Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Social Psychology by David G. Myers 9 th Edition Aggression: Hurting Others

Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Aggression Worldwide, more than $2 billion per day is spent on arms and armies-$2 billion that could feed, educate, and protect the environment of the world’s impoverished millions. During the last century, some 250 wars killed 110 million people.

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Aggression There is a difference between assertiveness and aggression. Assertiveness: self-assured, energetic, go-getting behavior Aggression: physical or verbal behavior intended to harm. –Excludes: unintentional harm –Includes: kicks, slaps, threats, gossip, lying, destroying property, etc

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. What is Aggression? There are 2 types of aggression: –Hostile aggression: aggression driven by anger and performed as an end in itself. Murders (result from anger, romantic triangles, arguments, etc) –Instrumental aggression: aggression that is a means to some other end War, terrorism, etc (goal is to withdraw military forces from a territory)

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Aggression Do you think aggression is biological, social, or learned?

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Theories of Aggression Aggression as a biological phenomenon –Instinct theory and evolutionary psychology Aggression is unlearned and universal, if it is not released it builds up, until it explodes This idea fails to account for variations in aggression by people and culture –Neural influences Researchers have found neural systems in both animals and humans that facilitate aggression When scientists activate these areas hostility increases –Genetic influences Animals can be bred for aggressiveness –Biochemical influences Alcohol unleashes aggression when people are provoked Testosterone and low serotonin can influence aggression

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Theories of Aggression Aggression as a response to frustration –Frustration-aggression theory: frustration triggers a readiness to aggress Frustration is anything that blocks us from attaining a goal Displacement: the redirection of aggression to a target other than the source of the frustration. Generally, the new target is a safer or more socially accepted target. Once you are harboring anger, even a trivial offense may elicit an explosion.

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Theories of Aggression –Frustration-aggression theory revised Laboratory tests have produced mixed results, sometimes frustration produces aggression and sometimes it does not. –Frustration can lead to irritation, not aggression –The theory was revised to state that frustration produces anger, an emotional readiness to aggress –Frustration may arise from a gap between expectations and attainment

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Theories of Aggression –Relative deprivation: the perception that one is less well off than others with whom one compares oneself. Explains why happiness is lower and crime is higher, in nations with large income inequalities Television shows us how much others have, making us feel deprived

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Theories of Aggression

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Theories of Aggression Aggression as learned social behavior: –The rewards of aggression: We often learn that aggression pays. –A child who learns that through aggression he can intimidate others –Observational learning: We often learn to be aggressive by watching others. –Bobo doll experiment –Family: physically aggressive children tend to have parents who were physically punitive –Culture: aggression may be readily transmitted in “macho” cultures

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Theories of Aggression

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Influences on Aggression Aversive incidents –Pain heightens aggression in humans (physical or psychological pain) –Heat (refer to page 356 for examples) –Attacks: being attacked or insulted by another person is especially conducive to aggression.

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Influences on Aggression Arousal: –Singer (1962): We can experience an aroused bodily state in different ways. Men were aroused by having adrenaline injected. The drug produced body flushing, heart palpitations, etc. When forewarned of side effects, the men experienced little emotion when waiting with a hostile or euphoric person. When they were told the drug had no effects, they were angered in the presence of a hostile person and amused when in the presence of a euphoric person. Its all about how you interpret the arousal.

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Influences on Aggression Aggression cues –Violence is more likely when aggressive cues release pent-up anger. –Children who had just played with guns were more likely to knock down another child’s blocks. –Berkowitz: guns not only permit violence, but stimulate it as well

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Influences on Aggression After what you have read, what are your thoughts on hand guns? Should the be banned?

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Influences on Aggression

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Influences on Aggression

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Influences on Aggression Media influences: Pornography and Sexual Violence –Distorted perceptions of sexual reality Men who were shown films with mild sexual violence towards women were more accepting of violence against women –Aggression against women Evidence shows that pornography may contribute to men’s aggressive attitudes towards women.

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Influences on Aggression Media Influences: Television –Television’s effects on behavior The more violent the show, the more aggressive the child –Television’s effects on thinking Desensitization Social Scripts Altered Perceptions Cognitive Priming

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Can other factors be involved besides just watching TV?

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Influences on Aggression Media Influences: Video Games –The games kids play –Effects of the games kids play

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Do you believe video games can make us more violent? Do you think it can affect some and not others?

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Influences on Aggression Group Influences –Diffusion of responsibility –Social contagion –Social identity –“Moral imperatives” –Amplification of aggressive tendencies –Group polarization

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Reducing Aggression Catharsis? –You should be taught to vent your anger. Do you believe that this may be a problem in certain cultures? A social learning approach –If it is learned, then there is hope

Aggression: Hurting Others Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Murder Rates Vary