Topics in Psychology Aggression AQA Unit 3

What is Aggression? With the person next to you List as many different types of aggression as you can think of. How would you define aggression?

“behaviour that results in personal injury or destruction of property” (Bandura, 1973) “the intentional infliction of some type of harm upon others” (Baron & Byrne, 2000) There is no single agreed definition amongst psychologists – why does this create difficulties? Cultural/sub-cultural differences are also important to consider.

Instrumental aggression – a means to an end Hostile aggression – an end in itself

What caused/causes this type of aggression? Luis Suarez was recently in the news for biting Branislav Ivanovich during a premier league match

Aggression… What caused/causes these examples of aggression?

Psychologist’s want to know…. What causes people to behave aggressively? behaviorist One behaviorist explanation is that people learn to behave aggressively through the process of …………………. Operant Conditioning & Social learning Theory

Application of a theory How can we use operant conditioning to explain why Luis Suarez is frequently in trouble for biting his opponents?

Children see, children do Bj0LXCTo What does the clip suggest about why we behave the way we do? Do you think this is true for why we act aggressively?

SLT Observation ImitationWe learn how to behave through Observation & Imitation of others’/role models behaviour: Social Psychological Approaches Child observes model Child pays attention to specific aspects of models behaviour. Child stores/retains the information in memory Child is motivated to reproduce the behaviour, after seeing the model reinforced. Child reproduces/imitates the model’s behaviour. Seeing Cheryl Cole praised on TV for her amazing looks – might lead to a child want to lose weight & wear a lot of make-up

Evidence - Bandura, Bobo doll experiment BqwWlJg8U

Bandura, Ross + Ross (1961) Imitating Aggressive Models (aka the Bobo Doll Study)

Procedure Participants = 72 children aged 3 to 6 (mean age approx 4). 36 b’s, 36 g’s. All from Stanford University Nursery (not a random sample). Matched on aggression – make sure that not all ‘naturally’ aggressive children were in one group. They were rated by experimenter and teacher at the school – physical activities, verbal aggression, and how treated inanimate objects.

Procedure Assigned to one of 2 conditions (aggressive or non-aggressive). There was also a control condition – no model was observed.

Aggressive Condition 24 children observed adult model being aggressive towards Bobo doll Non-Aggressive Condition 24 children observed adult model playing and ignoring Bobo doll. …. Control Condition 24 children …………………… …………………… … 72 boys and girls from Stanford Uni nursery ………. Procedure

Stage 1 –Children were settled into corner of room. –Adult model brought in, sat in another corner. Had materials to play with (same in all conditions). –Non-aggressive model – assembled toys quietly for 10 mins –Aggressive model – assembled toys for 1 min, then behaved aggressively towards Bobo doll for 9 mins. Had v. clear actions to carry out, e.g. sat on, punched on nose, mallet. Also used verbal aggressions. Procedure

Stage 2 –The children were then deliberately annoyed. –Taken to play with ‘attractive’ toys, but when they became interested they were stopped by experimenter saying they were her best toys, and she didn’t let just anyone play with them. Procedure

Stage 3 –Taken to a 2 nd room – same toys as before. Child could play with any of them. –Stayed in there for 20 mins. –Observed through one-way mirror – play behaviour recorded every 5 seconds using electronic timer. –Measured: 1) Imitation of physical aggression; 2) Imitative verbal aggression; 3)Imitative non-aggressive verbal responses. –Also recorded other types of physical and verbal aggression that WASN’T imitative of the model. Procedure

Findings 1.Children in aggressive condition made more aggressive responses than in the other two conditions. 2.Boys were more physically aggressive than girls. 3.Boys were more likely to imitate a same-sex model 4.Male model tended to be imitated more than female model. 5. Girls imitated more verbal aggression from female model.

