Aggression

Question 1

what is aggression?

Answer 1

anderson and bushman (2002) defined aggression as any behaviour directed towards another individual that is carried out with the proximate intent to cause harm

Question 2

how can aggression be measured?

Answer 2

1. analogues of behaviour
2. signal of intention
3. ratings by self/others
4. indirect aggression

Question 3

biological theories of aggression

Answer 3

• psychodynamic
• evolutionary
• genes

Question 4

psychodynamic theory of aggression

Answer 4

conflict between death instinct (thanos) and life instinct (eros) which moves from internal destruction to outward hostility

neo-freudians argue aggression builds up and must be released

Question 5

evolutionary theory of aggression

Answer 5

behaviour evolves over time and aggression safeguards survival

more pronounced among offspring as it leads to social and economic advantage

Question 6

genes theory of aggresion

Answer 6

can explain 40-50% of aggressive behaviour

diminished MAO-A gene is associated with higher animal aggression

more pronounced when combined with other genetic and environmental factors

Question 7

individual theories of aggression

Answer 7

• personality
• alcohol

Question 8

personality theory of aggression

Answer 8

certain personalities are aligned with a higher propensity for aggression, such as type a reporting more aggressive expressions whilst on the road

Question 9

higher levels of ___________ and __________ led to smaller aggression, unlike _______, __________, and _______

Answer 9

agreeableness
openness
psychopathy
narcissism
sadism

Question 10

alcohol theory of aggression

Answer 10

increases aggressive behaviour by lowering inhibition

the taylor paradigm shows alcohol is important in determining subjective pain levels

Question 11

interaction of personality and alcohol

Answer 11

low agreeableness and high trait aggressivity were associated with high aggression under low provocation

this was only when intoxicated

Question 12

social theories of aggression

Answer 12

• frustration
• excitation-transfer
• social learning theory

Question 13

frustration theory of aggression

Answer 13

dollard (1939) argues aggression arises from frustration, and the target of aggression may not be the source of frustration

Question 14

affective aggression

Answer 14

feeling aggressive but not behaving as such

Question 15

instrumental aggression

Answer 15

display of negative behaviour used to accomplish something

Question 16

excitation-transfer theory of aggression

Answer 16

heightened biological states (arousal) can predispose aggression as an unintended response

Question 17

social learning theory of aggression

Answer 17

aggressive behaviour is learned through behaviourism and imitation, as children can learn aggressive behaviour through role models

aggression as a product of social experience

Question 18

situational theories of aggression

Answer 18

• crowding
• heat

Question 19

crowding theory of aggression

Answer 19

increased aggression can be caused by neighbourhood and household density, as actions are perceived as more hostile

Question 20

heat theory of aggression

Answer 20

aggression increases alongside temperature, and alcohol may be a contributing factor

Question 21

who developed the general aggression model?

Answer 21

anderson and bushman (2002) developed GAM as an integrative framework that draws factors together to explain aggressive behaviour

Question 22

general aggression model

Answer 22

1. inputs (personality and provocation)
2. routes (arousal, feelings, and thoughts)
3. outcomes (appraisal leads to automatic or thoughtful acts)

Question 23

under GAM, what do the outcomes result in?

Answer 23

the social encounter which feeds back into inputs

Question 24

types of group aggression

Answer 24

• disinhibition
• dehumanisation
• deindividuation

Question 25

disinhibition

Answer 25

breakdown of learnt social controls that prevent aggressive behaviour

Question 26

dehumanisation

Answer 26

stripping people of their humanity leads to feeling freer to act aggressively towards them

Question 27

deindividuation

Answer 27

adopting a group identity makes people more likely to commit acts they would not normally do

Question 28

what did sherif’s study examine?

Answer 28

intergroup attitudes and behaviours in the robbers cave

Question 29

what did sherif’s study find?

Answer 29

1. ingroup formation
2. intergroup conflict
3. reduction of intergroup conflict

Question 30

ingroup formation

Answer 30

differentiated themselves into hierarchies, roles, and norms

Question 31

intergroup conflict

Answer 31

negative attitudes were expressed, ranging from verbal to physical

Question 32

reduction of intergroup conflict

Answer 32

group activities led to more opportunities for aggression, whereas cooperation to achieve a desired goal reduced hostility

Question 33

explanations for intergroup conflict

Answer 33

• realistic conflict theory
• relative deprivation theory

Question 34

realistic conflict theory

Answer 34

intergroup hostility arises from competition for material resources

Question 35

relative deprivation theory

Answer 35

discontent arises from social comparison that others are better off

Question 36

egoistic relative deprivation

Answer 36

individual comparison

Question 37

fraternal relative deprivation

Answer 37

group comparison, more likely to cause intergroup conflict

Question 38

reducing intergroup conflict

Answer 38

• education
• intergroup contact
• superordinate goals

Question 39

education

Answer 39

interventions that develop understanding and empathy can reduce intergroup aggression, by decreasing explicit bias

Question 40

intergroup contact

Answer 40

increased contact between groups can identify similarities and positive exemplars

Question 41

superordinate goals

Answer 41

can reduce conflict that occurs due to discrete intragroup goals