Aggression Overview and Instincts
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Questions and Answers

What is the primary criticism of instinct theories of aggression according to social psychologists?

  • They oversimplify human behavior by ignoring genetic factors.
  • They cannot predict individual differences in aggression.
  • They fail to account for the role of environmental influences. (correct)
  • They lack support from animal behavior studies.

According to the frustration-aggression hypothesis, what is the relationship between frustration and aggression?

  • Frustration and aggression are completely independent processes.
  • Frustration only occurs when aggression is imminent.
  • Aggression does not always result from frustration.
  • Every act of aggression is attributed to a previous frustration. (correct)

In the children's toy study, what behavior was observed in frustrated children?

  • They shared the toys with others.
  • They destructively smashed the toys. (correct)
  • They demonstrated increased patience.
  • They played gently with the toys.

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of human aggression highlighted in the content?

<p>It is universal across all societies. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What recent finding relates to frustration and aggressive behavior in competitive video games?

<p>Frustration from losing can escalate aggressive behavior. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which factor can lead individuals to restrain aggressive behavior despite feeling frustrated?

<p>Concerns about repercussions. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What modification to the frustration-aggression hypothesis has emerged from decades of research?

<p>Frustration may not always lead to aggression. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is required for a bystander to take action in an emergency situation?

<p>Feeling a personal responsibility to assist (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which factor does NOT influence the development of personal relationships based on the content?

<p>Social media interactions (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does proximity impact interpersonal attraction?

<p>It simplifies communication and interaction. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What often prevents bystanders from acting in emergencies, even when they recognize the situation?

<p>Fear of negative consequences for themselves (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which stage is involved in the development of relationships over time?

<p>Interdependence (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which characteristic of a target can influence the likelihood of aggression based on the perceived intention behind an attack?

<p>Attributions for the aggressor's attack (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role does retaliatory capacity play in the decision to act aggressively?

<p>It helps calculate the costs and limits aggressive behavior. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following can be considered a potential reward that might increase aggression?

<p>Material benefits (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How can presence of models influence aggression in a given situation?

<p>It encourages individuals to imitate aggressive behavior. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What societal norm might justify retaliatory behavior for an attack?

<p>An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best characterizes how social beliefs influence aggression?

<p>They establish patterns dictating who is more likely to be aggressive. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between anonymity and the severity of bullying behaviors?

<p>Anonymous bullying is perceived as more severe than non-anonymous forms. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic of the situation can make aggression more likely?

<p>Potential rewards (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What often triggers an aggressive reaction in individuals following harm?

<p>Attributing the attack to the aggressor's intentions (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How can being in a good mood affect an individual's likelihood to help others?

<p>It makes individuals more likely to help others. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What factors influence a helper's decision to provide aid?

<p>Cost calculations and perceived victim needs. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What effect can help have on the self-esteem of the recipient?

<p>It can create feelings of inferiority in the recipient. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What can affect a needy person's perception of helpers?

<p>The similarity of the helper to the recipient. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the first step in the five-step model of bystander intervention proposed by Latane and Darley?

<p>The bystander must notice the situation. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which factor can decrease a bystander's likelihood to notice an emergency situation?

<p>Being preoccupied with personal thoughts. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What may happen if any step in the bystander intervention process fails?

<p>The decision-making process ends, and no help is provided. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential cost of providing help that individuals may consider?

<p>Personal danger or harm to themselves. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How can bad moods influence helping behavior?

<p>They can have complex effects that may either promote or hinder helping. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the likely feeling of individuals who receive help that undermines their self-esteem?

<p>Feelings of inferiority and personal threat. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a major source of frustration in American society that predicts crime rates?

<p>Inadequate resources (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about catharsis is correct?

<p>Catharsis requires aggressive acts to be directed at the source of frustration. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do social stressors like chronic unemployment relate to aggression?

<p>They contribute to frustration and negative emotions like anger. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is one reason why punishment may not always be an effective deterrent for aggression?

<p>It is only effective under narrowly defined conditions. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role does frustration play in the relationship between aggression and economic deprivation?

<p>Frustration fuels the desire for life's necessities and may lead to aggression. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following situations could contribute to ambiguous aggressive cues?

<p>A joke that may be interpreted as an insult (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a common misconception about aggressive behavior and its consequences?

<p>Aggression is costly to individuals and society. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is least likely to reduce frustration and consequently aggressive behavior?

<p>Diminished personal financial security (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In what way are aggressive cues significant in understanding aggression?

<p>They often begin in ambiguous contexts that can escalate. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What generally happens when aggressive acts directed at an inappropriate target occur?

<p>Feelings of guilt can increase and hinder release of aggression. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Instinct Theory of Aggression

The theory that aggression is an instinctive behavior, present in all humans, driven by an innate urge to aggress.

Generalizing animal behavior to humans

The generalization of animal behavior findings to human behavior is unreliable.

Universality and Periodicity of Aggression

The lack of universality and periodicity makes human aggression less likely to be instinctual.

Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis

The frustration-aggression hypothesis proposes that aggression is triggered by external events, particularly when goals are blocked.