Bandura & Walters (1963) Follow up – focusing on why there would be a motivation to reproduce the aggression. vicarious reinforcement.Supports role of vicarious reinforcement. Children in 3 groups – each watched a different ending to a film of adult & bobo doll. 3 conditions – reward/punishment or no consequences for aggressive behaviour. Subsequent behaviour was influenced by consequences for model in the way we would expect through vicarious learning.

Social Learning Theory (SLT) Bandura and Walters (1963) 1.Observation 2.Vicarious 2.Vicarious reinforcement and punishment 3.Imitation Does not ignore cognitive factors Mental representation – for SL to take place a child must mentally represent their social environment

What will predict future/consistent aggressive behaviour? 1.) If child feel rewarded (e.g. If a bullying episode is successful and consistently so) 2.) Success and reward will increase child’s self-efficacy and their confidence. They will repeat behaviours in future.

Bandura et al. (1961) Bandura & Walters (1963) Summarise the procedure and findings of these studies and explain how they support SLT. TASK:

Evaluation of Bandura et al. (1961) & Bandura & Walter (1963) How would you evaluate these studies? Key issue = demand characteristics. (Noble (1975) reported one child saying ‘look Mummy, there’s the doll we have to hit’. Key issue = not another human but an inanimate object. Bandura repeated with a live clown and found the same results.

Criticisms of Bobo study 1.) Validity of study questioned? – demand characteristics & ecological validity: doll used that does not respond (Noble, 1975) - Bandura did respond partly to this by having a human clown 2.) Does not tell us WHY... A child is motivated.....

Bandura & Walters (1963) attempt to provide explanation for WHY..... Groups of children: 1.) Model – rewarded 2.) Model – punished 3.) Model – no consequence Results?? Rewarded group = acted most aggressively. THEREFORE... Providing evidence and supporting claim that children learn vicarious reinforcement/punishment.

Strength of SLT It can explain aggressive behaviour in the absence of direct experience (as proposed by operant conditioning)

Cultural difference in aggression explained The San: Aggression is rare WHY? Aggression not valued Children not punished THEREFORE: direct and vicarious reinforcement is minimised.

HW Evaluate SLT as an explanation for aggressionEvaluate SLT as an explanation for aggression Remember to PEE To achieve the high scores you need to include links to IDA: Issues Debates Approaches

On the following slides you will see a series of pictures. What connects them? Part 2

Social Psychological Approaches

What is the connection?

Deindividuation Theory Aggressive behaviour occurs in and between groups as well as between individuals. Zimbardo (1969) introduced the theory of deindividuation to explain why membership of a large anonymous group can lead to more antisocial behaviour than if individuals are on their own. According to the theory when someone is part of an anonymous group (particularly if wearing a uniform) they loose their personal identity and their inhibitions about violence.

The process… Being anonymous your inner constraints (inhibitions) are reduced and your fear of consequences are reduced. Lose sense of personal values and social norms.

Zimbardo on the psychology of evil phRpcDyouAhttps:// phRpcDyouA (10 mins)

Deindividuation Theory Based on Le Bon (1895) Individuals are transformed when in a crowd. An individual in a crowd ‘descends several rungs of the ladder of civilisation’. Anonymity + suggestibility + contagion = ‘collective mind’ = ‘collective mind’ possesses individuals. The individual loses self control and acts against personal/social norms.

Deindividuation Psychological State characterised by… Lowered self evaluation & reduced sense of guilt. Decrease in concern about evaluation from others. Increases behaviour that is normally inhibited by norms and by being identifiable.

Can this be explained?

Deindividuation Theory Recap Draw a cartoon picture that summarises the deindividuation theory.TASK:

Deindividuation Theory Based on your notes write a description of the theory in your own words as if answering the following question. ‘Describe the deindividuation theory of aggression’.TASK:

Research to support Deindividuation Theory On the handout you have a collection of research examples relating to deindividuation theory. Look at the examples and write a paragraph to explain what they suggest about the theory/why they are useful when discussing it.

