chap 12: aggression Flashcards by Li Zhao

According to most social psychologists, aggression is defined as

a. the intention to cause harm to or pain in another.
b. the infliction of harm or pain on another.
c. the intention to relieve frustration by harming another.
d. any action that results in physical or psychological pain in another.

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According to the social-psychological definition of “aggression,” which of the behaviors below is the best example of aggression?

a. Donald is not paying attention and runs over the neighbor’s bicycle as he backs out of the driveway.
b. Amanda asserts herself with her boss and makes a spirited argument for a raise.
c. A child throws a temper tantrum and tries to hit his father.
d. One basketball player fouls another when he is trying to shoot.

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Which of the following is the best example of hostile aggression?

a. Bernie is angry at his mother and screams at her, “I hate you!”
b. Angela threatens her younger brother to force him to give up a toy that belongs to her.
c. A lineman sacks a quarterback to put him out of the game.
d. An angry driver loses control and runs his car into a ditch.

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________ aggression is an act that stems from feelings of anger, and that is aimed at inflicting pain.

a. Misplaced
b. Hostile
c. Instrumental
d. Malicious

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________ aggression is an act in the service of a goal that does not involve the infliction of pain.

a. Misplaced
b. Hostile
c. Instrumental
d. Oblique

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Which of the following is the best example of instrumental aggression?

a. Scott has a quick temper and gets into fights at parties.
b. An assassin kills a leader to ensure the success of a coup.
c. Angry at her boyfriend, Liz destroys his stereo.
d. Karin runs over her neighbor’s cat.

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Which of the following is an example of hostile rather than of instrumental aggression?

a. A farmer kills a pig for an Easter ham.
b. A teenager throws eggs at a homeless person.
c. A woman uses a fly swatter to kill a fly.
d. A soldier kills an enemy at war.

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The goal of ________ aggression is to inflict pain; the goal of ________ aggression is to achieve some other outcome.

a. hostile; instrumental
b. hostile; functional
c. functional; instrumental
d. biological; evolutionary

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Mr. Jenkins was backing out of his driveway and accidentally hit his neighbor (whom he dislikes) as he was biking by. Why isn’t this act aggressive?

a. Because no psychological harm was done.
b. Because Mr. Jenkins wasn’t angry at the time.
c. The neighbor was defenseless.
d. It was unintentional.

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According to evolutionary theory, some psychologists argue that men are programmed to be aggressive. What is their explanation for this claim?

a. Men are stronger than women, thus more aggressive.
b. Men are socialized to be more aggressive.
c. Aggression may help men perpetuate their genes.
d. Acts of aggression and violence are attractive to many women.

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Based on information presented in your text, what are the two evolutionary reasons why males are aggressive?

a. dominance and jealousy
b. hostility and instrumentality
c. jealousy and hostility
d. dominance and instrumentality

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Shortly after Mary and Robert were married, he became somewhat aggressive to other men who showed an interest in his wife, and made claims like, “Anyone who lays a hand on my woman has to go through me first.” Such claims and aggression are explained by evolutionary theory as

a. displays of dominance.
b. acts of power.
c. domestic violence.
d. sexual jealousy.

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Researchers have found that testosterone levels are significantly higher in men ________, suggesting a ________ contribution to aggression in humans.

a. from abusive homes; biological
b. convicted of violent crimes; biological
c. from lower socioeconomic backgrounds; social
d. convicted of property crimes; biological

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Evolutionary explanations for behavior are controversial for several reasons. Nonetheless, how true are the evolutionary explanations for aggression?

a. Experiments have been conducted, so they are proven facts.
b. The theory has been supported by substantial experimental research.
c. All the research is correlational, so they are speculations.
d. There is no data to support evolutionary explanations, so they have been disproven.

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A researcher (Eibl-Eibesfeldt, 1963) raised rats in isolation. When other rats were finally introduced into their cages, rats raised alone ________, suggesting that ________.

a. could not defend themselves; aggression is learned
b. used the same aggressive behaviors as other rats; aggression need not be learned
c. did not aggress against them; instrumental aggression does not exist in nonhumans
d. fled from the new rats; aggression must be learned

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How does female-dominated society lead bonobos to deal with conflict?

a. They diffuse tension by having sex.
b. There is aggressive conflict, but only among females.
c. There is aggressive conflict, but among both males and females in mixed sex combat.
d. They have a clear and unchallenged hierarchy with a female firmly in charge of the group.

