FINAL 2 Flashcards
When is a behavior said to be overdetermined
when it has multiple causes
Lorenz (1966) Hydraulic Model of Aggression:
Aggressive urges build up like water in a dam.
Can be safely released with an external cue (e.g., contact sports).
If not released, urges overflow, causing spontaneous aggression.
“Dam bursts” analogy for aggressive outbursts.
Applies to animal behaviour
Not supported in humans
Daly & Wilson (2005)
Step-parents far more likely [than biological parents] to abuse or murder their children
Buss; Men aggress for 2 reasons
Men aggress for 2 reasons
- establish dominance over other males
- ensure that their female partner is not sexually involved with another male.
Young male syndrome
Men in their reproductive prime are most likely to commit murder.
jealoousy
Fisher & Cox (2010):
Women engage in verbal aggression towards rivals.
Raine, 2008:
identical twins more likely to both have criminal records.
Denson et al., 2009
After being insulted, Ps with low-functioning MAOA showed higher levels of anger and hostility
Freud’s Dual Instinct Theory
Eros = life instincts
basic survival, pleasure, reproduction
Thanatos = “death” instinct
Re-direct self-destructive instinct toward other people
Added after WWI
Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis
Dollard 1939
2 points
and 2 flaws
Frustration always leads to aggression.
Frustration is the only cause of aggression.
2 flaws
Non-Frustrated Aggression: hiring a hitman
Frustration Without Aggression: mad bc of bus late
Displacement:
People often redirect their anger towards someone or something unrelated to its cause.
Catharsis:
Catharsis is the process of releasing strong or repressed emotions to achieve emotional relief.
Revised Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis
Berkowitz (1989)
Any unpleasant stimulus can provoke aggression, not just frustration.
Examples: Heat, rejection, physical pain.
Cognitive Neoassociation Model
This model explains how negative feelings can lead to either aggressive (fight) or non-aggressive (flight) responses based on context and situational factors.
Berkowitz & LePage (1967)
Purpose:
To investigate how the presence of guns influences aggressive behavior, particularly in response to provocation.
Findings:
Participants who received negative feedback (seven shocks) were more likely to retaliate aggressively.
When angered, participants exposed to guns gave more shocks than those with badminton rackets.
The presence of guns amplified aggressive responses specifically when participants were already provoked.
Weapons effect:
the tendency for weapons to enhance aggressive thoughts, feelings, & actions
Turner et al. 1975
Purpose:
To examine how the presence of aggressive cues, like guns and aggressive bumper stickers, influences aggression in a traffic scenario.
Findings:
Participants were more likely to honk sooner and for longer durations when aggressive cues (gun rack with rifle, bumper sticker saying “Vengeance!”) were visible in the pickup truck ahead.
The presence of aggressive cues heightened aggressive responses among drivers behind the pickup truck.
Excitation Transfer Theory
arousal from one event can carry over and intensify emotional reactions to a later, unrelated event
Zillmann et al. 1972
Purpose:
To investigate whether arousal from non-anger sources (like exercise) can increase aggression in response to negative feedback.
Findings:
Participants received feedback on their essays via electric shocks, indicating either strong disagreement (strong shock) or agreement (weak shock) with their arguments.
Participants then engaged in either non-strenuous (threading discs) or strenuous (pedalling an exercise bike) tasks, which varied in physiological arousal levels.
When participants were angered by negative feedback and subsequently engaged in vigorous exercise, they exhibited higher aggression levels in a teacher-learner task.
Script
knowledge in our brain that helps us understand how events happen in order
Bobo Doll Study Bandura 1963
Purpose: To investigate how children learn aggressive behaviors through observation (modeling) of adults or cartoon characters.
Findings
Children who observed a live adult model or a filmed adult model being aggressive toward a Bobo doll were more likely to imitate the aggressive actions during free play.
The level of imitation was higher when models were realistic and when aggression was positively reinforced (praised) rather than punished.
This study demonstrates that children can learn and imitate aggressive behaviors from observing models, which can influence their own behavior in similar situations.
Social Learning Theory of Aggression
Aggression is learned through observing and imitating others.
The General Aggression Model
The General Aggression Model (GAM) says aggression results from how people interpret situations: they can lead to aggressive thoughts, feelings, and arousal. People with certain traits might respond more aggressively. Before acting, they decide if aggression fits the situation based on their values and consequences.
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