Violence & Aggression

Question 1

Aggression

Answer 1

Behaviour directed at another person carried out with immediate intent to cause harm

Must believe behaviour will harm target & that target is motivated to avoid it

Question 2

Violence

Answer 2

Aggression that has extreme harm as it’s goal

All violence is aggression but not all aggression is violence

Question 3

Violent Offending

Answer 3

Acts of violence that breach the legal code

Question 4

Prevalence

Answer 4

Police records good indicator of highly violent crime- less with overall violence

Due to psychological harm victims less likely to report than physical

Violent crime high proportion of total crime

Homicide prevalence on the rise

Question 5

True figures?

Answer 5

More than 1m violent crimes a year edited out by Governments crime figures

True levels 60% higher than previously thought

Due to number of times someone can be counted as victim of crime is capped at 5

Means full scale of violence against victims repeatedly target not fully reflected in data

Question 6

Types of Aggression

Answer 6

Hostile- impulsive, unplanned, anger driven, motive to harm, reaction to perceived provocation

Instrumental- premeditated, planned, goal driven, proactive not reactive

Question 7

Gender Differences (extra info)

Answer 7

Genders don’t differ in aggressiveness but express it differently

Women physically weaker so greater risk with physical aggression so learn different strategies e.g. indirect

Bjorkqvist & Niemela (1992)- adolescent girls used indirect aggression more & boys used direct more

Question 8

Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis

Answer 8

Dollard et al (1939)

Aggression result of drive to end frustration state

Frustration is external interference with goal-directed behaviour

Aggression results in catharsis

Question 9

FAH Evaluation

Answer 9

• Empirical support- students who experienced 1/3 types of frustration (failure to win money, earn better grade or complete task)- showed higher subsequent aggression than non-frustrated controls- (Buss, 1963)
• Frustration doesn’t inevitably lead to aggression- aggression not always caused by frustration- theory flawed as complete explanation

Question 10

Cognitive Neo-association Theory

Answer 10

Associations between concepts formed in memory in early & throughout life

Triggered by relevant cues

High trait aggression associated with more associative networks & more associations between aggressive & non-aggressive concepts

Question 11

CNT Evaluation

Answer 11

• Berkowitz & LePage (1967)- angry pp gave more electric shocks in presence of gun than tennis racket
• Blankenship & Nesbit (2013)- pp higher in trait driving anger responded more quickly to aggressive words when paired with driving than neutral stimuli

Question 12

Hostile Attribution Bias/ Distorted Schemas

Answer 12

Associative networks thought to make up schema content

Hostile attribution bias- tendency to interpret hostile intent to others behaviour even when no evidence of intent (violent-related schema)

Question 13

Evidence for HAB

Answer 13

Kret & Gelder (2013)- violent offenders misjudged fearful body movements as expressing anger more than control group

Gagnon & Rochat (2017)- HAB linked to impulsive aggression- these biased interpretations likely underpinned distorted implicit beliefs

Question 14

Distorted schemas in violent offenders

Answer 14

Polaschek et al (2009)- identified schemas based on interviews with VO

• Normalisation of violence (I am the law)
• Beat or be beaten (I get out of control)

Question 15

General Aggression Model

Answer 15

Anderson & Bushman (2002)

Combined best parts of previous theories into 1 comprehensive, multi-factor theory

Biological & environmental modifiers impact personality

Inputs- personal &/or situational factors (affected by personality)

Routes- present internal state (affect-> cognition -> arousal, triangle)

Outcomes- appraisal & decision processes (thoughtful or impulsive action)

Loops back round to social encounter, then person & situation

Question 16

Psychopathy & Violence (application)

Answer 16

Major predictor for violent reoffending

Psychopathic offenders 3x more likely to offend

4x more likely to violently offend

Hare et al (2000)- high PCL-R scorers had 82% re-conviction rate (38% violent) & low scorers had 40% re-conviction rate (4% violent)

Question 17

Treatment- Anger management (extra info)

Answer 17

Aims to heighten awareness of process of becoming angry, self-monitoring behaviour, benefits of controlling anger & knowledge & skills at managing anger

Only works for offenders whose violence comes from anger e.g. not goal related

Question 18

Treatment- Violent Offender Programmes (extra info)

Answer 18

Broader programmed

Assume that aggression results from both internal & external multiple causes & tackles this

Hatcher et al (2010)- pp who completed ‘Aggression replacement training’ programme less likely to re-offend than non-completers