Unit 1 - LAB Aggression COPY Flashcards
Define Aggression
Behaviours that can result in psychological or physical harm to self,others or objects in the environment.
How many types of aggression are there? What are these called?
4 types : Hostile, Instrumental, Violent (physical), Verbal/non physical.
State what is meant by hostile aggression and provide an example.
Behaviour performed with the primary goal of intentional injury as a response to a previous event. For example, purposely bumping into someone because you’re having a bad day.
Outline what is meant by instrumental aggression and provide an example.
Behaviour that involves an action being carried out generally to achieve another goal. For example, calling your teacher a name to ‘show off’ in front of your peers to gain popularity.
Define violent/physical aggression and give an example.
Behaviour that involves physical force intended to hurt of damage others. For example, punching someone in the face.
Outline what is meant by verbal/non-physical aggression, provide an example.
Communication with an intention to harm an individual through words, tone or manner. For example, swearing
What is a cognitive script?
A way of dealing with a situationa set of instructions a person uses to understand how to navigate a social situation.
Provide an example of a cognitive script linked to aggression.
The media and violent computer games can provide individuals with mental instructions that influence their response when they perceive an environmental stimulus as aggressive.
What is a schema?
A mental framework that helps individuals process and store information in their environment.
Provide an example of a schema linked to aggression.
You have a schema of a group of ‘lads’ wearing hoodies, every time you see them you think they’re going to be aggressive.
Define priming
Exposure to one stimulus may influence a response to a subsequent stimulus. For example, if your friend told you they had just booked a holiday to Mexico, you go home and have tacos for tea.
Define hostile attribution bias
The extent to which an individual interprets the actions of others as hostile.
Provide an example of hostile attribution bias
If someone accidentally walked into you in the corridor, you assume they did it because they wanted to hurt you.
Describe the relationship between hostile attribution bias and aggression
- Ambiguous behaviour by others is perceived as aggressive.
- The person reacts with aggression to protect themselves.
- Hostile/aggressive schema is cued by the situation.
What are the findings of Harris et al. (2009) study?
Food advertisements prime eating behaviour and lead to children and adults eating more crackers.
Link the findings of Harris et al. (2009) study to aggression.
Environmental cues (e.g. violent media) could prime aggression. Making it easier to recall and utilise aggressive cognitive scripts.
What are the findings of Bartlett (1932) study?
He found that participants changed a story as they tried to remember, a process called distortion. This is based on schemas.
Link the findings of Bartlett (1932) study to aggression
Schemas influence our perception and memory of events. Therefore, if we form aggressive schemas (based on aggressive experiences) we may behave aggressively in the future.
Outline a strength of cognitive explanations to explaining aggression.
Research into cognitive explanations for aggression has practical applications as we can use our knowledge of cognitive priming and scripts to predict aggressive behaviour.
Provide an example of how the cognitive explanation for aggression has practical applications.
For example, Aggression is caused by the influence of violence in the media and computer games as this leads to the formation of aggressive schemas.
Explain why practical applications for the cognitive explanation for aggression is a strength
We can use this information to create intervention strategies to tackle impulsive and aggressive schemas from being created in children by only showing violent and aggressive media after 9pm (watershed) and providing age restrictions on computer games.
What is meant by the term “social norm”?
Social norms are the unwritten rules of behaviour that are considered acceptable in a group or society.
Provide an example of a “social norm” in British culture
Queueing up in a line
Provide three examples of norms that could lead to violent behaviour
- Carrying around objects used to inflinct harm (knives, guns)
- Believing violence solves issues/problems
- Culture of honour.
What is meant by culture of honour?
A culture in which a person feels obliged to protect his or her reputation by answering insults, affronts and threats through violence
Provide two gender-role norms for males
Assertive (Dominant)
Use aggression to achieve status (verbal or physical)
Provide two gender-role norms for females
Passive
Gentle
Describe the difference between Informational and Normative social influence.
ISI – desire to be right.
NSI – desire to be liked.
Define compliance as a type of conformity
A change in our public behaviour but not our private beliefs, due to NSI.
Provide an example of how compliance can link to aggression.
