Institutional Aggression: Situational Explanation

Question 1

situational exp AKA

Answer 1

deprivation model

Question 2

who proposed the deprivation model

Answer 2

Sykes 1958

Question 3

Outline situational exp for institutional aggression
- deprivation model

Answer 3

Situational exp of institutional aggression = ‘deprivation model’ proposed by Sykes (1958)

Institutional aggression is a result of the prison environment and not necessarily the individuals themselves.

This occurs due to the stressful and oppressive conditions of the institutions and the ‘deprivations’ that the inmates experience on a daily basis.

Question 4

Outline situational exp for institutional aggression
- deprivations

Answer 4

Sykes outlined 5 ‘deprivations’:

1) Deprivation of Liberty:
- loss of freedom
- freedom to move may be greatly reduced by being confined to enclosed spaces and overcrowding

2) Deprivation of Autonomy:
- quickly realise that they have no independence
- need permission to eat, sleep, shower, speak to family

3) Deprivation of Goods and services:
- Losing access to material possessions that people in the Western world are used to having can be hard to bear.

4) Deprivation of Heterosexual relationships:
- for heterosexual men, female company = key part of their self-identity, losing this may reduce their sense of self-worth.

5) Deprivation of Security:
- security in many institutions is well controlled, BUT many report fears for their own safety.

Deprivations -> increased stress and frustration -> more likely to act aggressively to reduce stress and obtain desired resources (frustration aggression hypothesis, catharsis)

Question 5

Evaluate situational exp for institutional aggression
- STRENGTHS

Answer 5

P) support from McCorkle et al (1995)
E) survey of prisoners: overcrowding, lack of privacy and a lack of meaningful activity all significantly influence peer violence.
E) Megargee (1976) : aggressive incidents in prisons were negatively correlated to the amount of living space for each prisoner.
L) deprivation of liberty/autonomy explain institutional aggression in prisons.
E) BUT aggression could have been imported due to the prisoner’s disposition

P) practical applications
E) 1990s, Wilson set up two units at HMP Woodhill: less ‘claustrophobic’, view of the outside world, masked prison noise with music, lowered the temperature
E) virtually eradicated assaults on prison staff and other inmates
L) used to improve prison env -> improve safety and security for staff and inmates

P) support for dispositional AND situational exp Jiang and Fisher-Giorlando (2002)
E) deprivation model explain violence against prison staff, importation model explain violence against other inmates.
L) both explanations are effective at explaining different forms of institutional aggression.

Question 6

Evaluate situational exp for institutional aggression
- LIMITATIONS

Answer 6

P) Evidence against from Hensley et al (2002)
E) analysed two prisons that allowed conjugal visits (visits from partners specifically for sex)
E) no link to reduced aggressive behaviour
L) deprivation of heterosexual relationships does not affect prison violence.