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According to research presented by the authors of your text, humans’ two closest primate relatives (sharing 98 percent of DNA with humans) are the ________, known for their aggressive nature, and the ________, known for their peaceful nature.

a. bonobos; chimpanzees
b. pygmy chimps; bonobos
c. chimpanzees; bonobos
d. bonobos; pygmy chimps

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Bonobos are a close primate relative to humans, sharing 98 percent of human DNA. Bonobos are particularly interesting to use when studying aggression because they are

a. highly aggressive primates who are known to brutally attack one another.
b. led by a male hierarchy.
c. very peaceful and led by a female hierarchy.
d. the only other animal with the hormone testosterone.

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According to your textbook, most social psychologists agree that aggression is a(n) ________ strategy.

a. inherited
b. uncontrollable
c. optional
d. inflexible

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Most social psychologists regard aggressive behavior patterns as

a. infinitely modifiable and flexible.
b. completely due to culture, with no influence of biology.
c. inborn, but modifiable when threat is imminent.
d. expressing a limited range of responses to provocation.

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Amu lives in an isolated area and very close-knit community. The community hunts and farms together and must do so to survive. If Amu suddenly becomes aggressive toward other community members, how is he likely to be treated?

a. He’ll be rewarded with a larger share of food.
b. He will be elected to a leadership position in the community.
c. He will be shunned and perhaps even cast out of the community.
d. His behavior will be ignored and won’t attract any attention.

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Survey research by Nisbett (1993) has revealed that although southerners are no more likely than northerners to endorse aggression in general,

a. southerners are more prone to aggress in response to insults.
b. the availability of handguns in the South produces more homicides there.
c. the “culture of honor” in the North encourages alternatives to aggression.
d. southerners are less likely to endorse aggression at the service of self-protection.

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Assume that Kyle grew up in the South, where a “culture of honor” predominates. Based on research presented in the text, Kyle would be more likely than a northerner to behave aggressively when

a. he feels his life is threatened.
b. someone insults him.
c. he has been drinking.
d. he has won a contest.

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A study presented in the text demonstrated that when participants were first “accidentally” bumped, then called a disrespectful name, northerners tended to react ________ southerners.

a. more aggressively than
b. more assertively than
c. as aggressively as
d. less aggressively than

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In romantic relationships, a study of nearly 500 first-year American college women reported that they were _______ likely to hit, slap, and throw objects as their boyfriends. a. equally b. less c. more d. not at all

Which of the following is false? a. Across cultures, men have been found to be more aggressive than women in everyday life. b. Gender differences exist in aggression, particularly in response to provocation (e.g., an insult). c. When aggression is indirect (nonphysical), females may be as aggressive as males. d. Females tend to feel more guilt and anxiety over aggressive behavior than males do.

Suzanne is a master of relationship aggression. Her tools for being aggressive would include a. spreading rumors. b. punching. c. stealing. d. hitting.

Based on the research presented in the text, if a group of 4-year-old girls wanted the play purse that another girl was given, what are they most likely to do? a. Push her and take it. b. Cry until she gives it to them. c. Not play with her until she gives it to them. d. Wait patiently for their turn to play with it.

Extrapolating from the research on relational aggression, which of the following would be the best thing a parent could teach a young girl? a. Have a thick skin about what other people think, and work on developing a few good friends. b. Practice running so you can be very fast. c. Make sure that you always carry a cell phone. d. Always keep your fists up to guard your face in a fight.

A little girl watches a television cartoon in which a woman yanks a child by the hair and screams at her. After seeing the cartoon, the little girl acts out this same interaction with her doll. This is an example of a. catharsis. b. imagined aggression. c. social-cognitive learning. d. the frustration-aggression link.

Based on social-cognitive learning theory, what is one reason why parents who were abused as children are more likely to abuse their own children in turn? a. Aggression is inherited. b. They are usually uneducated. c. They learned that violence is acceptable. d. They are pressured by the grandparents to use an iron fist.

