Aggression Lecture 20. Lecture Overview Aggression Approaches to Aggression Television & Violence.
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AggressionAggressionLecture 20Lecture 20
Lecture OverviewLecture Overview
AggressionAggression
Approaches to AggressionApproaches to Aggression
Television & ViolenceTelevision & Violence
AggressionAggression
AggressionAggression
Types of AggressionTypes of Aggression
AggressionAggression
Intentional behaviour aimed at causing Intentional behaviour aimed at causing physical or psychological painphysical or psychological pain
Two dimensions of classification:Two dimensions of classification:
Type of painType of pain
Goal of painGoal of pain
Type of PainType of Pain
Physical AggressionPhysical Aggression
Aggression inflicting physical painAggression inflicting physical pain
Verbal or Relational AggressionVerbal or Relational Aggression
Saying or doing psychologically hurtful thingsSaying or doing psychologically hurtful things
Goal of AggressionGoal of Aggression
We make a distinction between We make a distinction between hostilehostile and and instrumental instrumental aggressionaggression
What is the What is the goalgoal of the aggression? of the aggression?
Hostile AggressionHostile Aggression
Aggressive behaviour that:Aggressive behaviour that:
Stems from feelings of angerStems from feelings of anger
Has the goal of inflicting painHas the goal of inflicting pain
Instrumental AggressionInstrumental Aggression
Aggressive behaviour that:Aggressive behaviour that:
Inflicts painInflicts pain
The pain is a middle step toward another The pain is a middle step toward another goalgoal
Big Picture QuestionsBig Picture Questions
1.1. Is aggression:Is aggression:
A.A. A positive thingA positive thing
B.B. A negative thingA negative thing
C.C. It dependsIt depends
Big Picture QuestionsBig Picture Questions
2.2. Is aggression:Is aggression:
A.A. Societally producedSocietally produced
B.B. A natural thingA natural thing
C.C. An interaction of the twoAn interaction of the two
Big Picture QuestionsBig Picture Questions
3.3. When is aggression justified and when isn’t it?When is aggression justified and when isn’t it?
Approaches to Approaches to AggressionAggression
Think about a time when you hurt someone Think about a time when you hurt someone elseelse
Don’t have to tell anyone about itDon’t have to tell anyone about it
Why did you do it?Why did you do it?
Why We Hurt: Typical Why We Hurt: Typical AnswersAnswers
““I was born that way”I was born that way”
Genetic PredispositionGenetic Predisposition
““The booze made me do it” The booze made me do it”
Chemical InfluenceChemical Influence
““I was having a bad day” I was having a bad day”
Frustration-Aggression TheoryFrustration-Aggression Theory
““Too much violence in the media” Too much violence in the media”
Social Learning TheorySocial Learning Theory
Genetic PredispositionGenetic Predisposition
Theory and early workTheory and early work
Neural Structure:Neural Structure:
AmygdalaAmygdala
Pre Frontal CortexPre Frontal Cortex
Hormones and Neurotransmitters:Hormones and Neurotransmitters:
TestosteroneTestosterone
SeratoninSeratonin
Genetic Predisposition?Genetic Predisposition?
Basic Theoretical Premise:Basic Theoretical Premise:
Aggression is adaptive and has survival valueAggression is adaptive and has survival value
Earliest evidence:Earliest evidence:
Animals can be bred for aggression (e.g., Animals can be bred for aggression (e.g., Rottweilers)Rottweilers)
Twin studies find high heritability for Twin studies find high heritability for aggressionaggression
AmygdalaAmygdala
Stimulating Stimulating amygdala can lead amygdala can lead to aggressionto aggression
Depends on Depends on context:context:
Sometimes leads Sometimes leads to withdrawal/fearto withdrawal/fear
Relative social Relative social status mattersstatus matters
Pre Frontal CortexPre Frontal CortexPFC may be the regulator of PFC may be the regulator of aggressive impulsesaggressive impulses
Generally involved in Generally involved in planning & behavioural planning & behavioural regulationregulation
Relation of PFC and Relation of PFC and Aggression:Aggression:
Murderers have less PFC Murderers have less PFC activity than normal activity than normal controlscontrols
PFC becomes activated PFC becomes activated when contemplating an when contemplating an aggressive actaggressive act
TestosteroneTestosterone
The steroid hormone The steroid hormone testosterone may increase testosterone may increase aggressionaggression
Greater exposure to Greater exposure to testosterone in womb testosterone in womb linked to aggressionlinked to aggression
But:But:
Injecting testosterone Injecting testosterone does not increase does not increase aggressionaggression
Testosterone-aggression Testosterone-aggression is weak effect, is weak effect, rr = .14 = .14
