Psychology Chapter on Aggression and Violence

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Questions and Answers

What does the Mood Management Theory suggest about individuals' media choices?

People avoid media when they feel depressed.

Content is selected to enhance mood or maintain emotional balance. (correct)

Media choices are determined by social influences.

Individuals choose media solely based on popularity.

What was a significant finding regarding the control group in the study on violent video games?

They showed higher aggression than other groups.

They exhibited the lowest aggression levels. (correct)

Their aggression levels were similar to the experimental groups.

They had a higher incidence of hostile feelings.

What limitation of the study affects the ability to draw causal conclusions about violent video games?

The absence of long-term effects measured.

The lack of diverse participants.

The quasi-study design that only measures correlation. (correct)

The small sample size.

Which aspect of violent video games was found to potentially help players, according to follow-up research?

They improved coping mechanisms for stress and depression. Signup and view all the answers

What conclusion can be drawn about violent video games according to the provided research findings?

They do not show a decrease in hostile feelings post-play. Signup and view all the answers

What effect does watching violent media have on emotional responses to real-life violence?

It desensitizes viewers to violence. Signup and view all the answers

According to schema theory, why might alcohol increase aggression during social interactions?

It decreases self-awareness. Signup and view all the answers

How does exposure to violent television shows impact children's aggression towards friends?

It leads to increased aggression. Signup and view all the answers

What was the correlation found in Eron's 1982 study regarding teenagers and violent shows?

Teenagers who watched violent shows showed higher levels of aggression. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the impact of alcohol on social behavior according to the information provided?

Alcohol acts as a disinhibitor, encouraging aggressive behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What phenomenon occurs when individuals become less sensitive to violent events after repeated exposure to violence in media?

Emotional desensitization. Signup and view all the answers

What is a conclusion drawn from Brown et al. 2011 regarding alcohol exposure in adolescents?

Exposure to alcohol images during adolescence can lead to more aggressive behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Catharsis Hypothesis in the context of aggression?

Engaging in aggressive behavior can alleviate aggressive feelings. Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential outcome of being frequently exposed to violent media according to the desensitization theory?

Decreased physiological arousal before aggression Signup and view all the answers

Which theory suggests that individuals learn behaviors through observing others?

Social Learning Theory Signup and view all the answers

According to the Catharsis Hypothesis, how does engaging with violent media like video games benefit individuals?

It allows for the release of pent-up emotions Signup and view all the answers

What is a criticism of existing evidence supporting the Social Learning Theory in relation to violent video games?

It encounters a publication bias towards negative outcomes Signup and view all the answers

What did the study conclude regarding the impact of previous experience with violent video games?

It showed no significant relationship to aggression Signup and view all the answers

What is a proposed function of violent video games according to the Catharsis Hypothesis?

To serve as a safe outlet for aggressive impulses Signup and view all the answers

What did the Hitman study reveal about aggressive behavior in participants exposed to violent video games?

Participants did not exhibit any change in aggression levels Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements accurately reflects the findings about the Catharsis Hypothesis?

Many studies fail to test the hypothesis effectively Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Aggression and Violence

Aggression is any behavior—physical, verbal, or relational—intended to harm someone unwilling to be harmed.
Features of aggressive behavior:
- It's observable action, not an internal response.
- It's intentional, not accidental.
- The victim wants to avoid harm.
- It may or may not achieve its goal.
- The intention is to harm another person intentionally.
Examples of aggression:
- Danny telling a coworker that Sarah is stealing printer ink.
- Tristan punching someone in a club, missing the target.
- Susie kicking her partner under a dinner table.

Violence

Violence is aggression intended to cause extreme physical harm, serious injury, or death.

Frustration-Aggression Theory 1

The theory posits that aggressive behavior is always caused by frustration.
Frustration always leads to aggression.
Frustration occurs when a person is prevented from achieving a goal.
Limitations include ignoring other causes of aggression (e.g., fatigue, stress).