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Factors that Inhibit Aggression

Frustration does not always result in aggression, as people may restrain themselves due to fear of punishment or social consequences.

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Modifications to the Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis

The original frustration-aggression hypothesis has been modified to account for the fact that not all frustration leads to aggression, and other factors influence aggressive behavior.

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Video Games and Aggression

Competitive video games can increase aggressive behavior, suggesting that the frustration of losing may contribute to aggression.

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Retaliatory Capacity of Target

Aggression is more likely to occur when the target is perceived as being able to retaliate, as the aggressor would then face higher potential costs.

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Attributions for the Aggressor's Attack

The likelihood of an aggressive response depends on the perception of the aggressor's intentions. Unintentional actions are less likely to evoke aggression.

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Situational Impacts on Aggression: Potential Rewards

Certain situations make aggression more likely. These situations often involve rewards, such as social approval, recognition, or material benefits.

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Situational Impacts on Aggression: Presence of Models

Aggressive behavior is often learned through observation. Seeing others behave aggressively can increase the likelihood of aggression in similar situations.

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Situational Impacts on Aggression: Social Norms

Social norms can influence aggression. In some contexts, aggression is even considered acceptable or even encouraged.

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Aggression and Group Characteristics

The tendency for aggression to be directed towards specific groups based on gender, race, or other social categories.

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Aggression is Patterned

Aggression is not random. Social patterns and beliefs influence who targets whom.

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Target Vulnerability and Aggression

Aggression is often influenced by the perceived vulnerability of the target. Targets seen as weaker or less capable of defending themselves may be more likely to be victims.

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Rewards and Aggression

The likelihood of aggression is greater in situations where the aggressor expects to receive a reward, even if it's just attention or social approval.

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Interpersonal Attraction

A positive attitude held by one person towards another.

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Relationship Development

The process of developing a closer relationship with someone, involving increased dependence and intimacy.

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Field of Available

The pool of potential friends or romantic partners that we encounter in our daily life.

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Routine Activities

Everyday activities that provide opportunities to interact with others, often leading to relationship formation.

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Proximity

The likelihood of developing a relationship with someone who is physically close to us, due to the ease and cost-effectiveness of interaction.

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Social Stressors and Aggression

Social stressors, such as chronic unemployment and discrimination, can create feelings of frustration and negative emotions, leading to aggression.

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Aggressive Cues and Ambiguity

Situations that trigger aggression can be unclear or ambiguous, leading to misunderstandings and potential conflict. For example, a seemingly harmless joke might be misinterpreted as an insult.

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Consequences of Aggression

Aggressive behavior can have negative consequences for individuals, groups, and society as a whole.

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Reducing Frustration and Aggression

Reducing frustration, a key factor in aggression, can help reduce aggression by addressing its root cause. This means providing access to resources and opportunities to alleviate feelings of deprivation.

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Catharsis and Aggression

The concept that releasing pent-up aggression through aggressive acts can reduce anger and aggression. However, research shows that catharsis is generally ineffective and can even worsen aggression.

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Punishment and Aggression

Punishment is often used to deter aggression. While it can be effective in some cases, it is not a guaranteed solution and can have unintended consequences like escalation of aggression.

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The Costs of Aggressive Behavior

Aggressive behavior can be costly in terms of both personal and social well-being.

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Frustration as a Key Factor in Aggression

Reducing frustration is a key approach to reducing aggression. Addressing sources of frustration, such as lack of resources, can help prevent aggressive outbursts.

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The Catharsis Hypothesis

The catharsis hypothesis suggests that releasing aggressive energy through aggressive acts reduces aggression. However, studies have shown that this is generally ineffective and can even increase aggression.

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Punishment as Deterrent to Aggression

Punishment can be an effective deterrent to aggression, but only under specific conditions, such as clear consequences and consistent application.

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Mood

A temporary emotional state that can be positive (like happiness) or negative (like frustration), influencing our willingness to help others.

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Cost Calculation in Helping

Involves weighing the potential benefits of helping against the costs, considering both the helper's burden and the victim's needs.

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Help and Obligation

The feeling of being obligated or indebted to the person who helped you. It can be a positive or negative experience.

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Threats to Self-Esteem from Receiving Help

The potential impact of receiving assistance on a person's self-esteem. It can make someone feel inferior or dependent.

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Similarity of Help Provider and Self-Esteem

People who receive help from someone similar to themselves on a personal task might feel more threatened and less confident than if they got help from someone different.

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Bystander Intervention

The process of deciding whether to help someone in an emergency situation. It's a complex decision involving multiple factors.

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Noticing the Situation

The first step in bystander intervention is simply noticing the situation. Without noticing, action is impossible.

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Interpreting the Situation

After noticing a situation, the bystander must interpret it as an emergency. This can be difficult with uncertainty.

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Taking Responsibility

Once the situation is interpreted as an emergency, the bystander has to take responsibility for helping. Diffusion of responsibility can reduce this feeling.

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Knowing How to Help

The final step in the Bystander Intervention model. The bystander needs to know how to help and feels confident providing assistance.

