Lesson6 Frustration Aggression Hypothesis

Question 1

What is the frustration aggression hypothesis

Answer 1

Put forward by dollard et al - it’s based on the psychodynamic explanation of catharsis. Freud believed that the drive for aggression was innate, like the drive for food. He believed that the only way to reduce aggression is to engage in an activity that release it. We then feel better after ‘getting it off our chest’

So dolled said if we experience frustration, it leads to aggression which is a cathartic release of the build up of frustration.

Question 2

Why can’t aggression always be directed at the source?

Answer 2

1) cause of frustration may be abstract, such as the economic situation, the government…
2) the cause may be too powerful and we risk punishment by being aggressive I.e. if the teacher gave you a low grade
3) the cause may be unavailable I.e. the teacher left before you realised what grade you got

Question 3

What are two ego defence mechanisms to protect ourselves using aggression

Answer 3

Sublimation - using aggression in acceptable activities like sport

Displacement - directing our aggression outwards onto something or someone else

Question 4

What is the weapon effect

Answer 4

Berkowitz said that frustration does not always lead to aggression and said that it would on,y occur in the presence of certain cues e.g. if there is a weapon present. This would be more likely to trigger aggression

Question 5

Strength frustration aggression hypothesis

Answer 5

Research support - Russel Green conducted a laboratory experiment wheee he asked male undergrads to do a jigsaw. Whilst doing the jigsaw he organised three different conditions that were designed to raise the levels of frustration in the participants. One included setting an unattainable time limit to finish the puzzle, another being the jigsaw being impossible to complete and finally a confederate was asked to say derogatory remarks to students if they failed. In the second part of the study, participants could shock the confederate if he gave a wrong answer on another task. This who received insults gave the highest levels of shock. And all three shocked more compared to a control who were not frustrated.

Also has practical applications - he carried out a lab experiment where participants were given the opportunity to shock a confederate who had previously angered them. However he set up 3 conditions: one with an aggressive cue, a gun. One with non aggressive cue, a badminton racket and one with no cue. Those participants in the presence of the aggressive cue gave higher levels of shock compared to the other 2 conditions. This research can shed light and possibly change the gun laws of USA as it’s found that they increase aggression

Question 6

Weakness aggression

Answer 6

One weakness of the FA hypothesis is that the actual research support has come from laboratory experiments, and therefore there are issues of ecological validity that can be questioned. Whether the same behaviour would occur outside the lab is not certain

The FA hypoth is also more complex than theorised. Ewell research showed that frustration does not always lead to aggression and there is nothing ‘automatic’ about the link between the two. Someone who feels frustrated does not always lead to aggression, instead they could feel helpless or determined. Additionally, someone who is aggressive is not always frustrated. If blud got MAOA L gene then research has shown that they are more likely to show aggression. Therefore this hypoth doesn’t take into account other factors like biology or genes