Acting aggressively because your friends do, but deep down you know this is wrong.
Define identification as a type of conformity
A change in our public behaviours and private beliefs ONLY when you are in the presence (a member) of a group.
Provide an example of how identification can link to aggression.
Acting aggressively with your group. Then later on, when you are alone, you realise what you did was wrong.
Define internalisation as a type of conformity
A change in both public behaviours and private beliefs, long term change due to ISI.
Provide an example of how internalisation can link to aggression.
Acting aggressively and believing this is the correct way to behave
Define implicit bias
The person is internally biased to show aggression towards certain groups.
Define stereotypes
Cognitive ‘shortcuts’ (overgeneralised belief/assumption) that allow us to interact in the social world.
Explain why racial and ethnic stereotypes are a problem
They may lead to tolerance of racist opinions and aggressive behaviour towards ethnic minorities (e.g. by the police, a concern highlighted by the BlackLivesMatter movement)
State the findings of Aschs (1951) study to aggression
Individuals conformed to group norms due to both informational and normative social influence.
Link the findings of Asch’s (1951) study to aggression.
NSI : Carrying knives because it is the group norm and you want to fit in.
ISI : Believing you need to carry a knife to protect yourself and this is acceptable.
Outline one strength of the social approach to aggression.
One strength of the social approach to aggresison is that it has practical applications.
Explain why the social approach to explaining aggression is an important part of applied psychology.
The principles of the theory that stereotypes can cause aggressive behaviours has led to the development of interventions. For example, we can ensure stereotypes of aggressive males aren’t being portrayed in the media by not having males characters show aggression.
“Someone we admire/identify with” What is this a defintion of ?
Role model.
How can role modelling lead to aggression ?
Aggression carried out by a role model will be internalised by an individual and reproduced in the future.
How can vicarious reinforcement explain aggression ?
If a role models aggressive behaviours are being rewarded, then a child learns that this is an acceptable behaviour and will reproduce this aggression.
Who believed your parents are your primary role model ?
Bandura
Bandura proposed that violent role models in the media can provide ….
A source of vicarious reinforcment which can lead to aggressive behaviour being replicated.
What do role models in the media provide children with ?
A ‘script’ to guide their behaviour.
“With continual exposure to a stimulus, our responses to that stimulus are decreased” What is this a definition of ?
Desensitisation
Why can aggression cause the initiation of the ‘fight of flight’ response ?
This physiological response was adaptive for our ancestors to keep them alive.
How is desensitisation linked to aggression?
if aggression is presented to us daily, there is a reduction in our response to the aggression.
How can the influence of the media affect desensitisation?
When viewing aggression, the ‘fight or flight’ response is activated, but this is reduced when exposed to violent media on a regular basis.
“Our normal restraints are loosened after exposure to media violence. Aggressive behaviour becomes normalised, it is seen as a ‘normal response’” – what is the key term that matches this definition ?
Disinhibition.
What is meant by the word ‘institution’ ?
Places where there are strict rules that give little choice to members of that institution.
What is meant by institutional aggression ?
Aggressive behaviours adopted by members of an institution.
Explain how the social approach to aggressive is an important part of applied psychology (has practical applications)
The principles of the theory, that disinhibition is linked to aggression has led to the development of interventions. For example, our normal restraints are loosened after exposure to media violence, so we have restricted access to violent films/programmes and games (watershed at 9pm).
Define operant conditioning.
Learning through reinforcement. There are two types of reinforcement, positive and negative reinforcement.
“Behaviour has a pleasure consequence, the behaviour is likely to be repeated if it has had a pleasure consequence” What key term is this a definition of ?
Positive reinforcement.
What is meant by negative reinforcement?
Doing a behaviour to avoid an unpleasant consequence, so the behaviour is repeated.
Provide an example of negative reinforcement.
Completing your homework to avoid detention.
Define what is meant by “punishment”.
The addition of an unpleasant stimuli in response to a behaviour.
Provide an example of punishment.
If you fight with your brother, you must do the washing up.
Aggression brings two main types of rewards, name them
Tangible rewards – things you physically gain (money/food)
Non-tangible rewards – (social status, dominance, pleasure)
What did Skinner (1932) find ?
