Aggression Flashcards

Question

Adoption studies

Answer 1

Hutchings + Madnick - Reviewed over 14,000 adoptions in Denmark - They found a significant positive correlation between number of criminal convictions for criminal violence amongst biological fathers + the adopted son

Answer 2

- MAOA controls production of enzyme MAO-A (monoamine oxidase) - MAO-A (enzyme) regulates serotonin = affects aggression - A dysfunction of the MAOA enzyme affects levels of serotonin in the brain - Low MAOA activity has been associated with aggressive behaviour

Answer 3

- MAOA 'warrior' gene Predominantly found in men = The MAOA gene may explain gender differences in aggressive behaviour - More frequent in populations with a history of warfare - 1/3 of Western population have this low activity version of the gene

Answer 4

Newman: - studied 45 unrelated male monkeys raised with / without mothers - concluded that aggressiveness is influenced by MAOA activity - but might be changed by the environment the monkeys are brought up in

Answer 5

Brunner et al: - studied 28 male members from Dutch family who were repeatedly involved in Violent aggressive behaviour - violent criminals - rape, physical assault, attempted murder - They had abnormally low levels of gene MAOA and the MAOA-L variant

Answer 6

1. Supporting evidence + practical application of it 2. Biologically reductionist 3. Methodological issues with studies

Answer 7

- Supporting evidence for the link between the dysfunction of the MAOA gene + aggressive behaviour: Brunner et al found 28 male members of Dutch family who were violent criminals had abnormally low levels of gene MAOA + the MAOA-L variant - Adds credibility to the genetic hypothesis for aggressive behaviour + increases our confidence in the claim that aggression is influence by biological factors - = means we can predict who is more likely to show aggressive behaviour + researchers could potentially ‘control’ aggressive behaviour through drug therapy or Genetic engineering to cut out genes responsible for aggressive behavior - This could have positive practical implications as such treatment could possibly reduce the levels of violent crimes + institutional aggression - All from same family = difficult to generalise it to the wider population + families with different environmental influences

Answer 8

- Reduces behaviour to a biological level only, in terms of genes and enzymes - Whilst this is scientific + leads to more precise reliable research which give psychology greater credibility as a science, it oversimplifies aggressive behaviour+ ignores other factors - A biologically reductionist explanation for aggression does not include an analysis of the social context + ignores the nurture elements which could provoke and cause this aggression to be displayed = Therefore for a better understanding into aggressive behaviour, further research into the gene-environment interaction needs to be conducted as it is often difficult to separate genetic + environmental factors - A interactionist approach would be more credible

Answer 9

- Studies involve meta analysis, twin studies etc - Twin often share same environment - However, DZ twins maybe not to the same extent as MZ twins share theirs - Yet researchers are assuming that they do = equal environments assumption = may be wrong as twins may be treated in different ways by others (environment) - MZ twins treated very similarly esp by parents (eg response to aggressive behaviour) - DZ twins treated in less similar ways - = concordance rates are inflated + genetic influence on aggression may not be as great as twins studies suggest

Answer 10

Ethologist claim that aggression is: 1. An instinct 2. Adaptive – beneficial to that species 3. Innate 4. Genetically determined

Answer 11

- Imprinting is innate - In critical period - Lorenz believed aggression is innate adaptive response evolved in humans + animals needed to help them survive - See predators + To get resources

Answer 12

Pettit et al: - Aggression in humans is an adaptive response - Observed young children in playgroups = Aggression played important role in dominance over others = is adaptive as dominance brings power to get your own way + resources

Answer 13

Ritual - Series of behaviours carried out in a set order 1. Intra-species violence - aggression aimed at members of the same species - mainly ritualistic in the form of threat display (Displaying claws, Showing teeth , Facial expressions) - Intra- species violence which leads to death = is maladaptive (wolves = powerful jaws + teeth= effective hunters - Instinctive inhibitions not to hurt one another whilst fighting ) + accidental - Ritual appeasement displays ( acceptance of defeat ) = will end the intra-species violence = stop 2. Inter-species violence - aggression aimed at other species