SeratoninSeratonin
Neurotransmitter related to many aspects of Neurotransmitter related to many aspects of experienceexperience
May inhibit aggressive impulsesMay inhibit aggressive impulses
Violent criminals have less serotonin than Violent criminals have less serotonin than normalsnormals
Serotonin antagonists (blockers) increase Serotonin antagonists (blockers) increase aggressionaggression
Chemical Influence : Chemical Influence : AlcoholAlcohol
Alcohol disinhibits Alcohol disinhibits behaviour in generalbehaviour in general
Reduced self-Reduced self-consciousness consciousness ➔➔ deindividuationdeindividuation
Reduced attention Reduced attention to consequences to consequences of actionsof actions
Chemical Influence : Chemical Influence : AlcoholAlcohol
Relationship between alcohol and aggression:Relationship between alcohol and aggression:
In 65% of homicides and 55% of domestic In 65% of homicides and 55% of domestic violence, assailant and/or victim had been violence, assailant and/or victim had been drinkingdrinking
In lab studies comparing alcohol with placebo:In lab studies comparing alcohol with placebo:
People give stronger shocksPeople give stronger shocks
Report more anger when thinking about Report more anger when thinking about conflict with romantic partnerconflict with romantic partner
Frustration-Aggression Frustration-Aggression HypothesisHypothesis
Aggression stems from frustrationAggression stems from frustration
FrustrationFrustration
The perception that you have been The perception that you have been prevented from attaining a goalprevented from attaining a goal
Factors Affecting Factors Affecting Frustration and Frustration and AggressionAggression
More aggression when:More aggression when:
You are close to the goalYou are close to the goal
Frustration is unexpected, intentional, or Frustration is unexpected, intentional, or unjustifiedunjustified
Can’t retaliate against cause of frustrationCan’t retaliate against cause of frustration
Critiques of Frustration-Critiques of Frustration-Aggression HypothesisAggression Hypothesis
Not all aggression is the result of frustrationNot all aggression is the result of frustration
Environmental factorsEnvironmental factors
Neo-associationismNeo-associationism
Not all frustration leads to aggressionNot all frustration leads to aggression
(Wait for Stress & Health Lecture 22)(Wait for Stress & Health Lecture 22)
Environment and Environment and AggressionAggression
PainPain
Rats attack each other after being shockedRats attack each other after being shocked
Participants blast each other with louder Participants blast each other with louder noise after hand submerged in ice water noise after hand submerged in ice water versus room temperature waterversus room temperature water
HeatHeat
Heat above 32ºC invokes aggressionHeat above 32ºC invokes aggression
Neo-AssociationismNeo-Associationism
Aversive events:Aversive events:
Cause angerCause anger
Concepts associated with anger become Concepts associated with anger become accessibleaccessible
Anger-related concepts already in working Anger-related concepts already in working memory especially facilitatedmemory especially facilitated
Aggressive stimuliAggressive stimuli trigger aggressive behaviourtrigger aggressive behaviour
Object associated with aggressionObject associated with aggression
Aggressive Stimuli: The Aggressive Stimuli: The Gun Study Gun Study (Berkowitz & Le Page, (Berkowitz & Le Page, 1967)1967)
Method:Method:
1.1. Participant (P) works with Confederate (C) on problem solving Participant (P) works with Confederate (C) on problem solving task involving shockstask involving shocks
2.2. Anger manipulated by shocks from C (↓ Anger = 1 shock, ↑ Anger manipulated by shocks from C (↓ Anger = 1 shock, ↑ Anger = 7)Anger = 7)
3.3. Next, P can shock CNext, P can shock C
4.4. Beside the shock machine was either: Beside the shock machine was either:
NothingNothing
GunGun
Badminton racketBadminton racket
Aggressive Stimuli: The Aggressive Stimuli: The Gun Study Gun Study (Berkowitz & Le Page, (Berkowitz & Le Page, 1967)1967)
Results:Results:
Social Learning TheorySocial Learning Theory
Vicarious LearningVicarious Learning
Bandura’s Bobo Doll ExperimentBandura’s Bobo Doll Experiment
Vicarious LearningVicarious Learning
Learning solely through observation of other Learning solely through observation of other people’s reinforced and punished behaviourpeople’s reinforced and punished behaviour
No No directdirect reinforcement or punishment reinforcement or punishment
AkaAka “Social Modelling” “Social Modelling”
Social Modelling of Social Modelling of AggressionAggression
We learn aggression from observing others and We learn aggression from observing others and imitating themimitating them