Bushman and his colleagues (2007) found that the more respected a person or institution is, the greater their influence as a role model for aggression. They found this effect holds for a. men but not women. b. northerners and southerners. c. nonreligious and religious people. d. athletes and non-athletes.

A teacher at a preschool tries to show some rowdy children how to “play nice.” She shows them a doll hitting her, and her hugging the doll in response. The teacher’s behavior is an example of a. modeling nonaggressive behavior. b. training good communication skills. c. teaching the children how to solve problems more effectively. d. building empathy in the children.

Which statement below most accurately reflects the relationship between alcohol and aggression? a. Alcohol makes all people more aggressive. b. People who are prone to violence are most likely to be high alcohol consumers. c. Alcohol interferes with our ability to attribute ambiguous behavior to situations. d. Alcohol will not make violence-prone people more likely to aggress if they are in a situation where violence is condemned.

Gary, a northern male who has a reputation for violence, has been drinking with his friends. Stan approaches Gary and insults his girlfriend. Gary and Stan get into a fistfight. Which of the following best explains why Gary and Stan began to fight? Research suggests that a. northern males are more prone to react to insults with aggression. b. alcohol is especially likely to interact with testosterone to increase aggression. c. alcohol lowers our social inhibitions and allows us to act impulsively. d. people from different parts of the country hold different expectations about the effects of alcohol.

Jeff is participating in a research study where he is given several drinks. He is told that the goal is to get his blood alcohol level to a point just shy of the legal driving limit. However, he is really only getting a nonalcoholic mixer and fruit juice. How will Jeff behave toward another participant who just insulted his favorite sports team and manage to spill a drink on Jeff’s shoes, and why? a. Jeff will most likely behave aggressively because he expects to be disinhibited by alcohol. b. Jeff will most likely not behave aggressively because he is not being affected physiologically by the alcohol. c. Jeff will most likely behave aggressively because he is being physiologically aroused by the alcohol. d. Jeff will most likely not behave aggressively because his cognitive processes will be slowed by the alcohol

67. Which research findings below provide the soundest evidence that excessive heat causes greater aggression? a. In cities all over the country, riots are more likely to occur on hot days than on cold days. b. In Phoenix, drivers without air conditioning are more likely to honk at others than are drivers with air conditioning. c. Compared to students who took a test in a normal temperature room, test-taking students in a ninety-degree room were more likely to express hostility toward a stranger. d. Throughout the history of the World Series, more batters have been hit by pitched balls on hot days than on cool days.

Citizens are outraged at an unpopular government policy, and in many parts of the country they have taken to the streets to protest. Results of research on the “long, hot summer” would lead you to predict that in the ________ would be LEAST likely to fill the streets in protest. a. winter, residents of Minneapolis, Minnesota b. fall, residents of Houston, Texas c. summer, residents of Chicago, Illinois d. winter, residents of Atlanta, Georgia

One problem with using archival data (e.g., existing records of disturbances) to demonstrate that exposure to uncomfortable levels of heat causes people to behave aggressively is that a. it is difficult to access such records. b. by definition, people who participate in disturbances are not a random sample. c. more people might simply be outside on a warm day than on a cold day. d. such disturbances do not involve the kind of aggression of interest to social psychologists.

Researchers (Griffitt & Veitch, 1971) administered tests to students who were randomly assigned to take the test in a room with normal temperature or in a ninety-degree room. After completing the test, students were asked how aggressive they felt, and their hostility toward a stranger was measured. These researchers found that students in the ________ hostile to the stranger. a. normal room felt more aggressive than those in the ninety-degree room, but both sets of students were equally b. ninety-degree room felt more aggressive than those in the normal room, but both sets of students were equally c. normal room felt less aggressive than those in the ninety-degree room, but were more d. the ninety-degree room felt more aggressive than those in the normal room, and were more

A prison guard has to transport (by bus) four prisoners convicted of violent crimes. Based on information from your text, who would be most likely to cause the guard problems and behave aggressively? a. Rough Robbie, who has a row in the bus all to himself b. Tough Tony, who is sitting right by the air conditioning vent c. Bold Bob, who is squeezed next to the luggage and is next to the smelly bathroom d. Gunshot George, who is sleepy

________ occurs when a person is thwarted on the way to an expected goal or gratification. a. Frustration b. Depression c. Aggression d. Low self-esteem

Frustration increases the probability of an aggressive response, but does not inevitably lead to such a response (e.g., Berkowitz, 1993). A number of situational factors work to accentuate frustration, further increasing the odds of aggression. For example, frustration is accentuated when we a. are close to our intended goal. b. expect the frustration. c. perceive the frustrating act as unintentional. d. perceive the frustrating act as random.