Answer 14

Chagnon - Among the Yanomamo people of South America, chest pounding + club fighting contests can settle a conflict short of more extreme violence Hoebel - Inuit Eskimos, song duels are used to settle grudges + dispute = supporting evidence for ritualistic aggressive behaviour in humans = However it is important to note that this is not universal in humans / all cultures

Answer 15

**FAP**: - set sequence of innate behaviours - All members of the same species have a collection of stereotyped behaviours which occur in specific conditions + don't require learning - sequence of actions that cannot be interrupted + must be completed even if the stimulus is no longer present **Innate releasing mechanisms**: - a neural network in the brain that responds to a specific stimulus by triggering a particular response = (FAP)

Answer 16

1. **Stereotyped** – behavior follows a certain pattern each time 2. **Universal** - all the animals in that species use the same type of threat 3. **Innate/unaffected by learning** - all the animals in that species seem to be born with it + don’t have to learn it 4. **Ballistic**- Once it starts it cannot simply be stopped 5. **Specific triggers/ single - purpose** seem to set it off 6. A **response to a specific identifiable stimulus** (communication between members of same species)

Answer 17

1. Supporting evidences 2. Extrapolation issues 3. Opposing evidence 4. Reductionist

Answer 18

- Supporting evidence showing that aggression in humans is an adaptive response - Pettit et al - Observed young children in playgroups = Aggression played important role in dominance over others - Adaptive = the dominance brings power to get your own way + resources = Validates the ethological explanation for aggression as it provides evidence that its adaptive, making it more credible + valid. = Furthers our understanding on why humans display aggressive behaviour

Answer 19

- Lorenz did not study higher mammals = makes it difficult to extrapolate his findings to humans - A problem with applying ethological research to the behaviour of humans is that it may not be appropriate to generalise the behaviour of animals to humans, as humans are way more complex = aggression will be different between the 2 species - Human aggression is often not at all ritualised + violent acts are committed for no good reason at all - It appears that here is a major behavioural difference between humans + the rest of the animal kingdom + Lorenz’s ethological cannot hope to give us a full picture of why this is - Tinbergen said - humans only species where aggression is not part of an elaborate system of ritual, but instead a desire to harm one another = Lowers validity of ethological explanation as its mostly based of animals behaviour, and there are issues with extrapolating these findings to humans = less credible

Answer 20

- Evidence against ritualistic aggression + this explanation has been challenged by Goodall - Goodall observed male chimps from 1 community killed all members of another group, and the violence continued even though victims displayed appeasement signals + accepted defeat - These signals did not stop the aggressive behaviour as predicted by the ethological explanation = Challenges the ethological view that same species (intra) aggression has evolved into self-limiting + harmless rituals

Answer 21

- Ethological explanation is reductionistic, as aggression is explained at a biological level - scientific + leads to more precise reliable research which give psychology greater credibility as a science, it oversimplifies aggressive behaviour+ ignores other factors - Doesn't account for the role of cognition (the thought process) emotions or culture = unlikely to reflect the complex processes associated with aggression in humans accurately - Evidence shows that there are cultural differences in aggression = demonstrates that aggression can be influenced by socio-cultural factors rather than being an utterly innate instinct, and the ethological explanation does not take this into consideration = lowers credibility of this explanation = incomplete

Answer 22

- Sexual jealousy is a key motivator of aggressive behaviour in males - Men can never be totally sure whether or not they have fathered their biological child- paternity uncertainty Cuckoldry: Raising an offspring that are not his own - Investment in another mans offspring is a waste of resources = Psychological mechanisms have evolved to increase anti-cuckoldry behaviours in males involve aggression

