Aggressive Lecture

Question 1

Aggression

Answer 1

Intentional
Physical or psychological pain

Question 2

Hostile aggression

Answer 2

Anger aggression

Question 3

Instrumental aggression

Answer 3

Aggression other goals -sports

Question 4

Hostile attribution error

Answer 4

If someone harms you, you see it as intentional, even if it is not

Question 5

What are causes of hostility?

Answer 5

Biology: neurochemistry, testosterone
Psychology:
pain, discomfort (heat)
frustration (goal frustration)
Provocation, retaliation
Imitation - unpunished aggression gets imitated

Question 6

Bandura & Ross - Bodo Doll Experiment

Answer 6

The kids saw an adult model being aggressive towards the Bobo doll and then imitated (model) that aggressive behavior, playing with the doll
They had to provoke them to get the aggressive
Another version where the model was aggressive and then scolded by the experimenter
And the children did not imitate the aggressive behavior

Question 7

Lefkowitz et al 1972

Answer 7

TV watching habits and aggressiveness in grade 3, and then 10 years later in Grade 13
r = 0.31, longitudinal addresses directionally, but not the third variable problem

Question 8

Parker et al 1977

Answer 8

Non-aggressive and Aggressive movies were shown to kids in prison
Measured how aggressive they are
Kids who watched aggressive movies showed aggressiveness

Limitation
The movie effect didn’t persist after 5 days
Not cumulative
Differential effects within the violence group

Question 9

Anderson & Dill (2000)

Answer 9

Video game aggression
Play a violent video game or a non-violent video game
Violent Video Game → longer noise blasts to opponent

Question 10

Bushman et al. 1999 - Catharsis

Answer 10

Write a controversial essay, and someone else is reading your essay.
The other person then slammed the paper and said, “This is the worst essay they have ever read”.
Hit the punching bag or not
Blast opponent
Hitting a punching bag: More aggressive - negative reinforcement

Question 11

Nisbett & Cohen: Southerners

Answer 11

Study 1: Asshole
Southerners appear angrier (out of Northerners) when insulted
Complete story with violence (story about going after a fiancé)

Study 2:
Measured physiological characteristics
Elevated cortisol, testosterone - southerners
No effect on emotional reaction, but were chewing gum

Study 3:
Chicken game
With no insult
Southerners defer later than any other group

Southerners are nicer than Northerners when they are not being insulted.

Question 12

Arousal & Aggression: Study Design

Answer 12

Read an anger-inducing passage
Get aroused or not
Deliver noise-blasts against opponent in passage
Strong inhibiting pressure present (confirmed by raters)

Question 13

Ward Study 2

Answer 13

Promoting pressure stronger

Real opponent: insulting the confederate
Inhibiting vs promoting cues
Low arousal vs high arousal with a stair climber vs comfy chair (confederate claims)
Aggression-Promoting Cues: music, poster, screen background (water polo fight)
Aggression-Inhibiting Cues: Chinese flute music, background (puppies), poster of the beach
Under high arousal with peaceful cues inhibit aggression

Results
Significant interaction between arousal and cue salience
Most aggressive: high arousal with aggression-promoting cues
Least aggressive: high arousal with promoting cues

Question 14

Attentional Myopia

Answer 14

A narrowing of attention, where individual focus more on salient cues while ignoring less salient ones.