Two children, Jane and Joan, have been eyeing a new water pistol in the local toy store for months. Each is convinced that her parents will buy her the water pistol as soon as summer comes. Yesterday, Jane’s parents bought her the water pistol, which turned out to be the last one in the store. As soon as Joan found out, she had a temper tantrum and hit Jane in the stomach. ________ best explains Joan’s behavior. a. Social exchange theory b. Frustration-aggression theory c. Social learning theory d. The emotional consistency effect

According to the relationship between frustration and aggression, who is most likely to get into an argument with someone who cuts in line ahead of him or her? a. Tim, who has been waiting two hours to buy concert tickets and still has at least an hour to wait b. Barbara, who is the next in line at the grocery store check-out counter c. Hector, who is last in line for movie tickets d. Alicia, who only has one item at the drug store

Kristi has been very frustrated in her search for the perfect apartment that costs next to nothing. According to frustration-aggression theory, what would most likely increase the likelihood that Kristi’s frustration will lead to aggressive behavior? a. Kristi finally admits that her expectations were unrealistic. b. Kristi realizes that the Apartment Finders are doing the best they can. c. The perfect apartment burned down the day after she put down a deposit. d. The delay is frustrating, but not unexpected; students are already back in town.

In which of the following situations is frustration LEAST likely to result in aggression? a. Your friend sprained her ankle, and cannot help you move, as promised. b. A telemarketer interrupts your dinner to sell you a magazine subscription. c. A woman grabs you and says “Hey, slow down,” as you rush to catch your train. d. The parking lot is full, and a driver pulls around you to take the parking place for which you’ve been waiting.

In a classic experiment (Barker, Dembo, & Lewin, 1941) researchers prevented children from playing with attractive toys. Once the children gained access to the toys, they behaved destructively, smashing the toys and throwing them against the wall. These results demonstrate the power of ________ to increase aggression. a. absolute deprivation b. frustration c. social learning d. aggressive stimuli

In explaining the race riots of 1967 and 1968, Reverend Jesse Jackson noted that the riots occurred “in the middle of rising expectations and the increased, though inadequate, social spending.” His analysis best reflects ________ as a source of aggression. a. thwarted expectations b. discrimination and direct provocation c. catharsis d. the discomfort caused by the “long, hot summer”

Which of the following is FALSE? a. The closer a person is to his or her goal, the more likely frustration is to foster aggression. b. The more unexpected the frustration, the more likely it is to lead to aggression. c. The size, strength, and ability to retaliate of the person responsible for the frustration influence whether not frustration will tend to lead to aggression. d. A frustration that has an excuse or justification is no more likely to lead to aggression than no frustration at all; only unjustified frustrations lead to aggression.

One determinant of whether we will respond aggressively when provoked is whether a. we perceive the provocation as intentional. b. there are mitigating circumstances known at the time of the aggression but not at the time of the frustration. c. provocation was accompanied by forewarning. d. provocation takes the form of a threat.

Based on information from your text, under which circumstance are you LEAST likely to reciprocate aggression? a. Your coworker yells at you for being late. b. Your roommate writes you a nasty note calling you a slob. c. Your friend insults you after telling you that he failed his calculus exam. d. Your coworker tells you to work faster—then you find out his dog died that morning.

John and Sam get into a fistfight in the middle of a gun shop. The presence of the guns would be an example of a. aggressive stimuli. b. modeling. c. agitating stimuli. d. provocative objects.

Research on the effects of aggressive stimuli shows that a. the mere presence of guns is enough to trigger aggressive behavior. b. the presence of guns increases the probability of aggressive behavior in the presence of a frustration or anger. c. people only aggress in the presence of an aggressive stimulus. d. aggressive behavior triggers an aversion to aggressive stimuli.