Answer 23

- = adaptation evolved in males as a way of dealing with paternal uncertainty involving aggression 1. Direct guarding - Male careful watchfulness over partners behaviour - EG checking who they've been seeing, tracking devices 2. Negative inducing - Issuing threats of dire consequences for infidelity - "I'll kill myself if you leave me"

Answer 24

Wilson et al: - Questionnaire = women who indicated that their partners were jealous + didn't like them talking to other men (Mate-retention strategies) were 2X as likely to have experienced violence from their partners (72% - needing medical attention) = Supports view that mate-retention strategies linked to physical violence + aggression = indicates a clear link between the greater risk of infidelity + cuckoldry and aggression. = supports + adds credibility to the evolutionary explanation concerning the adaptive value of aggression

Answer 25

- Bullying occurs because of a power imbalance - More powerful person uses aggression deliberately + repeatedly against a weaker person - Evolutionary ancestors may have used bullying as an adaptive strategy to increase their chances of survival by promoting their own health + creating opportunities for reproduction

Answer 26

Male bullying: - naturally selected as males = would have greater reproductive success - aggressive individuals more able to compete for food, females.. = more likely to reproduce successfully = aggressive genes passed through generations = adv - male bullying male = seem more tough - females look for males with resources – aggressive males more successful Female bullying: - used to secure their partners fidelity (usually happens within a relationship) - is a method of controlling partner to secure resources for offspring

Answer 27

- Characteristic associated with bullying behaviour are attractive to the opposite sex, in males it suggests dominance, strength + acquisition of resources - Bullying gives access to more females with minimal threat from competing males - Bullying naturally selected because males will have reproductive success

Answer 28

1. Supporting evidence 2. Alpha gender bias 3. most of evidence is correlational = limitation 4. Real-world application

Answer 29

- Supporting evidence for sexual jealousy as cause of aggressive behaviour in men. - Wilson et al found In a questionnaire that women who indicated that their partners were jealous + did not like them talking to other men were twice as likely to have experienced violence from their partners - Indicates a clear link between the greater risk of infidelity + cuckoldry, and aggression. - This supports + adds credibility to the evolutionary explanation concerning the adaptive value of aggression - Furthers our understanding on what can root aggressive behaviour in relationships, in particularly for men in terms so cuckoldry

Answer 30

- Whilst the evolutionary explanation for human aggression may explain the gender difference in aggressive behaviour + be a plausible explanation for why more males engage in physical aggressive acts compared to women, it is alpha gender bias. - There are real life case studies of female being physically aggressive towards partners = suggests that women are also motivated by sexual jealousy despite the evolutionary explanation not predicting this. = Therefore to fully understand human aggression it is important to eliminate this bias, avoid reinforcing gender stereotypes to provide a more universal explanation

Answer 31

- Most of the supporting evidence is correlational very difficult to establish cause + effect between mate retention + aggressive behaviour - There could be other factors including biological + even environmental (learnt behaviour) - For a more valid explanation of human aggression a more scientifically rigorous investigation needs to be used

Answer 32

- Research in this area has real-life applications, where the use of mate retention strategies can be used as an early indicator of potential partner violence - This can help develop early prevention methods by allowing individuals to recognise the signs and intervene

Answer 33

- Human behaviour is the result of an interaction between an individuals characteristics + their environment 1. Deindividuation 2. Social Learning Theory (SLT) 3. Frustration Hypothesis

Answer 34

- not all aggression is interpersonal - Some aggression is carries out in group = impersonal - violence + aggression more likely to occur when people are in a crowd = causes deindividuation

Answer 35

- Individuals in public places + normal circumstances = self assess their behaviour to ensure compliance with social norms - But when individual becomes part of a crowd = becomes anonymous = lose individual sense of identity = loosening of normal inhibitions

Answer 36

1. **In individuated state** - behavior is rational + normative (conform to social standards) 2. In **De-individuated state** - Lose self awareness + individual identity = stop regulating + monitoring behaviour - Based on urges + impulses + Behaviour does not conform to acceptable social standards = Anonymous (masks/uniform) = less fear of retribution = promotes aggressive behaviour, alcohol, drugs, darkness

