The frustration-aggression hypothesis Flashcards
What is the frustration-aggression hypothesis?
The theory that aggression is the consequence of frustration
What is frustration?
Any event or stimulus that prevents an individual from attaining some goal and its reinforcing quality
What did Dollard state?
Aggression causes frustration and frustration causes aggression
What is catharsis?
The purging of emotions
How is catharsis associated with aggression?
Aggressive behaviour allows the purging of behaviour
How are aggressive urges relieved?
By engaging in aggressive behaviour
What are the 3 reasons aggression can’t always be expressed against the source of frustration?
Source of frustration is abstract, source of frustration is too powerful and source of frustration isn’t available
What does the psychodynamic approach suggest about aggression?
It is an innate process
What similarities are there between the FAH and the psychodynamic approach?
They both assume defence mechanisms as a key assumption
What are defence mechanisms?
Actions taken by the unconscious mind to protect the conscious mind from harm
What defence mechanisms is associated with the FAH?
Displacement
How is displacement applied to aggression?
Aggression is often directed towards an innocent person or thing, rather than the source
What are the 3 conditions affecting the likelihood of aggression?
Proximity of the goal, effectiveness of aggression and whether the aggression is justifiable
What are the 4 FAH evaluation points?
1) Supporting research from Geen
2) Contradictory evidence from Bushman
3) RWA application from Priks
4) Berkowitz weapon effect
Who found research support for the FAH?
Geen
Who were the participants in Geen’s study?
Male university students
What task were Geen’s participants given?
To complete a jigsaw puzzle
What were the 3 experimental conditions of Geen’s study?
Impossible puzzle, interfered with by confederate and insulted by a confederate
What was Geen’s high frustration condition?
Participants insulted by a confederate
What was Geen’s low frustration condition?
Impossible jigsaw puzzle
What were Geen’s participants made to do after the jigsaw puzzle?
Give shocks to the confederate
What did Geen find about participants in the high frustration group?
They gave the strongest shocks
How did Geen’s experimental groups compare to his control group?
All 3 gave stronger shocks
Who found contradictory evidence to the FAH?
Bushman
Which part of the FAH did Bushman question?
Catharsis
What did Bushman do to frustrate all his participants?
Insulted their work
What were Bushman’s 3 experimental groups?
Hit punch bag + think about criticised work, hit punch bag + think about exercise and don’t hit anything
Which group of Bushman’s were showing displacement?
Hitting the punch bag and thinking about being criticised
Which of Bushman’s experimental groups showed the most aggression?
The displacement group
Which of Bushman’s experimental groups showed the least aggression?
The group who did nothing
What do Bushman’s findings contradict?
The belief that catharsis via aggression leads to reduced anger
Who found a RWA of the FAH?
Priks et al
In which group of people did Priks find evidence of the FAH?
Swedish football fans
What was the measure of frustration in Prik’s study?
A football teams position in the league
What was the measure of aggression in Prik’s study?
The number of objects thrown onto the pitch
Give 2 examples of objects thrown onto the pitch in Priks’ study?
Fireworks and bricks
What did Priks find?
The worse a team performed, the moe objects were thrown on the pitch
What behaviour were the football fans in Priks study likely to engage in?
Fighting with supporters of the opposing teams
Who criticised the FAH?
Berkowitz
What did Berkowitz suggest in replace of the FAH?
That frustration instead causes a ‘readiness’ for aggression
What did Berkowitz suggest had more of an affect on aggression than frustration?
Environmental cues
What effect is Berkowitz associated with?
The weapon effect