Berkowitz and Le Page (1967) purposely angered the participants. Then they were left in a room with either a gun lying around or a badminton racket. Later, the participants were given the chance to administer electric shocks (not really) to a fellow college student. What was the independent variable of this research? a. degree of shocks given to the student b. participants’ level of testosterone c. getting insulted by a confederate d. type of object in the room

John and Eric have a major disagreement over a woman they both like. In which location is this disagreement LEAST likely to erupt into a physical fight? a. at a bar b. at a crowded rock concert c. at a ski lodge d. at a gun show

Rape may occur as a result of having sex a. as a result of physical force. b. as a result of incapacitation. c. as a result of both physical force and incapacitation. d. as a result of catharsis.

“It’s the male’s role to persist in his sexual advances, and the woman’s role to set limits.” The preceding statement is an example of a sexual a. myth. b. heuristic. c. misunderstanding. d. script.

Most of the experimental evidence regarding violent media demonstrates that watching violence increases the frequency of which of the following? a. aggressive behavior b. aggressive behavior and angry emotions c. aggressive behavior and hostile thoughts d. aggressive behavior, angry emotions, and hostile thoughts

Violent video games seem to have a stronger influence on behavior because of which of the following? a. Games have more flashing lights and sounds than television shows. b. Games reward violence. c. Children spend more time playing video games than watching other media. d. Children can play games on their computers and not just the television.

According to research presented in the chapter, what do exposure to media violence and guns have in common in terms of aggression? a. Both prime aggressive tendencies. b. Both are used by females more often than males. c. Both require practice to use effectively. d. Both demonstrate status to others in the group.

A steady diet of violent television fare can encourage aggression in children who are consequently ________ respond aggressively in real life. a. primed to b. encouraged by their parents to c. frustrated and therefore motivated to d. rewarded when they

Social-psychological research has revealed that viewers of a great deal of television come to view the world as a dangerous and hostile place. If Terry is one such person, what is he likely to think when he watches a violent cops-and-robbers show? a. “If they can do it, so can I.” b. “So that’s how it’s done.” c. “I guess it’s the urge to aggress that I’m feeling.” d. “I had better get him before he gets me!”

Teresa watches a lot of TV every day. Based on research presented in your text, how is Teresa most likely to view the world? a. It is a safe place. b. She probably lives in a fantasy world. c. She views the world accurately. d. She probably is overly fearful of being attacked.

When children were randomly assigned to watch either a violent film or an exciting film about bicycle racing and then played floor hockey (Josephson, 1987), children who a. were aggressive to begin with and watched the violent film were the most aggressive. b. had never been aggressive became the most aggressive after watching the violent film. c. watched the violent film used verbal aggression, but not physical aggression. d. watched the bicycle race became frustrated and actually behaved more aggressively.

Longitudinal studies of violence and aggression have shown that exposure to violence in media or video games has the strongest relationship in children who a. already are predisposed to violence. b. are female. c. have physical limitations. d. come from single-parent households.

Social-psychological research has revealed that viewers often learn the particulars of how to aggress when they watch violent television. If Andy is one such person, what is he likely to think when he watches a violent cops-and-robbers show? a. “If they can do it, so can I.” b. “So that’s how it’s done.” c. “I guess it’s the urge to aggress that I’m feeling.” d. “Big deal. What’s on PBS?”

Which of the following is FALSE? a. Watching television violence can strengthen people’s learned inhibitions against violent behavior. b. Watching television violence can prime feelings of anger and make people likely to misattribute feelings of mild irritation as intense anger. c. Watching television makes people think that the world is a dangerous and hostile place. d. Watching television violence reduces people’s sympathy for the victims of violence.

Which of the following parent-child interactions is most likely to reduce the child’s aggressive behavior? a. Molly’s father says, “I’ll spank you if you hit your baby brother again!” b. Jimmy’s mother says, “If you pinch your sister again, you will get a five-minute time-out in the corner.” c. Sadie’s mother says, “If I get another call from the teacher about you bullying the other kids, you will lose all TV privileges for the next month!” d. Tommy’s father says, “I’ll kick you if you kick the dog again!”

Results of laboratory experiments with adults (e.g., Bower & Hilgard, 1981) suggest that the one reason why threats of punishment do not seem to deter violent crime in the “real world” is that in the criminal justice system, punishment is a. seldom severe enough. b. seldom swift or certain. c. excessively harsh. d. seldom administered fairly.