Answer 37

- Asked 229 psych students if they could do anything + not get detected / held accountable, what would they do? - 36% responses = antisocial - 26% were criminal = demonstrates connection between deindividuation due to anonymously + subsequent aggression

Answer 38

- obedience experiment - Ps wearing hood (deindividuated) gave more shocks than ps wearing name tag (individuated)

Answer 39

1. Supporting evidence 2. Correlational / causation issue 3. opposing evidence 4. Deterministic

Answer 40

- Evidence from Zimbardo repeating Milgram's obedience shock experiment + Dodd - Both findings validate the deindividuated theory as they show that anonymity leads people to lose identity and display more aggressive behaviour - Theory is more credible + reliable = furthers our understanding on why certain situations + scenarios (groups / crowds) can cause more aggression to be displayed

Answer 41

- However important to note that findings only prove a correlational relationship between anonymity + aggression = Causation has not been established = We cannot be 100% sure that the anonymity is what is causing the aggressive behaviour, as it may just be a positive correlation rather than the causation = For this reason it is important to note that there could be other variables/ factors which could explain aggressive behaviour including genetics, culture + social interaction with others

Answer 42

- There is evidence to suggest that deindividuation does not always lead to aggression - Large religious gatherings, such as Hajj, is an example of pro-social behaviour - millions of pilgrims gather for the religious ceremony + there are very few incidents of aggression + violence - Despite of the anonymity they experience, they do not become aggressive, which may discredit the deindividuation theory for aggression = making it less valid = Further research may be needed to fully understand the effect that individuality has on aggression in multiple different contexts

Answer 43

- It claims that individuals who join a group are determined to engage in aggressive behaviour due to feeling deindividuated. - As a result the theory states that individuals are determined to behave aggressively once anonymous + have no free will in controlling it - However, this theory has been criticised the theory as a study found that rugby fans are always calm + respectful despite wearing uniform (rugby kits) that deindividuated them - Therefore the theory fails to take into account individual differences + that individuals have free will to behave in a aggressive manner or not

Answer 44

- Explains the aggressive behaviour of children - Explains aggression through direct + indirect learning - observational learning + vicarious reinforcement - cognitive factors

Answer 45

- Operant conditioning: negative + positive reinforcement + punishments ( Direct learning ) - Eg a child angrily snatches a toy off another child = learn that aggressive behaviour is rewarding (got the toy) = repeat in similar scenarios again - Indirect learning through observational learning as well = Bandura said it accounts for social learning of most aggressive behaviour

Answer 46

- Acquire aggressive behaviour through observing it - Observe aggressive behaviour + consequences of it 1. If rewarded = Aggression positive + effective in getting what they want = vicarious reinforcement = repeat 2. If punished = less likely to imitate specific behaviour

Answer 47

1. Attention 2. Retention 3. Reproduction / imitation 4. Motivation

Answer 48

1. Observer must pay attention to the model's aggressive behaviour 2. Observer needs to be able to remember the model's aggressive behaviour + form mental representation on how behaviour is formed

Answer 49

3. Must be able to transform the mental representation of the aggressive behaviour into actual physical actions 4. Observer needs a reason to imitate behaviour - depends on their expectations that behaving aggressively in a specific situationship will be rewarding

Answer 50

- The extent to which we believe our actions will achieve a desired goal - Self- efficacy explains proactive aggression in children - A child’s sense of self-efficacy develops with each successful outcome (aggressive behaviour rewarded) - Because aggression has been effective in past = will continue to do so in future

Answer 51

- The children that observed adults being aggressive to the bobo dolls, were also aggressive to the bobo doll when left alone with it after (physically + verbally) - Children learn aggression through the process of observational learning - Children who observed adults interacting non aggressively with doll = didn't act aggressively with the doll

