1. Explanations of aggression

2. Extreme acts of aggression such as assault and murder
Not to be confused with just being angry.
The psychological definition of aggression is:
Any behaviour intended to cause physical or psychological harm to a person (including self), animal or object
Violence
The psychological definition of aggression is:
Extreme acts of aggression such as assault and murder

3. Like anti-social behaviour, aggression is all about
INTENTION
INTENTIONAL UNINTENTIONAL

4. Watch

5. EXPLANATIONS OF AGGRESSION
What is the cause of aggression? No-one really knows but different theories can be organised into 4 perspectives:
Psychodynamic perspective
Ethological perspective
Biological perspective (genetic, neural & biochemical influences
Social Learning perspective (observational learning, modelling)

6. 1. PSYCHODYNAMIC PERSPECTIVE- who?
Sigmund Freud (1920)
Emphasises the complex
Interaction of mostly
unconscious mental
processes

7. PSYCHODYNAMIC PERSPECTIVE- what
A view of human behaviour that looks at the interrelationship between the parts of an individual’s personality.
The psychodynamic approach identifies frustration (the feeling of dissatisfaction as a result of an inability to achieve a goal) as a trigger for aggression.

8. PSYCHODYNAMIC PERSPECTIVE
Freud proposed that the ‘primitive’ urge to be aggressive within us gradually builds up over time, and must at some time be released in order to prevent a sudden, uncontrollable explosion of violence
We have a ‘survival urge’ that competes with the aggressive urge allowing us to maintain control over our aggressive instinct or redirect it in socially acceptable ways through a process called ‘catharsis’
(eg. competitive sport, debating, playing violent video games)

9. PSYCHODYNAMIC PERSPECTIVE
His theory is based on assumptions alone and is very hard to empirically prove
Some research studies have obtained results that show the opposite of what Freud proposes
The psychodynamic explanation of aggression is mostly overlooked by contemporary psychologists

10. 2. ETHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
Ethology = the scientific study of animal behaviours
KONRAD LORENZ (1974)
Studied aggression in different species of animals
Viewed aggression as an instinctive behaviour.
INSTINCTIVE BEHAVIOUR
Nesting behaviour of birds
Migratory behaviour of birds
Courtship behaviours
Territorial behaviours

11. 2. ETHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
Lorenz proposed that aggression promotes the survival of the species:
Defense of the young (aggressive parents required for protection)
Balancing the distribution of species (so they don’t compete for resources)
Providing a structure for their society (‘pecking order’)
Lorenz’s (1974) theory suggests that aggression is controlled by innate motivation and is influenced by stimuli in the environment. Humans may behave aggressively if they think their territory is threatened.

12. 3. BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
GENETIC INFLUENCES:
Sees aggression as genetic and suggests that humans/animals are programmed for aggression as a result of evolution.
Animal Studies:
Kristi Lagerspetz (1979) – aggressive mice were interbred with each other. The significant outcome of this experiment was that the mice that had been bred for aggressive tendencies demonstrated immense levels of aggression; where they instantly attacked other mice sharing the same cage. Mice that were not bred with aggressive mice did not act aggressively; when other mice attacked them, they did not illustrate the tendency to retaliate.

13. BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
GENETIC INFLUENCES
Human Twin Studies:
Some studies have found a strong connection between genetics and aggression
Other studies have found that environmental effects have a stronger influence on aggression

14. BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
NEURAL INFLUENCES
AMYGDALA +
HYPOTHALAMUS
These areas can be stimulated by
electrodes. When stimulated in a human
they can become inexplicably
aggressive

15. BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
NEURAL INFLUENCES
CEREBRAL
CORTEX
Plays an important role when we
interpret someone else’s behaviour
Plays a role in then initiating responses
to this behaviour

16. BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
BIOCHEMICAL INFLUENCES
Chemical substances in the body can include:
Naturally occurring = hormones
Introduced = drugs and alcohol

17. BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
BIOCHEMICAL INFLUENCES
MALES ARE MORE AGGRESSIVE THAN FEMALES
TESTOSTERONE
When male animals are castrated (reduce levels of testosterone), the animal becomes placid
When injected with testosterone, the animals become aggressive again

18. 4. SOCIAL LEARNING PERSPECTIVE
Aggression is learned via exposure to
different environments and contexts.

19. ALBERT BANDURA (1977, 1973) Observational learning- noted that:
You must pay attention to the model’s behaviour
You must remember the model’s behaviour
You must have the ability to reproduce the behaviour
You must be motivated to perform the behaviour

20. SOCIAL LEARNING PERSPECTIVE
OBSERVATIONAL LEARNING
ALBERT BANDURA (1965)
BOBO DOLL EXPERIMENT
Children watching the adult model in the film being aggressive to the Bobo doll
CONDITION 1
CONDITION 2
CONDITION 3
Model rewarded
Model punished
No consequence
More aggression
Less aggression
Some aggression

21. SOCIAL LEARNING PERSPECTIVE
OBSERVATIONAL LEARNING
VIOLENCE IN THE MEDIA
Still a large debate as to whether
violence in the media results in
violence in the real world
Freud would say that observing
violence in the media provides
an outlet for aggression

22. Task Explain the terms violence and aggression in your own words.
Complete the following table:
3. Complete activity 6.9 p175 in your work books
Perspective
Explanation of aggression according to this perspective
Example
Psychodynamic
Ethological
Biological
Social learning