Aggression Flashcards

Question

Why does income inequality contribute to aggression?

Answer 1

1. Wilkinson & Pickett (2009) - powerful feelings of rejection that those at the bottom experience i unequal societies can gtrigger violence. 2. Inequality undermines feelings of trust and goodwill among people, which can contribute to frustration, anger and, ultimately aggression. Researchers found that during growing economic inequality, citizens feel less happy and experience more physical pain, beig less trusting of others. These feelings wear down the social fabric and may thus increase the likelihood of aggression. 3. Evolutionary psychologists contend that inequality throws men into more intense competition for economic resources and access to mates. sources of conflict that often motivate murder and other crimes.

Answer 2

Frances Kuo's research shows that the areas surrouding lots that were cleaned up and where greenery was planted experiences a 22% reduction in burglary and a 29% reduction in gun violence, suggesting that bringing natural beauty to neighbourhoods can significantly reduce aggression

Answer 3

Rates of violent behaviour among young peope are actually declining.

Answer 4

Impulsive, emotionally driven aggression that occurs in response to a perceived threat, frustration, or provocation. Characteristics: * Emotionally charged (e.g., anger, frustration). * Often a response to provocation or frustration. * Typically not premeditated but rather an immediate reaction. * Linked to hostile attribution bias (assuming others have malicious intent). * Associated with low impulse control and difficulty regulating emotions. Biological & Psychological Correlates: * High arousal (e.g., increased heart rate, adrenaline surge). * More associated with limbic system activity (e.g., amygdala, involved in emotional responses). * Linked to low serotonin levels, which regulate impulsivity Examples: Hitting someone after being insulted. Yelling at a driver after being cut off in traffic. A child throwing a tantrum when denied a toy

Answer 5

Planned, goal-oriented aggression used to achieve a specific outcome or exert control over others. Characteristics: * Premeditated and deliberate, not driven by immediate emotions. * Used as a means to an end (e.g., dominance, financial gain, revenge). * More common in individuals with low empathy and high manipulativeness (e.g., psychopathy, Machiavellianism). * Often instrumental—aggression is a tool rather than an emotional reaction. Biological & Psychological Correlates: * Lower physiological arousal compared to reactive aggression. * Greater involvement of the prefrontal cortex (associated with planning and control). * High testosterone and low cortisol levels linked to dominance-seeking behavior. Examples: Bullying someone to establish dominance. A criminal planning a robbery and using violence if necessary. Spreading false rumors to sabotage a coworker.

Answer 6

Original version: Frustration always leads to aggression. Revised version: The frustration-aggression theory simply states that aggression stems from frustration. Frustration is likely to turn into aggression, but it doesn’t have to if a person has higher levels of self-awareness or self-control. In one of the earliest studies on frustration-aggression theory, children were placed in front of a wire screen. Toys were on the other side. While the children could see the toys, the toys were just out of reach. This was likely frustrating for the children who wanted to play with the toys. Once the wire barrier was removed and the children were able to play with the toys, researchers noted that their play was much more aggressive than when the barrier had not been in place initially.

Answer 7

the attribution of non-human characteristics and denial of human qualities to groups (generally to groups other than one's own)

Answer 8

A culture defied by its memebers' strong concern about their own and others' reputatio, leading to sensitivity to insults and a willingness to use violence to avenge any perceived slight. Therefore, in some cultures, aggression is socially acceptable as a response to insults or threats to reputation (e.g., Southern U.S.). | Herders more violent than farmers

Answer 9

A culture in which rape tends to be used as a act of war against enemy women, as a ritual act, or as a threat agaist women to keep them subservient to men

Answer 10

Trait Aggressiveness: Some individuals are naturally more prone to aggression. Hostile Attribution Bias: Tendency to perceive ambiguous situations as hostile. Impulsivity & Self-Regulation: Poor impulse control leads to increased aggression. Narcissism: High but fragile self-esteem can cause aggressive reactions to threats. Psychopathy: Low empathy and high impulsivity contribute to aggression.