Answer 52

1. Supporting evidence 2. Children only use aggression for retribution 3. Biological factors ignored (Nature/Nurture)

Answer 53

- Supporting evidence from Bandura et al's Bobo doll experiment - The children that observed adults being aggressive to the bobo dolls, were also aggressive to the bobo doll when left alone with it after (physically + verbally) - whereas those who observed non-aggressive interactions, displayed very little aggression themselves. = Shows that children learn aggression through the process of observational learning = supports the predictions of the SLT theory of aggression as shows that children acquire aggressive behaviour through observing it - Adding credibility to it + validating its claims - It also has important wider implications for parents + children - The SLT + its supporting evidence can be used to advice parents about the harmful effects of exposing children to media violence + can be used as a preventative measure

Answer 54

- Although the SLT is a plausible explanation for proactive aggression, reactively aggressive children use aggression in the heat of the moment = they do not use aggression to achieve anything except retribution - This cannot be explained by the SLT + may be better explained by Berkowitz negative effect theory = Lowers the validity of SLT as can not explain all aggressive behaviour

Answer 55

- Limitation of SLT is that it underestimates the influence of biological factors, although Bandura recognised that aggression is an instinct - SLT predicts that aggressive behavior is primarily learnt through direct + indirect learning + observational learning + vicarious reinforcement - which is an outcome of 'nurture' - However there is evidence to show that 'nature' plays a role in aggression, as there are powerful forces of hormones, genes, evolutionary + neural influences on aggression - SLT barely acknowledges these factors + does not explain them = SLT is incomplete explanation for aggression as it undervalues the role of biological factors

Answer 56

- Aggression + violence are the outcome when we are prevented from achieving our goals (frustration) - Aggression is a cathartic release (psychodynamic concept) of the build-up of frustration - ‘the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions’ - We feel better for ‘getting it of our chest’

Answer 57

- Frustration always leads to aggression - Aggression always as a result of frustration Frustration --> Aggression --> success --> catharsis (satisfied + frustration removed)

Answer 58

Sublimation – Using aggression in acceptable activities (sport) Displacement – Directing our aggression outwards onto something / someone else

Answer 59

Aggression is not always directed at the source of frustration: - Abstract source eg: money, government, the media - Cause / source too powerful-fear of punishment - Cause / source may be unavailable

Answer 60

- lab: male students do jigsaw puzzle - While they were completing the puzzle = frustration levels were manipulated through **3 different conditions:** 1. Gave them **unattainable time** limit to complete jigsaw 2. Jigsaw was **impossible to complete** 3. **Confederate insulted ps** as they failed to solve puzzle - PS had the opportunity to **give shocks to the confederate** if he answered incorrectly on another task - The group of ps who received insults from the confederate gave the highest levels of shocks - All three groups gave more shocks than a control group who had not experienced any frustration conditions - Supports the theory that frustration leads to aggression

Answer 61

Berkowitz combined Dollard et al.’s frustration theory with more recent understandings of frustration as an internal process affected by **environmental cues** frustration =⬆arousal = 1. Presence of aggressive environmental cues (Weapon) = ⬆ likelihood of aggression 2. No aggressive environmental cues =⬇likelihood of aggression

Answer 62

lab - ps given the opportunity to shock a confederate who had previously angered them **Three different conditions:** 1. one with an aggressive cue - a gun 2. one with a non-aggressive cue - a badminton racket 3. one with no cue at all **Findings:** - PS who were in the presence of the aggressive cue gave higher levels of shocks than the other two groups = the weapon effect **Conclusion:** = Presence of the environmental cues stimulate aggression

Answer 63

1. Supporting evidence 2. Methodological of lab experiments 3. Practical application 4. Biological factors ignored (Nature/Nurture)

