- aggression hypothesis.
S - 4 groups of male uni students asked to complete a puzzle. Pps in 3 groups had their levels of frustration manipulated. One had an impossible puzzle, one was continually distracted and one received insults. The fourth were the control. After they were asked to give electric shocks to confederate, strongest was insulted, then distracted, them impossible.
C - pps who were asked to vent frustration by punching a punch bag became more aggressive so not cathartic. Doesn’t account for individual differences eg some remove themselves or cry. Some say it isn’t the frustrating event but the negative emotions which causes anger and agg.
I - determinist as gives an excuse, androcentric
P - lab experiment carried out were pps could shock confederate who’d previously angered them. One condition had aggressive cue (gun) one condition had non-aggressive cue (badminton racket) and one had no cue. Those w aggressive cue gave highest shocks - gun debate.
Explain social learning theory as applied to human aggression.
Bandura said all behaviour learned. He acknowledged some aggressive behaviour learned through operant conditioning eg if a child takes a toy away successfully they’ll learn aggression has benefits so repeats it. He also noted children most often show novel aggression - behaviour they’ve not demonstrated before which OC can’t explain. He said aggression was acquired through observing and their consequences.
Explain how role models are implicated in social learning theory of aggression.
Pay most attention to our role models who have important features that make us pay more attention like gender, age or appearance, people we look up to or have status. Parents are primary role models - through observation and identification their behaviour is modelled. Boy watching father attack mother is more likely to become abusive parent/Husband. Children then learn consequences. If role model is rewarded by success or money then the aggressive behaviour is more likely to be imitated. But wit negative criticism, loss of popularity or punishment it is less likely.
Explain how cognitive conditions are implicated the social learning theory of aggression.
Observed behaviour kit automatically imitated.
- Attention paid to aggressive behaviour eg engaging in a computer game is attending to it
- Remember role models behaviour
- Must be able to reproduce aggressive behaviour eg whether they’re caps already
- Motivated to perform aggressive behaviour depending on if it brings rewards.
Evaluate social learning theory as an explanation of aggression.
S - bobo dolly study. Children watching adult punch and kick the doll = children did the same. Adult not acting aggressively = children not agg. BUT
C - methodological issues like demand characteristics, ecological validity, use of young children, population validity and can it explain in adults? Also SLT explains some aggression but not all. Eg reactive aggression is harder to explain - aggression in response to a stimulus like jealousy, pain or loneliness is better explained by frustration- aggression.
I - doesn’t take into account bio factors - boys more aggressive than girls. Experiences might trigger aggression.
P - raises importance for decreasing aggression role models eg age certificates and intervention programmes for parents.
What is deindividuation?
Zimbardo suggested deindividuation can be triggered by being in a large crowd, wearing a uniform or using drugs and alcohol. He also said whereas individuated behaviour is rational and conforms to social norms relating to acceptable behaviour deindividuation is based on primitive urges and ignores social norms.
Explain deindividuation as an explanation for aggression
Usually the shame of being criticised or punished is a strong barrier to carrying out aggression. Being in a crowd, wearing a uniform or a hood increases anonymity and reduces identification, making a person psychologically ‘invisible’ so they lose their identity. aggression is displayed bc people lose their sense of identity and experience reduced self control, leading to impulsive behaviour deviating from social norms related to anti-social behaviour. They’re not concerned w what people think or how they might be judged whereas usually this would prevent aggression.
Evaluate deindividuation as an explanation for aggression.
S - zimbardo found pps dressed in oversized lab coats and hoods have longer, more painful electric shocks to confederates than pps wearing name badges. Hooded pps harder to identify so more aggressive
C - pps dressed in KKK masks and robes or in nurses uniform. The pps dressed as nurses gave less electric shocks - they were similarly deindividuated so should’ve been the same. An alternative explanation is that when DI individual strongly adopts the social norms of situation they’re in eg nurse = caring.
I - determinist as it says the situation a person is in leads to aggression and we have no choice in this. Ignores free will which is important in aggression as we should take responsibility.
P - helps explain real world aggression eg crowd baiting or lynchings. A media analysis found 10/21 cases a crowd was more likely to bait a jumper at night, if crowd was large and far away from victim.
