Aggression Nature vs. Nurture

Define Aggression Aggression vs. Predation – Emotional arousal – Brain areas

Aggression in animals vs. humans Aggression in animals – Fight over resources Pervasive in animals Sea anemone fight – Evolutionary benefits Fitness selection Resource allocation – Cost Hurt/killed Minimize damage

Aggression in animals vs. humans Aggression in humans – Fights – Wars

Aggression: Nature Konrad Lorenz, On Aggression – animals biologically programmed to fight over resources – evolutionary benefit of aggression among animals – social structure – innate drive, discharge periodically. Aggression is inevitable 'look for fights’. After an attack an animal / human will become less aggressive.

Aggression: Nature Genes Hormones – Gender differences, testosterone

Aggression: Nurture John Dollard and colleagues, frustration- aggression hypothesis – blocking one’s efforts to attain a goal – scapegoat Leonard Berkowitz, reformulation of frustration-aggression hypothesis

Dill & Anderson, 1995

Aggression: Nurture Albert Bandura, social learning theory – aggression is a learnt behavior – observing behavior and outcomes of those behavior – Effective modeling attention; retention; reproduction; motivation – Bobo doll experiment

Bandura, Ross, & Ross, 1963

Aggression: Nurture culture differences

Humanistic theory Arthur Koestler – human but not animal nature of aggression – human sacrifice and wars – weakness of the inhibitory forces against the killing of conspecifics – Use of symbols – Causes Paul MacLean, tribune brain Mutual dependence, bonding Territorial imperative

Development aggression over possession of objects (before 12 months) vs. relational aggression (preschool years) physical aggression (18 months) vs. verbal aggression serious acts of violence increase in mid- adolescence Consistency (Eron et al., 1987). regulation of aggression.