Chapter 12
What is Aggression?
Intentional behavior aimed at doing harm or
causing pain to another person
Instrumental aggression
Aggression as a means to some goal other than
causing pain
Hostile aggression
Aggression stemming from feelings of anger
and aimed at inflicting pain
Gender Differences in Aggression
Gender differences = Males more aggressive
According to evolutionary theory:
Males behave aggressively to secure status
Female choose male who offers greatest protection
and resources
Males aggress "jealously"
To ensure their paternity
Testosterone
Greater testosterone linked to greater
aggression
Correlational findings, not causal
Gender Differences in Aggression
Gender differences
Males
More physical aggression
Females
More relational aggression
Gossiping, backbiting, spreading false rumors
Gender similarities
Response to provocation
Aggression is Influenced by the Situation
Aggression is an optional strategy
Capacity for aggression exists
Expression of aggression
Circumstances
Culture
Changing social conditions can change
behavior.
Aggressiveness increases as competition
increases
Aggression is Influenced by
Culture
Among Southern, white males, argumentrelated homicide rates are higher, especially in
rural areas
This group tends to endorse violence for
protection and in response to insults
Aggression Occurs in Families
49% of violent family crimes were against
spouses
84% of victims were women
Eight in 10 murderers of family members were
male
Physical abuse
Highest in cultures that regard male abuse as a
“right”
Honor killings
Alcohol Increases Aggression
• Alcohol increases aggression.
– This link is well-documented.
• Why?
1.
2.
3.
Reduces inhibitions
Disrupts information processing
"Think drink" effect
•
Expectations about the effects of alcohol influence
behavior more than amount of alcohol drunk!
Factors Increasing Aggression
Pain
Increases aggression
Discomfort
Increases aggression
Heat, humidity, air pollution, and offensive odors
Frustration & Aggression
Frustration-Aggression Theory
The idea that frustration—the perception that
you are being prevented from attaining a goal—
increases the probability of an aggressive
response.
Goal proximity
Closer to goal = more frustration
E.g., someone cuts in line
More frustration = more aggression
Unexpectedness of frustration
More unexpected = more aggression
Frustration & Aggression
Frustration
Does not always lead to aggression
Increases anger & readiness to aggress
Frustration–aggression link depends on:
Size/strength of the person who frustrated you
Person’s proximity & ability to retaliate
Likelihood of aggression is reduced when frustration
is:
Understandable, legitimate, and/or unintentional
Relative Deprivation
Relative (not absolute) deprivation is linked to
frustration and aggression.
People perceive a discrepancy between what
they have and what they think they should
have.
Provocation & Aggression
When provoked with aggression
People may reciprocate with aggression
Will not reciprocate
Provocation was unintentional
Mitigating circumstances
Must be known at the time of the provocation
Aggressive Stimulus
Aggressive Stimulus
An object that is associated with aggressive
responses and whose mere presence can
increase the probability of aggression
Learning to be Aggressive
Social Learning Theory
The idea that we learn social behavior (e.g.,
aggression) by observing others and imitating
them.
Research Question
Will watching an aggressive model cause
children to behave aggressively?
Bandura’s Bobo Doll Experiments
IV = Child’s exposure to aggressive model
Aggressive model: Adult knocks around, hits,
hammers, a plastic, air-filled “Bobo” doll
Control condition: No exposure to aggressive model
DV = Child’s observed aggression
Results
Children imitated the aggressive adults.
Treated the doll in an abusive way
Imitated exact actions of adult
Children in a control condition
Almost never showed aggression
Media Violence
Watching violence
Most research indicates it increases aggression, angry and
hostile thoughts
Playing violent video games
Even stronger influence on aggression
Exposure to media violence
Increases physiological arousal and excitement
Triggers tendency to imitate violent characters
Primes aggressive ideas and expectations
Social scripts: Ways of behaving socially that we learn
implicitly from our culture
Media Violence
Repeated exposure to media violence is
associated with:
Decreased sensitivity to violence
Less physiological arousal
Less reactivity to real-life aggression
Indifference to violence
Reduced sensitivity to needs of others
Media Violence
Watching more TV violence in childhood
Associated with more violent behavior in
adolescence and adulthood
Longitudinal Study of 700 families, 17 years
TV watching in adolescence predicted violence
against others in adulthood
Media Violence
Elementary school children
Viewing more media violence at beginning of school year
predicted more aggression, less pro-social behavior at end
of year
Heavy television viewers
Have exaggerated view of the degree of violence in world
Greater fear of being personally assaulted
Experiments and longitudinal research
Viewing violence has strongest effects on those already
inclined to violence
Gives permission to express negative inclinations
Sexual Violence against Women
85% of all rapes or attempted rapes are
acquaintance rape.
When women know their assailant, may not
label it as rape
College women’s definitions of rape
Forced intercourse with an acquaintance or
stranger
Being molested as a child
If drunk, drugged, or assaulted by boyfriend,
less likely to label as rape
Confusion/Miscommunication about
appropriate Sexual Behavior
Sexual scripts
Traditional female role
Resist the male’s sexual advances
Male’s role
Be persistent
Almost 100% of high school students agree:
A man should stop sexual advances as soon as
a woman says no.
But half of those students believe that when a
woman says no, she doesn’t always mean no
How Do You Reduce Aggression?
Conventional wisdom suggests that one way
to reduce feelings of aggression is to do
something aggressive.
“Get it out of your system” has been a
common piece of advice.
This common belief is based on an
oversimplification of the psychoanalytic notion
of catharsis.
This does not work
How Not to Control Aggression
Does watching aggressive games reduce aggressive
behavior? NO!
Watching aggression increases aggression.
Does direct aggression against the source of your anger
reduce further aggression?
Again, the answer is NO!
Participants who inflicted psychological or physical harm
on an innocent person:
Derogated their victims
Convinced themselves victim deserved what they got
Makes it easier to do further harm to the victim in the
future
Then, how do you control aggression?
Control anger by “actively enabling” it to dissipate.
Use simple devices.
Count to 10.
Take deep breaths.
If close friend or spouse makes you angry,
expressing anger may allow you to:
Gain insight into yourself and dynamics of the
relationship
If anger is:
Non-violent and Non-demeaning
Then, how do you control aggression?
To reduce aggression
Take responsibility
Apologize
Indicate it is unlikely to happen again
“Oops! My bad!”
Modeling works with nonaggressive behavior.
When children see adults express themselves
in calm, respectful manner after provocation
Children handle own frustrations with less
aggression
Then, how do you control aggression?
Those who lack skills often react aggressively
Formal training can reduce aggression
Taking the perspective of the aggressor
reduces aggression
Harder to aggress when one feels a personal
connection with a person
Empathy is a skill that can be taught