A rat could be operantly conditioned to behave in certain ways. For example, it could learn to push a lever in anticipation of a reward (food).
How can Skinners research be linked to aggression ?
If a person is reward for aggressive behaviour (positive reinforcement), they will be motivated to continue to be aggressive to gain more rewards.
What is an assumption of the learning approach ?
Behaviour is learnt through observation and imitation of a role model.
What are the four mediational processes involved in the Social Learning theory? CLUE : ARRM.
Attention, Retention, Reproduction, Motivation.
Bandura proposes that there are 5 main cognitive factors that mediate control of the aggressive behaviour, what are these factors ?
Attention, Retention, Reproduction, Motivation (ARRM) AND Self-efficacy.
Define Attention in regard to Banduras Social Learning theory to explaining aggression.
A person/child must attend to the aggressor. They must pay attention to the act of aggression carried out by a role model.
Define Retention in regard to Banduras Social Learning theory to explaining aggression.
A person/child needs to remember the aggression they have witnessed; it needs to be placed in the LTM for it to be repeated/modelled.
Define Reproduction in regard to Banduras Social Learning theory to explaining aggression.
The individual needs to have the physical capabilities to be able to reproduce a behaviour. E.g. Aggression displayed by superheroes is less likely to be imitated.
Define Motivation in regard to Banduras Social Learning theory to explaining aggression.
A child/person must be expecting to receive positive reinforcement (reward) for the modelled behaviour (aggression), they must be motivated to do it.
Define self-efficacy in regard to Banduras Social Learning theory to explaining aggression.
Individuals must believe that their behaviour will attain a goal; they must have confidence in their own ability to carry out the action (aggression) and be rewarded for this.
What are the findings of Banduras (1961) study ?
Children who observed the adult role model acting aggressively towards the bobo doll were more likely to be aggressive compared to children who observed a non-aggressive role model.
How does Banduras (1961) study link to aggression ?
Supports the social learning theory as an explanation of aggression because it supports the idea that children learn through observation and imitation of role models.
What is meant by reductionism?
Reducing complex human behaviour into simple basic units.
How can the learning approach to explaining aggression be criticised for being reductionist ?
Aggression is reduced down to simple basic units such as due to positive reinforcement and observation and imitation of a role model. This ignores other factors that may contribute to aggression such as genetics or disinhibition.
Outline two assumptions of the biological approach in context to aggression.
- Aggression is due to CNS, neurochemistry or genes.
- Aggression is a product of evolution. In the EEA, aggression was adaptive.
What is a neurotransmitter ?
Chemical messengers in the brain.
Why does aggression serve as an important function in evolution ?
Important for individual survival (natural selection) and reproductive potential (sexual selection).
“If a characteristic is advantageous to survive, it will be passed down to offspring – survival of the fittest” What is the key term matching this definition?
Natural selection.
Define what is meant by the term “sexual selection”
Characteristics that help us attract a potential mate and increase likelihood of reproducing characteristics will be passed onto offspring.
Provide three examples of characteristics that help us attract a potential mate and increase likelihood of reproducing.
Resources (money)
Height
Large hip to waist ratio (more fertile)
How can aggression be an adaptive behaviour ?
Competition arises when resources are limited so animals must compete to survive and reproduce. Aggression increases the chances of survival and reproduction.
List three benefits of aggression in evolution
- More successful at attracting and retaining (keeping) mates to reproduce.
- Can protect resources (land, food)
- Establish dominance in the hierarchy.
Outline the function of serotonin
Associated with self-control, emotional responses, mood regulation/balance (being able to stop impulsive behaviours).
Outline the function of dopamine
Involved in mood and motivation, released when we do something pleasurable, feelings of reward.
How can serotonin be linked to aggression?
Low levels of serotonin mean that people can’t control their impulsive and aggressive behaviour.
How can dopamine be linked to aggresion ?
High levels of dopamine interact with serotonin to influence aggression. Low levels of serotonin stimulate dopamine overactivity to cause impulsivity and aggression.
Which neurotransmitter is the main cause of hostile aggression?