Based on what your text reports, which of the following conditions of punishment is most likely to deter violent criminals? a. Punishment is fair. b. Punishment is severe. c. Punishment is prompt and severe. d. Punishment is prompt and certain.

Opponents of the death penalty for certain violent crimes might use social-psychological data to argue that one reason why the threat of capital punishment doesn’t serve as an effective deterrent to violence is that a. the odds are low that a violent criminal will be promptly apprehended, tried, and convicted. b. the threat of death by lethal injection is not severe enough to deter violent criminals. c. many capital cases are plea-bargained to save the states money. d the vast majority of violent crimes are crimes of passion.

Researchers studied crime statistics both before and after the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976. These researchers found that the return to capital punishment a. had no effect on single homicides, but reduced multiple homicides. b. had no effect on homicides. c. was actually accompanied by a rise in homicide rates. d. reduced homicides resulting from instrumental aggression, but had no effect on homicides resulting from hostile aggression.

________ reflects the idea that if people can “aggress” in harmless ways, built-up aggressive energies will diminish, reducing the odds of further aggressive behavior. a. Social learning b. Displacement c. Catharsis d. Fantasy inhibition

Teresa punches a pillow every time she feels aggression building up toward her younger brother, and this makes her feel relieved and more relaxed. Such an outcome supports the notion of a. aggressive stimuli. b. catharsis. c. avoidance coping. d. dehumanization.

A sports psychologist observed the behavior of fans during an especially violent hockey game. He found that as the game progressed, spectators became more belligerent and hostile, not less. These findings present a direct challenge to the assumption that ________ reduces aggression. a. vicariously discharging aggressive impulses b. engaging in direct aggression c. fantasizing to discharge aggressive impulses d. modeling cooperative behaviors

Researchers conducted an experiment in which male participants were angered by a confederate. Angry participants then either recorded the confederate’s errors or shocked him every time he made an error. Finally, all participants were given the opportunity to shock the confederate. These researchers found that contrary to ________, those participants who ________ later delivered stronger and more frequent shocks to the confederate. a. frustration-aggression theory predictions; were not angered b the catharsis hypothesis; had previously delivered shocks c. cognitive dissonance predictions; had not previously delivered shocks d. the catharsis hypothesis; had previously recorded errors

Based on the research presented in your text on aggression, what advice would you give to Tim, who just found out he didn’t make the baseball team and is angry? a. Watch a violent movie to help relieve aggressive feelings. b. Try to relax and restrain urges to be aggressive. c. Play a violent game of rugby to vent. d. Go to the gym and hit a punching bag for an hour.

According to cognitive dissonance theorists, when people attempt to vent their aggressive impulses by harming another person, they are more likely to engage in later acts of aggression because a. arousal caused by dissonance is misinterpreted as frustration. b. dissonance is reduced by derogating the victim, increasing the odds of later aggression. c. frustration is mistaken for dissonance. d. “blowing off steam” increases the arousal caused by dissonance, yielding more aggression.

Recall that participants in a research experiment presented in the text were insulted by an alleged medical technician who was taking some physiological measurements. Half of the participants were given the chance to vent their hostility, and half were not. Those who were allowed to vent their hostility by complaining to the technician’s supervisor a. demonstrated an increase in physiological arousal after they complained. b. expressed even more dislike for and hostility toward the technician. c. demonstrated a decrease in physiological arousal. d. agreed to do a favor for the technician.

Anger control through “active enabling” might involve which of the following? a. pounding on pillows to let off steam b. taking a deep breath and counting to ten c. watching a boxing match d. playing a “target practice” video game

The authors of your text suggest that openly and rationally discussing something that has made you angry with close friends can lead to a. greater conflict in the relationship. b. a stronger friendship. c. a good chance that the friendship will end soon. d. an outburst of aggression.

A researcher (Pennebaker, 1990) asked people who had experienced a traumatic event to describe the event and how they experienced it. Six months later, he found that these people a. were less likely to let their frustration lead to aggression. b. were healthier. c. made internal attributions for the traumatic event. d. made external attributions for the traumatic event.

According to the authors, when we are angry, it is best to a. stifle those feelings to prevent further anger and aggression. b. make an assertive statement that we are angry and why. c. publicly ridicule the source of our anger so that he or she will counterargue. d. distract yourself with something you enjoy.

