1. Aggression
Chapter 12

2. 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

3. 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

4. Gender Differences in Aggression
Males
More physical aggression
Females
More relational aggression
Gossiping, backbiting, spreading false rumors
Gender similarities
Response to provocation

5. 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

6. Aggression is Influenced by Culture
Among Southern, white males, argument-related homicide rates are higher, especially in rural areas
This group tends to endorse violence for protection and in response to insults

7. 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

8. Alcohol Increases Aggression
This link is well-documented.
Why?
Reduces inhibitions
Disrupts information processing
"Think drink" effect
Expectations about the effects of alcohol influence behavior more than amount of alcohol drunk!

9. Factors Increasing Aggression
Pain
Increases aggression
Discomfort
Heat, humidity, air pollution, and offensive odors

10. 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

11. Frustration & Aggression
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

12. 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.

13. 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

14. Aggressive Stimulus Aggressive Stimulus
An object that is associated with aggressive responses and whose mere presence can increase the probability of aggression

15. 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?

16. 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

17. Media Violence Watching violence Playing violent video games
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

18. 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

19. 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

20. Media Violence Elementary school children Heavy television viewers
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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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

27. 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