Serotonin
“Chemical messengers released by glands into the bloodstream and carried to a target organ or organs. For example, Adrenaline, Testosterone.” What is the key term that matches this definition ?
Hormone
“Chemical messengers released by glands into the bloodstream and carried to a target organ or organs. For example, Adrenaline, Testosterone.” What is the key term that matches this definition ?
Hormone
What levels of testosterone are associated with aggression ?
High levels of testosterone has been associated with higher levels of aggression, it affects the limbic system and emotional regulation.
Outline the function of the limbic system
Connections/structures of brain areas that process to regulate behaviours/emotions, playing a key role in whether we respond aggressively or not to an external stimulus.
Males experience a surge of testosterone before gradually declining with age, what can this explain ?
This could explain why more men are convicted of violent/aggressive crimes compared to females.
What areas of the brain are involved within the limbic system ?
Amygdala, Hypothalamus, Thalamus.
Outline the function of the hypothalamus.
Responsible for the regulation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) which in turn regulates our interpretation and response to emotional circumstances/events.
Damage to the hypothalamus can result in ….
an inappropriate aggressive response to a perceived threat. For example, someone accidentally bumps into you in the corridor as they are walking past, so you start a fight with them.
What brain area has central control in assessing and responding to environmental threats?
Amygdala
Outline the function of the thalamus.
Passes the warning of the threat to other parts of the brain, causing serotonin levels to drop and dopamine levels to rise.
How can the amygdala be linked to aggression ?
Threats from the environment are interpreted, which produces aggression or fear (the “fight or flight response ”).
What is meant by Orbitofrontal cortex?
Prefrontal cortex
The orbitofrontal cortex is an area within the brain that plays an important role in …
higher cognitive functions such as behaviour regulation and impulse control that trigger a physical response.
What does damage to the prefrontal cortex cause?
A reduction in the activity of the amygdala which disrupts its overall function. This results in an individual being unable to regulate their behaviour causing high levels of impulsiveness and aggression.
Define what is meant by the term Genes
A collection of inherited DNA with information that influence our behaviour.
Where are genes found?
Chromosomes
How many chromosomes do humans have?
46 chromosomes (23 pairs)
Who do we inherit our genes from ?
Everyone inherits copies of each gene from their biological parents.
Name two genes associated with aggression.
MAOA and SRY gene
Who studied the MAOA gene ?
Brunner (1996)
Outline Brunners research into aggression
- Investigated 14 male members of an aggressive and non-aggressive family (brothers,uncles,nephews)
- Blood samples taken from all members of both families and compared.
- He found that all aggressive family members had DEFECTS in the MAOA gene, no non-violent male relatives had this defect.
What does Brunners research into the MAOA gene suggest ?
If someone inherits the defect in the MAOA gene, they are predisposed to behave aggressively.
Defects in the MAOA gene lead to ?
Behavioural problems including aggressive and violent outbursts.
Our biological sex is determined by..
our 23rd pair of chromosomes.
If an embryo has no Y chromosome, what will the sex organs develop as ?
Ovaries (biologically female)
If an embryo has a Y chromosome, what will the sex organs develop as ?
Testes (biologically male)
What are androgens?
sex hormones (testosterone, oestrogen, oxytocin)
Outline Rissman et als research into aggression
- Investigated the SRY gene and high androgen levels in males.
- Male mice with the SRY gene and female mice without this gene were tested.
- SRY gene was associated with high levels of aggression.
What did Rissman et als research into the SRY gene and high androgen levels suggest ?
Genetics and sex hormones (androgens) interact and play a role in the development of aggressive behaviours.
State one strength of the biological approach to aggression
Practical applications
Explain how the biological approach to aggression is an important part of applied psychology.
We can use genetics to predict aggressive behaviours and create intervention strategies to deal with impulsive behaviours such as encouraging them to take on a sport to displace the anger onto alternatives (boxing, rugby).
State one weakness of the biological approach to explaining aggression.
It is reductionist.
How the biological approach to aggression is reductionist?
Breaks down the complex behaviour of aggression into an imbalance of neurotransmitters, certain genes or hormones which ignores other factors contributing to aggression such as disinhibition or vicarious reinforcement.
