aggression- evaluation

Question 1

strength
cognitive approach

Answer 1

1) Guerra and Slaby helped adolescent prison inmates to replace Hostile attribution error with positive ones.

Compared with a control group, they showed a much-reduced HAB and less aggression.

This means that using cognitive approach can help to reduce aggression.

2) The cognitive approach has created practical real-world benefits. Contributed to methods that reduce aggression. For example, cognitive therapy aims to change HABS and thoughts that prime aggressive behavior.

3) Supporting research- Bram Orobio de Castro et al, reviewed studies of HAB in children. Mos to the studies confirmed there was a significant association between habs and aggressive behavior.

Supporting research- Fischer and Greitemeyer found that after listening to songs with derogatory lyrics about women, men behaved aggressively towards women confederates (example of cognitive priming)

Question 2

weakness
cognitive approach

Answer 2

correlation not causation- =

cognitive factors may not be the cause of aggression.

Studies show that aggressive scripts are associated with aggressive behaviour. But this is mostly correlational research, which cannot show that scripts cause aggression because no variables are manipulated or controlled.

Instead of people with aggressive scripts being more aggressive, it may be that being more aggressive contributes to a more aggressive script.

Question 3

strength
social approach

Answer 3

(Funk et al)

1) understanding social influence can be applied to prisons. For example, one effective way to reduce prison aggression is for prison staff to apply rules consistently (Mcguire). This helps because it means there has to be communication between staff and inmates. When communication is good, and rules are clear, inmates are less likely to develop a sense of injustice that can motivate aggression.

Question 4

weakness
social approach

Answer 4

biological factors may outweigh social influence on aggression. For example, many studies have shown a link between the male sex hormone testosterone and aggression in both men and women. For example, castrating a male animal causes reduction in both testosterone and aggression.

Question 5

strength
Behaviorist and social learning approaches

Answer 5

1) applications to social policy-

aggressive behaviours that cause some serious crimes are learnt through direct reinforcement and exposure to models in the family and in peer networks.

Policy makers could help reduce aggression by developing programs based on reinforcement of prosocial behaviours and on social learning.

One example is mentoring, providing at risk children with non-aggressive role models to imitate.

2) Poulin and Boivin

found that the most aggressive boys between 9 and 12 became friends with each other.

These relationships were ‘training grounds’ for antisocial behaviour.

The boys gained direct (positive) reinforcement through rewards (praise).

They experienced vicarious reinforcement through observing the rewarding of each other’s aggression

Question 6

weakness
Behaviorist and social learning approaches

Answer 6

operant conditioning and social learning theory cannot explain hostile aggression.

A violent outburst can easily escalate an encounter so that the individual being aggressive receives punishment in return.

These theory’s predict punishment makes future aggressive behavior less likely. However, in reality the opposite is usually true. The punished individual continue to be violent and aggressive.

Question 7

strength
biological approach

Answer 7

practical applications- each of the biological factors offers a target for intervention.

For example,

. a better understanding of the role of hormones and neurotransmitters could lead to the development of drugs to control and even reduce reduce aggression.

. as genes contribute to aggression we can counter act their influence with social and psychological support to “at risk” families.

therefore the biological approach provides potential ways of reducing aggressive behaviour in society.

Question 8

weakness
biological approach

Answer 8

there are many causes of aggression

these biological factors do not operate in isolation but interact with each other. (such as brain structures and neurotransmitters).

biological factors involved in aggression interact with non biological factors (social) which are equally important.Even though someone can be predisposed to be aggressive an environmental trigger is often required.

Incomplete explanation to aggression- reductionist