Answer 64

- Supporting evidence for frustration theory from Geen + for role of environmental cues from Berkowitz - When **Geen** investigated effects of frustration on aggression =insulted Ps (⬆ frustrated) gave strongest shocks to confederates who insulted them + all 3 groups selected more intense shocks than non-frustrated group =⬆frustration = ⬆aggression, as gave higher shocks - **Berkowitz** - when ps given the opportunity to shock a confederate who had previously angered them.. - PS who were in the presence of the aggressive cue (gun) gave higher levels of shocks than the other two groups = the weapon effect = validates claims that Presence of the environmental cues stimulate aggression - Reliable supporting evidence validates the prediction of the frustration-aggression hypothesis giving it credibility + increasing our confidence in its claims - Furthers our understanding into factors affecting aggression + can be used to predict + possibly control future aggression (particularly in prisons) + shared as advice by therapist during anger management sessions

Answer 65

- Research support for the frustration-aggression hypothesis has mainly come from lab experiments - Although is good due to high control, effect of IV on DV + internal validity - There are issues of ecological validity - Whether the ps in Berkowitz lab experiment would carry out this actual aggression in real life when faced with an external cue/ stimulus is not certain. = For this reason Berkowitz findings, lack mundane realism + it is difficult to conclude that all Ps would react the same in real life, so cannot generalise findings to all in real life (low external valididty)

Answer 66

- Berkowitz’s theory has practical application on gun control debates in the USA - As presence of the aggressive cue stimulated more aggression = The practical applications of this research shed new light on the gun control debate in America - If the presence of guns is more likely to result in aggression, then this 'weapons effect' could have far reaching implications for gun laws = encouraging laws to an guns for public in America = should reduce aggression

Answer 67

- Limitation of frustration theory is that it underestimates the influence of biological factors - Predicts that aggressive behavior is the outcome of frustration when we are prevented from achieving our goals. + the weapon effect predicts that Presence of aggressive environmental cues (Weapon) = ⬆ likelihood of aggression = outcome of 'nurture' - However there is evidence to show that 'nature' plays a role in aggression, as there are powerful forces of hormones, genes, evolutionary + neural influences on aggression - Frustration theory does not acknowledges these factors + does not explain them = incomplete explanation for aggression as it undervalues the role of biological factors

Answer 68

- Prisoners 'import' their behaviours + personality traits from outside into the prison + continue to display these behaviours once 'inside' - Irwin + Cressey suggest that institutional aggression occurs as a result of individual characteristics that the prisoner brings into the prison - EG inmates with experiences + social norms that tend towards violent behaviour towards others will be more likely to engage in interpersonal violence than inmates with less violent personalities + experiences = aggression is the product of the inmates’ personalities, not the prison environment

Answer 69

- Greater periods of unemployment - A lower level of education - A more serious criminal record = were correlated with a greater likelihood of aggression while imprisoned

Answer 70

1. Supporting evidence 2. Determinism v Free will 3. Opposing evidence

Answer 71

- Supporting evidence for the importation model of institutional aggression by Kane + Janus. - They found that greater periods of unemployment, lower level of education + a more serious criminal record were correlated with a greater likelihood of aggression while imprisoned = Shows that institutional aggression occurs as a result of individual characteristics that the prisoner brings into the prison + Validates this dispositional explanation that aggression is the product of the inmates’ personalities, not the prison environment - Adds credibility to the Importation Model of aggression in prisons, making it more reliable + valid - Furthering our understanding on the reasons why inmates are aggressive with each other in prison

Answer 72

- A limitation of the importation model is that it's determinist. -It claims that prisoners are aggressive because of 'negative' dispositions they import into prisons. -They have little control over their dispositions - This implies that prison aggression is inevitable + that it is not the 'fault of prisoners as their aggression is already determined by traits + characteristics from before - However, it could be argued that aggression in prisons is the outcome of prisoners exercising their free will -Cognitive factors also play a role = aggression in prisons is therefore not inevitable + is the responsibility of individual prisoners exercising their own free will

Answer 73

There is opposing evidence for the role of dispositional factors on aggression in prisons. - DeLisi et al found no evidence that gang membership prior to prison had any bearing on violence or misconduct within prison = There must be another explanation for institutional aggression = the environment + people in prison - These findings discredit the importation model making it less valid, as it suggests that dispositional factors are not the cause of institutional aggression.

