Agression
Behavior consisting in: – Delivering noxious stimuli to another person – Attempting to harm another who wishes to avoid being harmed – Increasing one’s position in a dominance hierarchy
Continuum of violence
Includes assertiveness and violence - Calm - Verbally agitated - Verbally hostile - Verbally threatening - Physically threatening - Physically violent
Frustration-aggression theory
AGG as a reaction to frustration
Stimulus-response (S-R) theory
AGG is acquired bhrv to harm in order to achieve goals
Social learning theory of aggression
Children are motivated to imitate behavior through observation, modeling, reinforcement and punishment -Bobo doll experiment
Evolutionary perspective of aggression
Dimensions of aggression
For qualitative characteristics of aggression
Jyväskylä Longitudinal Study of Personality and Social development (JYLS)
JYLS Predictive Aspects
JYLS Childhood and adult agression
Not significantly Associated unless in boys - Highly aggressive across time - Continuity present in US especially in low SES families - Childhood aggression predicts criminal offense, Unless reactive without proactive - Linked with parental attitudes
Montréal Longitudinal experimental study (MLES)
Origins of aggression
Starts with maternal behavior - Young motherhood, Maternal problems, low education, Single parenting, property, Exposure to nicotine - For marital relationship and maternal depression jury first six months By adolescents easy to see chronic physical aggression group
Repercussions of aggression
Violence
Behavior intended to cause an that actually causes injury - Most important offenses are homicide, assault, And rape - Violence is a consequence of aggression
Violence from the clinical perspective
Aggression and violence are manifested in various disorders - Intimate to explosive disorder, Conduct disorder, Antisocial personality disorder, Disruptive mood this regulation disorder - It’s Not a disordered self
Cambridge study in delinquent development (CSDD)
Use criminal and self-report - Followed into adulthood - 45% of boys started a physical fight or use the weapon at age 15 to 18 years - Violent offenses peakAt 10%At age 15 to 18 years oldAnd lower throughout adulthood until mid-40s
Pittsburgh youth study (PYS)
Use criminal and self-report - Violent offenses peek at 11% at 18 to 19 years old, Reduce until Mid 20s
Violence Versatility vs. Specialization
Versatility: As soon as the act of violence, could be any type - Violent offenders 10 to be versatile more Then specialized - But are higher risk to perform the same behavior
Probability of violent offenses
Increases with every offense - 1: 10% - 2-3: 37% - 4 - 10: 63% 10+: 78%
Habitability of aggression and violent behavior
40 to 50% Heritability according to twin studies -
Animal research in aggression and violence
Higher aggression found with lower serotonin in prefrontal cortex and in cerebral spinal fluid - Looked at particular disorders and not aggression itself MLES: Low serotonin synthesis found in orbitofrontal cortex - Hi methylation of serotonin transporter gene
MAOA & AGG & VIO
-MAOA Is the enzyme breaking down serotonin and dopamine - Lower MAOA Activity in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampusRelated to more antisocial behavior - Especially when interactionWith childhood maltreatment - Study difficult to repeat
COMT & AGG and VIO
The enzyme breaking down dopamine and norepinephrine - Low functioning enzymeWith child abuseCauses more anger aggression and antisocial behavior - High functioning enzyme also lead to negative behavioral outcomes