CHAPTER 13 - AGGRESSION & ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR
I.
DEFINITION OF AGGRESSION
- Any action that is intended to hurt others
Varieties:
A.
Antisocial - goes against social norms
II.
III.
B.
Prosocial - formally required by norms
C.
Sanctioned - not required but accepted
D.
Instrumental - to obtain a goal
- even if not angry
DEVELOPMENT OF AGGRESSION
A.
Infants & young toddlers (< 1.5)
- aggressive behavior
- but no apparent intent to harm
B.
Preschoolers
1.
age 2-3 - increase in instrumental aggression
2.
3-5 - less physical & more verbal
- increase in hostile aggression
C.
Elementary School
- react with aggression to provocations
EXPLANATIONS FOR AGGRESSION
A.
Biological explanations
1.
Psychoanalytic theory
- constant generation of energy (some = aggression)
+ aggression is an instinct
- an urge that must be expressed
- function of society = teach acceptable ways to release
2.
Sociobiology
- some aggression must be adaptive
- success -> strengthen own group relative to others
Common elements:
1) Aggression is innate, instinctual
2) Aggression is bound to be displayed
B.
Social explanations
- Aggression = learned from others
1.
Instrumental learning (rewards)
- if rewarded, likely to recur
- range of potential reinforcers
2.
Observational learning
- others model aggression & person imitates
- more common method
EX
Bobo doll variation
- IV: Adult models aggression
- Child is frustrated
Bandura: aggressive models everywhere
- children imitate parents aggression
- parents of violent teenagers & of abused children were physically
punished
- 30% abused as children later abuse own children
IV.
CONDITIONS LEADING TO AGGRESSION
A.
Frustration
Frustration-aggression hypothesis
- bad economic times & oppression
-> frustration -> aggression
B.
De Tocqueville
Frustrated optimism -> revolutions
- role of expectations
J-curve theory of social revolutions
- frustration: people expect improvement
but experience worsening conditions
Relative deprivation
- being deprived when you expect more
In various countries
- strikes, revolts, riots are MORE likely when economic conditions are bad
& people expect more
Current view: frustration creates readiness for aggressive acts
frustration -> anger/readiness
if stimulus cues -> aggression
C.
Stimulus cues
1. Weapons
EX
Weapons Effect study
- receive 1 or 7 shocks from confederate
- can administer shocks in return
- IV: rifle & revolver vs. no weapons present
Demonstrations in the field
EX
Drivers in traffic jams
- more aggressive if weapons in back window
Canada vs. U.S.
Jamaica
- decrease in violent crimes
- after legislation for gun control & ban on gun-related TV/movies
2.
Environmental conditions
- noise, air quality, heat
EX
frustration & 96 degrees -> aggression
vs.
frustration & 67 degrees
EX
Temperature & pitchers hitting batters with the ball
V.
VIOLENCE IN THE MEDIA
A.
How violent is TV programming?
Gerbner - TV programming since 1960s
- cartoons - violent act ~ every 3 mins
- other TV - violent act ~ every 8 mins
- TV average of 7 hours/day
=> 49 acts violence/day
B.
Effects of TV violence
1.
Textbook: equivocal
- causal evidence in lab setting that it does
- Real world, correlational research -> low correlations
- Field studies -> low-level relationship
2.
Validity of the conclusion
a.
Correlational studies
- small correlations, but TV still explains some aggression
- relationship is stronger for children more at risk
b.
Longitudinal research
EX
Huesmann (1986) - 22 years
- TV violence at 8 & level of criminal behavior at 30
- primarily among males
c.
Quasi-experimental research
EX
3 Canadian towns
1 = Notel
2 = Unitel
3 = Multitel
- aggressiveness of children
- measured again after TV introduced to Notel/Unitel
Result: aggression increased
d.
Field experiments
EX
Parke, Berkowitz (1977)
- male juvenile delinquents in residential cottages
- observers rated aggression
- IV: violent or neutral movies for 1 week
- rated again
Results:
- for aggressive boys, violent movies had clear effect
- no effect of neutral movies, even for aggressive boys
e.
C.
Meta-analyses
- statistical combination of results from many studies
- conclusion from whole body of literature
=> significant effect of TV viewing on aggression
Why does exposure to TV/movie violence affect behavior?
1.
EX
EX
Disinhibition
- viewing others violence makes own violence more likely
- desensitization
Children who watched violent movie were less concerned when later
observed other children fighting
- took longer to interrupt a fight
College students who watch much violent programming
-> less arousal watching fictional/realistic aggression
=> people who watch media violence become habituated
2.
Formation of aggressive scripts
- Script = preconception about how a series of events will unfold
- developed & stored in memory
- used as a guide for everyday behavior & problem solving
- Children may learn aggressive scripts from TV/other sources
3.
Cognitive priming
- aggressive thoughts may be triggered by cues
- aggressive people are more
responsive to priming
EX
boys watched 14-min violent or nonviolent clip
- floor hockey game
- violent programming
-> more aggression
- especially for aggressive kids
VI.
PERSONAL FACTORS THAT PREDISPOSE TO VIOLENCE
A.
Culturally-transmitted violence
- violence as part of a society s norms
-> violence more probable
EX
Cross-cultural research
- Arapesh of New Guinea use weapons but little aggression
vs. - Ik of Uganda - widespread violence/murder
U.S. regional differences
- South. belief that violence is justified
Nisbett: Response to Insults
EX #1 - Ss from North or South
- walked down hall to experiment, bumped by confederate
( asshole )
- confederates observed
% Ss more
angry
% Ss more
amused
Northern
Southern
EX #2 - Physiological changes
cortisol = arousal
testosterone = aggression
- first saliva sample
- Ss take questionnaire to another room
- IV: bumped & insulted (OR not)
- another saliva sample
Results:
- increase in cortisol & testosterone in Southern Ss
- not in Northern Ss
EX #3 - Aggression & manliness
- Ss bumped or not
- narrow hall
- confederate is coming
- distance at which Ss gave way
+ S reaches room, meets another confederate, who shakes his hand
- measured firmness of handshake
Results
- No insult -> Southern Ss give way
- insult -> Southern Ss wait
- little difference for Northern Ss
Similarly, Northerners handshakes not much different
- Southerners handshakes firmer if bumped
B.
VII.
Sex
- boys are more aggressive
- men commit more violent
- men react aggressively to wide range of interpersonal conflicts
-> in other cultures, too
CONTROLLING AGGRESSION
A.
Biological causes
- hard to control innate characteristic
Strategies:
1.
Internationally, combine forces
2.
Individually
a.
develop a strong superego
b.
release aggression otherwise
B.
Social causes
1.
Don t reinforce aggression
2.
Punish aggression
- but is punishment effective?
EX
Capital punishment
- Phillips (1980)
executions & murders in London
Findings: homicides decreased right after execution
- but then increased
EX
1995 press release
- homicides increased twice as fast during execution years
- homicides increased sharply in after publicized execution
Similar findings in other states
- Brutalizing effect
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