Outline how a social psychologist would explain this attack and evaluate this explanation.

Institutional Aggression So far we have focused on interpersonal aggression – actions against a specific person at a specific place & time – and why it occurs. We also need to consider why aggression occurs within/between groups in an institutional setting according to social psychologists. Part 3

What examples of aggression can you think of that occur in institutional settings?

Violence in Prisons yxS7gDyo8&feature=channelhttp:// yxS7gDyo8&feature=channel

Prisons The Guardian in 2003 highlighted abuse of inmates in Wormwood Scrubs. Beatings, mock executions, death threats, choking, racist abuse. In 1995 there were 26,000 prisoner on prisoner assaults in the US.

Examples of institutional aggression in prisons Zimbardo (1973) – Stanford prison experiment / Abu Ghraib Lockwood (1980) – 2/10 prisoners sexually assaulted. – Both victim and assailant ‘heterosexual’ – Sexual assaults used as degradation and punishment In prison, rape is about social control, not sexual gratification and does not count towards sexual identity.

Examples of institutional aggression A prisoner is tortured by guards in Abu Ghraib. A ‘pledge’ takes part in initiation into an American college fraternity.

Educational Settings Both teachers and students victims of rape, armed robbery, aggravated assault and verbal threat. School shootings – Columbine, Dunblane, Germany.

Educational settings Fraternities and sororities were established as support networks for U.S. college undergraduates. ‘Hazing’ - ritualistic harassment / abuse of an individual or group involving burning, branding, kidnapping, sexual abuse to prove their ‘worth’. Nuwer (1990) hazing contributed to death and serious physical injury including paralysis and is now illegal in most states.

Healthcare Settings Carers and mental health nurses most at risk. Patients also easy targets for killers such as Harold Shipman. 84,272 violent incidents against NHS staff 2000/1

Institutional Aggression 2 ways in which it occurs: 1.Instrumental Aggression o Groups sharing an identity and aims, e.g. police, army, terrorist gangs. o Aggression is non-emotive, calculated to achieve a goal. 2.Hostile Aggression o People within an institution. E.g. jails, detention centres, care homes. o Aggression can come from emotional states such as anger/frustration.

Institutional Aggression Explanations about why this occurs focus on either situational factors or dispositional factors. The Importation Model is one that focuses on dispositional factors. The Deprivation Model is one that focuses on situational factors. Both explanations are primarily concerned with explaining prison based aggression, but research has considered aggression in other settings.

Your Task... Create a mind-map/information poster to present to the rest of the group about either the importation or deprivation model. Include an outline and an evaluation of the model.

Interaction While some debate whether dispositional or situational factors are most important, an interactionist viewpoint combines both. Dispositional and situational factors influence each other to determine the level and types of aggression. Combined a more powerful understanding is developed.

3 interacting variables Aggression is the product of: –The aggressor (personality, needs, concerns, perceptions) –The victim (personality, needs, concerns, perceptions) –The situation (human and physical environment in which aggression occurs). Importation Model Situational Model

AO2 Research Support Zimbardo (1969) 2 Conditions 1.) Deindividuated = 2.) Control = RESULTS? Lab coats, hoods No introductions Group instructions Normal close and name tags Introductions by name Individual instructions

Furthermore... Johnson and Shacks showed that... So what can we conclude from this..???

Real world applications Mann (1981) Baiting crowd and suicide jumpers Other ideas??

More AO2 Gender differences Diener 1973 Cultural differences Watson (1973)

Environmental Stressors Stress  Arousal  Aggression As arousal increases it becomes easier to trigger an aggressive response (up to a point)

Environmental Stressors Level of stress Likelihood of aggressive behaviour Aggressive responses most likely at moderately high levels of stress

Social Approaches Create your own mindmap of the two theories we have looked at so far. You need to include: –An outline of the theory –Supporting research –Evaluations –AID links