Adoption of modelled behaviours are Adoption of modelled behaviours are dependent on rewards and punishments dependent on rewards and punishments observedobserved
Social Modelling : Bobo Social Modelling : Bobo Doll ExperimentDoll Experiment
Bandura (1965)Bandura (1965)
Method:Method:
1.1. Kids watch video tape of Kids watch video tape of young adult behaving young adult behaving aggressively or neutrally aggressively or neutrally toward a “Bobo Doll”toward a “Bobo Doll”
2.2. Model’s ConsequencesModel’s Consequences: : Rewarded, Punished, or Rewarded, Punished, or NotNot
3.3. Kid’s IncentiveKid’s Incentive: : Incentive or No Incentive or No IncentiveIncentive
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Bobo Doll ExperimentBobo Doll ExperimentModelling Aggressive BehaviourModelling Aggressive Behaviour
Bobo Doll ExperimentBobo Doll ExperimentLearned Aggressive BehaviourLearned Aggressive Behaviour
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Bobo Doll ExperimentBobo Doll Experiment
Bandura (1965)Bandura (1965)
Results:Results:
Bobo Doll ExperimentBobo Doll Experiment
Implications …Implications …
Family influenceFamily influence
Physically aggressive children more likely to Physically aggressive children more likely to have physically punitive parentshave physically punitive parents
30% of physically abused kids abuse their 30% of physically abused kids abuse their own kidsown kids
Media influenceMedia influence
High publicized suicides High publicized suicides →→ increased suicides increased suicides
Television and Television and AggressionAggression
By 7th grade, average By 7th grade, average child has seen:child has seen:
8,000 murders8,000 murders
100,000 other acts of 100,000 other acts of violenceviolence
More television predicts More television predicts aggressivenessaggressiveness
Important caveat: Important caveat: Mostly correlational Mostly correlational studies!studies!
TV and Aggression Over TV and Aggression Over TimeTime
Eron & Huesmann (1986)Eron & Huesmann (1986)
Method:Method:
1.1. Recruited 200 8-yr old boys from New York, Recruited 200 8-yr old boys from New York, NY, USNY, US
2.2. Measured general aggressiveness at age 8Measured general aggressiveness at age 8
3.3. Documented how much violent TV they Documented how much violent TV they watchedwatched
TV and Aggression Over TV and Aggression Over TimeTime
Eron & Huesmann (1986)Eron & Huesmann (1986)
Results: Results:
Violent TV watching at age 8 predicted:Violent TV watching at age 8 predicted:
Aggression at age 19Aggression at age 19
Criminal acts of violence (rape, robberies, Criminal acts of violence (rape, robberies, assault) at age 30assault) at age 30
Controlled for aggression at age 8Controlled for aggression at age 8
Moderating Factors in Moderating Factors in TV-Aggression LinkTV-Aggression Link
Model SimilarityModel Similarity
Punishment versus RewardPunishment versus Reward
Apparent RealityApparent Reality
Cartoons influence aggression less than filmCartoons influence aggression less than film
Apparent consequencesApparent consequences
Modelling more likely when pain/harm Modelling more likely when pain/harm caused by violence is caused by violence is notnot depicted depicted
How Does TV Affect How Does TV Affect Aggression?Aggression?
Imparts information about how to aggressImparts information about how to aggress
Primes angerPrimes anger
Makes world seem more dangerous, increases Makes world seem more dangerous, increases fear of victimization (Gerbner et al., 1994)fear of victimization (Gerbner et al., 1994)
Heavy viewers tend to overestimate Heavy viewers tend to overestimate frequency of violent crime, probability of frequency of violent crime, probability of being assaultedbeing assaulted
Loosens inhibitions toward violenceLoosens inhibitions toward violence
““An angry person can pull the trigger of his An angry person can pull the trigger of his gun if he wants to commit violence, but the gun if he wants to commit violence, but the trigger can also pull the finger …”trigger can also pull the finger …”- Leonard Berkowitz- Leonard Berkowitz
Next Lecture:Next Lecture:
Prosocial BehaviourProsocial Behaviour
Related Websites:Related Websites:
Well-done article on Bonobos and Aggression:Well-done article on Bonobos and Aggression:
http://www.lifescientist.com.au/article/264078/bonobos_evolutihttp://www.lifescientist.com.au/article/264078/bonobos_evolution_male_aggressionon_male_aggression
APA’s Statement and Recommendations on Violence:APA’s Statement and Recommendations on Violence:
http://www.apa.org/about/division/cpmpubint5.html#33http://www.apa.org/about/division/cpmpubint5.html#33
Full video of Bandura’s Bobo Doll Experiment:Full video of Bandura’s Bobo Doll Experiment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdh7MngntnIhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdh7MngntnI
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