Answer 11

Genetics: Twin/adoption studies suggest heritability of aggressive tendencies. Brain Structures: Amygdala: Processes threats and triggers aggression. Prefrontal Cortex: Regulates impulsive behavior (lower activity linked to aggression). Neurotransmitters: Low serotonin: Linked to impulsive aggression. High dopamine: Can reinforce aggressive behaviors. Hormones: High testosterone: Correlates with increased aggression. Cortisol (Stress Hormone): Chronic stress can either increase or inhibit aggression.

Answer 12

Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis: Frustration increases likelihood of aggression. Provocation & Social Rejection: Insults, humiliation, and rejection trigger aggressive responses. Deindividuation: Loss of self-awareness in groups increases aggression (e.g., riots). Social Learning Theory (Bandura): Aggression is learned through modeling (e.g., Bobo doll experiment). Weapons Effect: Presence of a weapon increases likelihood of aggression. Media & Violent Video Games: Repeated exposure desensitizes individuals to violence. Culture of Honor: Some cultures emphasize retaliatory aggression (e.g., Southern U.S.). Collectivist vs. Individualist Cultures: Collectivist cultures may suppress aggression, while individualist cultures may tolerate it more.

Answer 13

The Bobo Doll experiment attempted to explain how children learn aggression from an early age. He proposed that aggression is a learned behavior. Children exert aggression simply because they are imitating what they have observed. The children were put in a room with an adult, some toys, and a large Bobo Doll. Half of the children sat in the room with the adult as they gently played with the toys, displaying little aggression. The other half sat in the room with the adult as the adult aggressively hit or kicked the Bobo Doll. Some of these adults used explicit language or even hit the Bobo Doll over the head with a mallet. The children were then separated from the adult and placed in a room alone with more exciting toys. After a few minutes, the toys were taken away in order to upset the children. All of the children were then taken into a third room, where another Bobo Doll stood. The children who had observed the aggressive adults were more likely to exhibit aggressive behavior themselves. Children were simply imitating and modeling when they also kicked, hit, or were otherwise aggressive toward the Bobo doll. Hence, Bandura proposed that aggression is learned not only through positive or negative reinforcement but also through indirect observational learning.

Answer 14

Simply seeing a weapon can increase aggressive thoughts and behavior.

Answer 15

An evolutionary theory that refers to an individual's reproductive success, which ensures the transmission of an individual's genes to future generations

Answer 16

The idea that a man's gender identity, which significantly involves strength and toughness, may be lost under various conditions and such a loss can trigger aggressive behaviour.

Answer 17

Stepchildren are more subject to abuse than are geenetic offspring, who can carry on parents' genetic line.

Answer 18

Men are more likely to commit violent and aggressive acts and are also mor elikely to be the victims of aggression. Women tend to turn to relational aggression, such as gossip and ostracism ot hurt others emotionally.

Answer 19

Parental Investment Theory explains how the amount of time, energy, and resources parents invest in their offspring affects mating behavior and reproductive strategies. Differences Between Males & Females Females invest more because they: * Have limited eggs (vs. males’ abundant sperm). * Experience pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. * Are more selective in choosing mates to ensure offspring survival. Males invest less because they: * Can father many offspring with little effort. * Compete for high-quality mates rather than focusing on parenting. Within this competition, high-status men are more successful than low-status men in terms of reproductive success (number of offsprings). Hence, men are more likely to harm other men than women are to harm women because men face fiercer competition for mates.

Answer 20

the tendency to attach less value to an offer in a negotiation once the opposig group makes it

Answer 21

the process of having perpetretors of harm take responsability and apologize to those they have harmed and for those individuals to express their grievances.

Answer 22

Cognitive Reappraisal: Teaching people to reinterpret aggressive situations in a less hostile way. Perspective-taking: psychological intervention aimed at improving an individual's ability to understand, consider, and adopt others' viewpoints, emotions, and motivations. It is commonly used to reduce aggression, enhance empathy, and promote prosocial behavior.