Answer 74

- The experience of being imprisoned causes extreme stress + frustration which leads to violence + aggression **Sykes**: - argued that the causes of institutional aggression could be attributed to prison environments resulting from a deprivation of liberties (pains of imprisonment) - Pains of imprisonment include being deprived of freedom, independence, goods, safety, + heterosexual intimacy.

Answer 75

1. Deprivation of liberty 2. Deprivation of autonomy 3. Deprivation of goods and services 4. Deprivation of heterosexual relationships 5. Deprivation of security

Answer 76

1. **Deprivation of liberty** - inmate lose many personal freedoms when imprisoned (choosing when to eat, bathe, sleep + wake up) 2. **Deprivation of autonomy** - given scarce choices in their day-to-day life - Prison staff almost entirely control their lives =leading to feeling of helplessness

Answer 77

3. **Deprivation of goods and services** - Inmates cannot access many of the goods + services they would have enjoyed outside prison (fav food / smoking) - Deprivation of material goods is linked to aggression as it increases competition amongst inmates 4. **Deprivation of heterosexual relationships** - Heterosexual inmates mostly cannot continue / begin relationships or experience intimacy with their preferred gendered partner = leading to feelings of low self-worth, especially in male inmates. 5. **Deprivation of security** - Inmates may feel unsafe or that their safety is threatened whilst in prison

Answer 78

1. Practical application 2. Low temporal validity 3. Opposing evidence

Answer 79

- The prediction of the deprivation model that improving the conditions in prisons will result in reduced levels of aggression, have real life application - Wilson designed + managed 2 special units for the 12 most violent prisoners in the UK = he improved conditions (noise, temperature + overcrowding), -Wilson reported that the levels of violence decreased, therefore supporting + validating the deprivation model - However important to note that improving the living conditions did not completely eliminate inmate violence = in 2018, an argument between 4 men lead to a murder at the prison. - For this reason = important to consider other factors which could explain inmate violence, including the importation model (inmate violence due to them importing their aggressive behaviour to prison) = suggests we should take an interactionist model when explaining institutional aggression.

Answer 80

- There's low temporal validity - Many of the deprivations originally described by Sykes (1958) have been reduced considerably as a result of prison reform + the inmate rights movement = These deprivations (pains of imprisonment) cannot be confidently used to explain aggressive behaviour in prisons now as many of them have been improved significantly, yet despite this there is still aggression shown

Answer 81

- One limitation is research contradicting the deprivation model - The model predicts that a lack of heterosexual contact should lead to high levels of aggressive behaviour in prisons -However, Hensley et al studied 256 male + female inmates of two prisons in Mississippi (state of the US which allows conjugal visits (visits from partners specifically to have sex). - There was no link between involvement in these visits + reduced aggressive behaviour. = This suggests that situational factors do not substantially affect prison violence.

Answer 82

- There is link / correlation between aggressive behaviour + violent computer games - They see their character being rewarded for violence in game = encourage aggression in real life through vicarious reinforcment + operant conditioning - many research methods can be used to investigate media's effect on aggression

Answer 83

- students play a violent computer game or a nonviolent computer game for 10 minutes. - Afterwards, they were told to administer white noise sounds to another individual. - Those who played violent games selected high noise levels than those who played nonviolent games. - This suggests a link between violent games + aggression = short term effects

Answer 84

- lab studies have high levels of control, making it possible for them to establish clear causal relationships, leading to a high level of internal validity + scientific + replicable + objective - However, used artificial stimuli + setting to measure aggression. - makes it unrealistic = unclear whether the findings would be the same in real life situations - Findings lack mundane realism = cant be generalised - Also, aggression is seen as safe in the lab as there is no chance of retaliation = may increase the levels of aggression shown = difficult to establish a clear connection between violent games + aggression = lowering validity of the studies

