Aggression “An act carried out with the intention to harm another person” Instrumental aggression – a means to an end Hostile aggression – an end in itself www.psychlotron.org.uk
Aggression What causes people to behave aggressively? Social learning Deindividuation How does our environment affect the likelihood of aggressive behaviour? Heat, noise, crowding www.psychlotron.org.uk
Social Learning Theory (SLT) Environment Observation Model Imitation Observed consequences Vicarious reinforcement and punishment www.psychlotron.org.uk
Social Learning Theory Bandura (1965) Observational learning of aggression Mead (1965) Cultural transmission of aggression Patterson et al (1989) Learning of aggression within family www.psychlotron.org.uk
Deindividuation Normal constraints on behaviour are weakened when a person loses their sense of individuality Crowds, uniforms, drugs & alcohol Less likely to be identified & held responsible for aggressive behaviour Anonymitydeindividuationaggression www.psychlotron.org.uk
Deindividuation www.psychlotron.org.uk
Deindividuation www.psychlotron.org.uk
Deindividuation www.psychlotron.org.uk
Deindividuation Zimbardo (1969) Zimbardo (1973; Stanford Experiment) Hooded PPs were more aggressive Zimbardo (1973; Stanford Experiment) Guards’ aggression increased by uniforms, sunglasses, night-time Mullen (1985) Violence of mob lynching a function of crowd size www.psychlotron.org.uk
Environmental Stressors Heat Noise Crowding www.psychlotron.org.uk
Environmental Stressors Stress Arousal Aggression As arousal increases it becomes easier to trigger an aggressive response (up to a point) www.psychlotron.org.uk
Environmental Stressors Aggressive responses most likely at moderately high levels of stress Likelihood of aggressive behaviour www.psychlotron.org.uk Level of stress