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Study Notes

Aggression

  • Aggression is behavior intended to harm another, a target, that the target wants to avoid. It can be physical, psychological, or social, ranging from homicide to emotional abuse.
  • Aggression is not always violence.
  • Aggression can be instinctive, arising from a deep-seated urge to destroy, as suggested by Freud and Lorenz. Evolutionary processes may have shaped this instinct in animals to secure resources.
  • Aggression is also social, channeled into competitive activities like sports, business, academics, where social rules prevent destructiveness.

Aggression as an Instinct

  • Some theories consider aggression a basic human instinct, present from birth.
  • This instinct may be genetically encoded and the result of evolutionary processes.
  • Aggression is adaptive in some animals, helping individuals compete for resources and mates.
  • However, cross-cultural studies suggest human aggression lacks the universality and periodicity of instinctive animal behavior.
  • Human aggression is not inevitable and our biological makeup only provides the capacity for it.

Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis

  • This hypothesis proposes that frustration always leads to aggression.
  • Blocking a goal creates frustration, which triggers an aggressive drive.
  • The strength and arbitrariness of frustration affect the intensity of aggression. A strong desire for a goal, and close proximity to achieving it intensify frustration, leading to more aggressive responses.
  • Frustration does not always result in aggression. Fear of punishment, or concern for one's reputation can prevent aggressive response.

Aversive Emotional Arousal

  • Events or stimuli other than frustration, such as physical pain,verbal or physical attacks, accidents or insults can trigger aggression.
  • These stimuli evoke negative emotions seeking to be eliminated.

Social Learning Theory

  • Aggressive behavior can be learned through observation (imitation) and reinforcement.
  • Children learn from their parents; this can teach aggressive behaviors and also whom is a target of aggression.
  • Positive consequences (rewards) associated with aggression reinforce such behavior.

Characteristics of Targets

  • Aggression isn't random, but patterned in terms of the target.
  • Gender and race are factors; aggression may be directed more towards specific groups.
  • The aggressor's attribution (intended vs unintentional) affects the response. Aggression when perceived as unintentional is less likely to provoke retaliatory responses.
  • The aggressor's perception of the target's retaliatory capacity influences the level of aggression.

Situational Impacts on Aggression

  • Several situational factors increase the likelihood of aggression.
  • Potential rewards: material, social approval, and attention can provoke aggression.
  • Observing aggressive models (peers or parents) can increase the likelihood of aggression.
  • Social norms and culturally acceptable aggression influence aggression expressions.
  • High stress, discrimination, and ambiguous cues contribute to the escalation of aggression.

Reducing Aggressive Behavior

  • Reducing frustrating situations.
  • Implementing punishment with effective deterrent mechanisms.
  • Modeling non-aggressive behaviors.
  • Applying non-aggressive models- by focusing on the positive, non-aggressive role models such as Gandhi.

Altruism and Prosocial Behavior

  • Altruism is helping others without expecting reward and at potentially personal cost.
  • Prosocial behavior includes a range of actions benefiting others (helping, philanthropy, volunteering).
  • Factors influencing prosocial behavior: empathy, social norms, similarity (between helper & receiver), and situational aspects (urgency, number of observers).

Motivation to Help

  • Egoism: Helping motivated by personal gain; receiving gratitude and positive reinforcement.
  • Altruism: Helping motivated by empathy for the distressed person.
  • Characteristics of the recipient: Acquaintances are more likely to receive help than strangers; those seen as deserving of help are prioritized.

Bystander Intervention

  • Bystander intervention is quick response to an emergency where a person witnesses an emergency happening to another.
  • The decision to intervene in an emergency involves multiple steps.
  • Bystanders are less likely to intervene if other potential helpers are present (bystander effect).
  • People may not intervene if they are unsure of what to do or if they perceive the situation as not their responsibility.

Interpersonal Attraction and Relationships

  • Interpersonal attraction is positive attitude towards another person.
  • Availability: factors like proximity, social networks and routine activities influence who's available.
  • Desirability: factors such as social norms, physical attractiveness, and interpersonal exchange influence who's appealing.
  • The presence of others can impact whether a person intervenes or not.
  • Similarity in attitudes, values often attract people.
  • Key aspects of relationships: self disclosure, trust, interdependence, and liking versus loving.

The Growth of Relationships

  • Self-disclosure: revealing personal details, typically more intimate over time.
  • Trust: the belief that the partner is honest, truthful and benevolent.
  • Interdependence: growing reliance on each other and negotiation of exchanges.

Breaking Up

  • Inequitable outcomes and dissatisfaction with the relationship can lead to breakups
  • Dissatisfaction may influence how a person evaluates the relationship and their alternatives, and whether it's worth staying in it.
  • People consider other factors such as costs/benefits to themselves as well as those around them.
  • Responses to dissatisfaction can include exit, voice, loyalty or neglect.

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Explore the complex nature of aggression in this quiz. From its definitions and theories to its evolutionary significance, this quiz covers the various aspects of aggression, including its social implications and instinctual roots. Test your understanding of how aggression manifests in different contexts.

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