Answer 85

- did meta analysis on 136 studies + found that - Exposure to violent video games was associated with increased aggressive behaviours, thoughts + feelings - true for males + females in both collectivists + individualistic cultures - = suggests a level of universality in the findings = gives the research potential to benefit society + aid the understanding of human aggression worldwide

Answer 86

- publication bias, which suggests that publishers favour studies which show statistical significance only, + non-significant results showig no differences not used - only studies finding significant results included = skews the data + results in an inaccurate + misrepresentation of research into the effects of aggressive computer games - = research may lack reliability, as it's unlikely that the same results would be found if it was replicated using a wider range of studies - = This means the effects of aggression may be overexaggerated leading to a lack of understanding + less valid findings

Answer 87

- looked at relationship between excessive tv viewing + violent computer games in childhood + aggression in adulthood - He found that excessive tv viewing + violent computer games in childhood was a predictor of aggression in adulthood - Aggression behaviour in adulthood measured by criminal convictions + the development of antisocial personality disorder

Answer 88

- Ps exposed to various confounding variables (environment, family, friends) - difficult to establish whether IV caused change in DV - Validity of findings questioned as we cannot be 100% confident that the video games + media as child is what caused the increased aggression as an adult

Answer 89

**Desensitisation**: - consequence of repeated exposure to violence in media - = causes individuals to be less empathic towards victims (Funk et al) + reduced physiological responses of anxiety - what was once a source of alarm/fear/aversion has transformed into something harmless = losing sensitivity towards stimulus [aggression]

Answer 90

Krahé - individuals who have a history of regularly viewing aggressive acts on TV, experienced more positive arousal + less anxious arousal when watching examples of aggressive media in a lab experiment, than those who don't normally watch - reduced activity in the autonomic sympathetic NS, which usually produces unpleasant symptoms such as increased heart rate

Answer 91

- correlational not causation - cannot establish cause + effect - less scientific and less valid - many factors could have influenced levels of arousal, including individual differences as some are generally more fearful and easily scared than others

Answer 92

**Disinhibition**: - process where our restraints towards violence + aggression are lowered, through direct / indirect learning through SLT - when someone lets go of the usual restraints + caution that hold them back from behaving that way - Media rewarding aggressive behaviour + minimising its negative consequences = results in new social norms + attitudes towards aggression being developed = see it as acceptable - accept it as new social norm

Answer 93

Heath et al - meta analysis - children whose parents emphasised social norms against aggression were unlikely to behave aggressively, even if they were exposed to violent media - children whose parents used physical punishment were more likely to behave aggressively if they were exposed to violent media = less concerend about social norms saying violence is bad as they observed lots of violence from parents = seen as 'normal'

Answer 94

**Cognitive Priming**: - Cues associated with violence in media (eg gun) may trigger aggression in us when we see them in real life - as what we see in media is stored in memory + memory works through association = connect it to other violent memories - we're 'primed' to retrieve these memories if we come across anything associated with them = propmt aggressive behaviour

Answer 95

Bushman et al [lab] - half ps watched violent film + half non-violent film - After, he measured their reaction time to different words appearing on screen - PS who watched a violent video had faster reaction times to aggressive words than those who had watched a non-violent video - = have been primed to aggression - however confounding variables from ps differences, which could make them more aggressive in general from before film, eg genetic / differences in original reaction times for ps may be different and nothing to do with film

Answer 96

1. **Supporting evidences** - Krahe [+issue with correlation / causation] - Heath et al - Bushman et al 2. **Individual differences** - personality – some individuals are more influenced than others - cannot generalise this theory to everyone - idiographic approach should be taken instead 3. **Practical application** - need for media regulation known now - reduces exposure to violence on media = to reduce aggression - advise parents on their children's use of social media eg - improves society = positive