Psychology 301 Social Psychology Lecture 10, Oct 2, 2008 Aggression Instructor: Cherisse Seaton

Overview Theoretical perspectives Evolutionary theory The (other) determinants of aggression: Personality Situational

Readings for this section Aronson et al. Chapter 11

Review: T.V. violence Social learning theory: we learn social beh. by observing and imitating Catharsis theories: built-up aggressive energies can be reduced by watching others engage in aggressive beh.  different predictions re: violent TV consumption Canada & U.S.: b/w 1957 & 1974 Increase in violent TV Homicide rates doubled

Why does television violence affect viewer's aggression? 1. Classical conditioning “If they can do it, so can I” 2. Behavioural scripts/modeling “Oh, so that’s how you do it!” 3. Interpreting emotional state “I think it must be aggressive feelings that I’m experiencing” 4. Emotional desensitization “Ho-hum, another brutal beating – what’s on the other channel?”

What parents can do Some studies have shown that kids who received media education had less violent behavior after watching violent programs. Watch with kids: awareness Talk about it Offer alternative solutions or behaviours “Heros/heroines” offer use aggression to solve problems Reinforce realistic worldview Notion that it is not ‘real’ or not representative Descriptive norms

How important is media violence as a source of aggression? Wood et al. (1991) reviewed the evidence and found that the effect of media violence was reliable, but of smaller magnitude than many other causes (e.g., direct provocation, alcohol, temperature). Today: Theoretical perspectives Determinants of aggression

Why are humans aggressive? Learning Theories Instinct Theories Genetics Drive Theories Integrative Theories Situational determinants

Why are humans aggressive? Evolutionary approach Aggression universal? Human ability to control behaviour Vs. instinct Absence of aggression in some cultures

Animal studies Lorenz (1966) male cichlid fish Attack other males and defend territory

General Affective Aggression Model (GAAM) Anderson et al. (1996) have proposed a model that integrates most of the important variables found to be related to aggression...

The determinants of aggression The input variables in the GAAM can be divided into: Personal determinants/ individual differences Gender differences Type A behaviour pattern Hostile attribution bias Situational and social determinants Exposure to media violence Aggressive cues Alcohol Pain, discomfort, arousal Frustration Provocation Social exclusion

Personal Determinants of Aggression Personal Determinants of Aggression Gender differences Youth aggression in Canada: 1989 to 1999 Girls increased 81% Boys increased 30% Boys: 3 time more physically aggressive than girls

Culture or genetics? Females can be as aggressive as males when provoked and appear to exhibit more indirect forms of aggression. But, testosterone levels are related to aggression, suggesting some biological role as well.

Personal Determinants of Aggression Personal Determinants of Aggression Personality: Type A The Type A pattern is defined by three major features: Hard driving competitiveness Time urgency Hostility The Type B pattern is defined by the absence of these features.

Personal Determinants of Aggression Personal Determinants of Aggression Personality: Type A The hostility component of Type A behavior highlights an important distinction: Hostile Aggression versus Instrumental Aggression Hostile aggression is annoyance motivated and has as its goal the infliction of pain. Instrumental aggression is incentive motivated and is a means to some other end Compared to Type Bs, Type As exhibit more hostile aggression but not more instrumental aggression.

Personal Determinants of Aggression Personal Determinants of Aggression Hostile Attribution bias Definition: “Tendency to view harm done under ambiguous circumstances as having stemmed from a hostile intent on the part of the harmdoer; characterizes reactive aggression” (Schaffer, 2005, p. 279) Interpreting ambiguous situations as hostile Over attributing hostile intentions to others Television viewing leads to overestimation of violence Self-fulfilling prophecy?

Situational Causes of Aggression Situational Causes of Aggression Aggressive Cues Presence of Weapons “Guns do not only permit violence, they can stimulate it as well. The finger pulls the trigger, but the trigger may also be pulling the finger.” (Berkowitz, 1968) “Sharp shooting television remote control”

Presence of a weapon Berkowitz and Lepage (1967) found that the mere presence of a weapon increased the likelihood of aggression by participants

Honking Study Turner et al. (1975) No Rifle + No Bumper Sticker Rifle + Friend Bumper Sticker Rifle + Vengeance Bumper Sticker ____ Honked ____ Honked ____ Honked You fill in the percentage of people who honked

Typical Experimental Design Sober control Placebo group No Antiplacebo group Alcohol group Yes Did they actually drink alcohol NoYes Did they believe they were drinking alcohol

Findings Believe drinking alcohol and are drinking alcohol Most aggressive Are drinking alcohol Aggressive Believe drinking alcohol cp

Situational Causes of Aggression Situational Causes of Aggression Pain & Discomfort as a Cause of Aggression Pain and other physical discomforts, such as heat, humidity, air pollution, and offensive odours, can lower the threshold for aggressive behaviour. Factors that  increased aggression: Pain Heat Crowding Noise Poor air quality: cigarette smoke, low oxygen Neural & Chemical Influences on Aggression? Neural & Chemical Influences on Aggression?

Heat and aggression Road Rage? More honking when hot out More honking by cars with no air conditioning (Kendrick & Macfarlane, 1986) Violent crimes - Anderson (1987) Temperature associated with… Murder Rape Aggravated assault Temperature not associated with… Robbery Burglary Motor vehicle theft

Alternative Explanations Culture: More crimes in south than north because south more steeped in a “culture of violence” Demographics: Temperature doesn’t matter. Age, race, SES of South is what matters Idle hands: More crimes summer than winter because children out of school and adults on vacation

Alternative Explanations Anderson et al., (1997) 1. Violent crime higher in hotter summers than cooler summers in both South and North (rules out culture) 2. Violent crimes higher in hotter summers than cooler summers in the same cities (rules out demographics) 3. Violent crime higher in hotter summers than cooler summers even though in both summers kids are not in school and adults take vacations (rules out idle hands)

Heat and crowding Griffitt and Veitch (1971) Uncomfortably hot room Vs. normal Also: uncomfortably crowded room

Aggression as a result of misattributed arousal: the excitation-transfer theory...

Situational Causes of Aggression Situational Causes of Aggression Direct Provocation & Reciprocation People usually… Feel the urge to reciprocate, after being provoked by aggressive behaviour from another person. Do not retaliate, if: They think the provocation was unintentional. There are mitigating circumstances, which are known at the time of the provocation.

Situational Causes of Aggression Situational Causes of Aggression Frustration as a Cause of Aggression Frustration occurs when: A person is thwarted on the way to an expected goal or gratification. Frustration-aggression theory suggests: People’s perception that they are being prevented from obtaining a goal will increase the probability of an aggressive response Aggression = expectations - attainment

Situational Causes of Aggression Situational Causes of Aggression Frustration as a Cause of Aggression Rising food prices and civil unrest Protests Riots

Situational Causes of Aggression Situational Causes of Aggression Frustration as a Cause of Aggression Relative deprivation Definition: “The perception that you (or your group) have less than you deserve, less than you have been led to expect, or less than people similar to you have” (p.370) What causes aggression is not deprivation, but relative deprivation

Situational Causes of Aggression Situational Causes of Aggression Social Exclusion Being excluded from a group of peers can lead to considerable aggression (Twenge, et al., 2001). This may explain why a child experiencing rejection from classmates on a daily basis ends up reacting with extreme aggression.

Midterm Exam Review Exam format – lecture and text material (not paper topics) Multiple choice 14 (14 pts) Definitions 6 (6 pts) Short answer 7 questions (total = 16 pts) Long answer 3 questions (total = 14 pts)

Next class… Midterm! Includes today’s material