Aggression Flashcards
Define aggression
Give an example
Aggression - any action or behavior carried out with the intention to harm outside the rules of the sport
e.g. punching a player in a hockey match
Define Assertion
Give an example
Assertion - behaviour that show dominance within the rules of the game and is often encouraged/ valued
e.g. physically dominating your opponent in rugby
Describe Instinct Theory
- Aggression is a natural human response/ it is innate - e.g. fight or flight reflex
- Aggression builds up in all individuals and therefore must be released
- This release triggers arousal (stress). i.e. An individual will become aggressive when their arousal levels increase
- Some personalities can control their arousal, and therefore their aggression, better than others
What are the strengths of Instinct Theory of aggression?
- Aggression is an accepted natural human instinct/ inherited
- Some people are always aggresive (trait)
- It can be hard to control aggression
What are the weaknesses of Instinct Theory of aggression?
- Considered too simplistic/ generalised
- Not all individauls display aggressive behaviour
- Aggression usually occurs because of an enviromental cue/ provocation
- Aggression is often learned/ copied
Describe the Social Learning Theory of Aggression
- Aggression is a learned response
- An individual learns aggression through observation and copying
- Copying (of aggression) is more likely if an individual observes a role model or significant other displaying aggression - e.g. watching a sports player you admire being aggressive
- Reinforcement also increases the probability that aggressive behaviour will be learned - e.g. a team-mate/ coach praises an individual for being aggressive
- Individuals can also learn to control aggression by the same process
What are the strengths of the Social Learning Theory of aggression?
- Bandura’s theories on social learning are well established and recognised
- There is significant evidence that individuals, especially children, learn their behaviour form their enviroment
What are the weaknesses of the Social Learning Theory of aggression?
- Individuals don’t always copy their role models/ significant others
- Many individuals have a desire to be different/ not display aggressive behaviors
- This theory makes no allowence for personality (traits)
Describe the Frustration Aggression Hypothesis
- Frustration develops when goal-directed behaviour is blocked - e.g. the performer is playing badly, the performer is losing or the performer feels that the referee is against them
- Frustration leads to an increase in arousal -> increased arousal leads to probability of aggression
- Frustation always results in aggression
- If aggression is successful (goes unpunished) then catharsis is achieved (frustration released)
- If aggression is unsuccessful then (punished) i.e. the ref give a penalty against the player, this leads to further frustration
What are the strengths of the Frustration Aggression Hypothesis?
- Considered more realistic than instinct theory
- There is an accepted link between frustration and aggression
- There is empirical evidence that it happens in sport
- Catharsis is experianced once frustration is released via aggression
What are the weaknesses of the Frustration Aggression Hypothesis?
- Frustration doesn’t always occur when goal-directed behaviour is blocked
- Frustration doesn’t always lead to aggression
- Unpunished aggression is not always cathartic, can lead to regret
- It doesn’t consider instinct/ individuals with aggressive traits
- It doesn’t consider enviromental factors/ social learning
Describe Aggresive Cue Hypothesis
- An increase in frustration leads to an increased likelihood of aggresive behaviour
- However a stimulus (cue) is required for aggressive behaviour to occur
Give examples of cues that can lead to aggression
Give examples
- Weapons - e.g an ice hockey stick
- Nature of activity - e.g. contact sports
- Opposition behaviour - e.g. provocation/ foul play
- Percieved unfairness- e.g. incorrect referee decision
- Nature of event - e.g. a derby game/ final
- Witnessing violence - e.g. a team-mate getting fouled
What are the strengths of Aggresive Cue Hypothesis?
- Considered the most realistic theory
- Explains why aggresive behaviour sometimes occurs and sometimes doesn’t, irrespective of source of aggression -why an aggressive person is not always aggresive or why not everyone displays aggressive behaviour