According to research on the effects of apologies in reducing later aggression, which of the following statements is true about the effects of apologies? Apologies a. are most effective if the offender can also right the wrong. b. that are sincere and include an explanation are the most effective of all. c. are more effective when made in public than when made in private. d. serve to reduce dissonance in both the giver and the receiver.

The phenomenon of “road rage” has been given increasing attention by print and electronic media. Briefly, road rage involves retaliations against other drivers (e.g., shooting, running them off the road) that far exceed their offenses (e.g., driving too slowly, tailgating). You’re designing next year’s model cars, and have just read Chapter 12 (Aggression). What new design feature might you suggest? a. a second horn that makes a funny “I’m sorry” noise b. a louder, more powerful stereo system to distract drivers from their frustration c. a second horn that makes a louder, more threatening sound that communicates, “I’m really angry now!” d. bulletproof glass on all new model cars

Research has explained why men are less likely to apologize. Why is that? a. Apologizing would be a weakness that would be passed on in the genes. b. Men believe that apologizing would do damage to their egos. c. Men have higher thresholds than women for what requires an apology. d. Apologizing is taught to them as contrary to their gender role.

In an experiment presented in the text, researchers first frustrated children by stopping a great movie and taking away their candy, and then observed the children during free play. He found that children ________ were ________ aggressive than the others. a. who were taught constructive ways to relate; less b. with short attention spans; more c. who saw the prosocial movie; less d. who saw the whole movie; more

________ refers to the ability to experience events and emotions the way that another person does. a. Sympathy b. Identification c. Empathy d. Communion

Dehumanizing an enemy (e.g., referring to Germans as “Krauts” or Japanese as “Nips” or “Japs” during World War II or referring to Vietnamese as “gooks” during the Vietnam War) can contribute to further aggression and even wartime atrocities by a. increasing frustration. b. reducing our ability to empathize. c. increasing cognitive dissonance. d. increasing inhibitions.

________ is to aggression as ________ is to cooperation. a. Cognitive dissonance; empathy b. Dehumanization; empathy c. Rewards; punishment d. Self-justification; self-affirmation

Your boss is upset at you for being late so often. Assuming you’ve already apologized, if you wanted to assuage your boss’s anger, one good strategy is to a. give her a punching bag so that she can vent. b. let her vent at you verbally. c. try to evoke empathy in her. d. yell at her for being unreasonable first.

Recall that Feshbach (1989, 1997) implemented a thirty-hour program in the Los Angeles schools designed to teach students empathy and perspective-taking skills. She found that this program improved all of the following for children EXCEPT a. self-esteem. b. obsessive-compulsive disorder. c. lower aggression. d. academic achievement.

All of the following EXCEPT ________ are likely to help defuse angry feelings in a nonaggressive manner. a. taking a deep breath and counting to ten before responding b. expressing angry feelings to the person who caused them in a nonjudgmental manner c. taking the perspective of the person who angered you d. just grinning and bearing it

According to the authors of your text, which of the following is the LEAST plausible explanation for the Harris and Klebold massacre at Columbine High School? a. They were mentally ill. b. They were teased mercilessly by the popular kids. c. They were the victims of long-term bullying. d. They sought to turn their shame into pride

According to the analysis presented by the authors at the end of Chapter 12 (Aggression), the most effective way to try and reduce the likelihood of future school shootings is to a. reduce the amount of violence teenagers view on television. b. reduce students’ access to guns. c. change the exclusionary, cliquish atmosphere of most high schools. d. increase the penalties for any aggressive behavior.

Olweus (1991) was able to curtail bullying in a Norwegian school system by training administrators and teachers to be vigilant and to make timely and reasonable interventions. The levels of punishment found to be effective in these studies are fairly mild, consistent with the principles of a. cognitive dissonance. b. behaviorism. c. catharsis. d. social learning.

185. Which of the following programs is likely to be the most effective in reducing the incidents of bullying in a school? a. Parents and teachers ignore bullying and let the children work it out on their own. b. Threaten bullies with suspension and physical punishment. c. Tell victims to retaliate with aggression. d. Make adults aware of the problem and have them become more involved in interventions.