Reformulated Frustration-Aggression Model 2

Frustration creates aggressive inclinations only when it produces a negative emotional response.
Frustration and other discomforts lead to aggression if they:
- Prompt negative feelings.
- Prompt aggressive inclinations.
Frustration doesn't automatically cause aggression

Negative Affect and Aggression

Aggression stems from negative emotional reactions (affect) associated with frustration.
Unintentional or meaningless frustration may reduce the likelihood of aggression.
Anticipation of negative outcomes can reduce feelings of frustration.

Expectation and Aggression

Understanding potential failure can lessen frustration, negative affect, and aggression.
The closer one is to a desired outcome at the point of failure, the greater the resulting frustration, negative feeling, and aggression.

Factors Influencing Aggression

Factors that may influence or contribute to aggression include:
- Personality
- Mood
- Gender
- Culture
- Cognitive biases
- Alcohol
- Media

Social norms influence aggressive behavior.
Consequences play a role in preventing aggression.
Target Attributions: Men feel aggressive more than women, and are more likely to act aggressively.
Victim Attributions: People are more aggressive against those of the same sex and age.

Gender and Aggression

Unprovoked men tend to be more aggressive than unprovoked women.
Emotional arousal in men may heighten aggression more than in women.
Men often engage in physically aggressive acts more than women.
Women may exhibit indirect aggression more than men.
No significant difference in verbal aggression between genders.

Culture and Aggression

Culture plays a role in aggression.
People in honor cultures feel obligated to defend their reputations.
Various subgroups or cultures display different norms and views around honor culture.
Cultures often differ on use and perception of violence.

Culture of Honor

An honor culture is a societal group where individuals feel obligated to protect their reputation from insults, threats and violence toward others.
Honor cultures exist in:
- America
- Southern American
- Inner cities
- Middle East
- Jails
- Mafia
- Action Movies
Honor cultures develop due to:
- Lack of authority
- Lack of effective law enforcement
- Situations where people need to protect themselves

Culture of Honor and Aggression

Some research suggests that cultures of honor are linked to higher levels of aggression.
The perception of injustice and reputation can motivate aggressive behavior.
Certain aspects of culture influence how and when people respond to potentially hostile situations.
- Research shows that implicit social stereotypes can influence how people respond when frustrated.

Violence and Self-Protection

Violence that is used to protect oneself or others can be viewed as justifiable.
This aligns with certain cultural expectations around defending oneself.

Results of Studies and Hormones

Testosterone increases aggressive responses and anticipation of aggression in individuals.
Insults can have a more impactful effect on honor in groups with specific cultural norms.
Men in honor cultures might respond aggressively to protect their reputation or masculinity.
Honor cultures are associated with an increased risk of war and conflict.
- A study indicates that American presidents from the southern U.S. are more likely to use military force and engage in conflict.

Cognitive Biases and Aggression

Hostile attribution bias is the tendency to interpret ambiguous actions by others as hostile.
A consistently high hostile attribution style relates to aggression, stemming from early experiences.
It influences how individuals perceive events and others.

Alcohol and Aggression

Alcohol is used to reduce anxiety or increase aggression.
Alcohol can increase the likelihood of violent crime.

Media and Aggression

Exposure to violent media (TV, video games) can desensitize individuals to violence and increase aggressive behavior in individuals.
Exposure to displays of violence can diminish emotional responses to violence.

Video Game Violence

Learning via observation can lead to imitation of aggressive behaviors seen in media (like video games).
Violent video games might not necessarily cause aggression, as other factors influence whether or not someone will behave aggressively.

Mood Management and Aggression

Individuals can choose media content to manage and improve their moods.
Violent or dark media might be chosen to cope with stress or depression.
Studies might not show a decrease in hostile feelings after engaging with violent video content.

Limitations of Studies

Quasi-studies find correlations, but not causation between variables.
Sample sizes might not be large or representative.
Experimental setups may not adequately replicate real-world frustration levels impacting aggression.

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Description

Explore the concepts of aggression and violence in this quiz focused on psychological theories. Understand the characteristics, examples, and the Frustration-Aggression Theory that explains the relationship between frustration and aggressive behavior. Test your knowledge and gain insights into these critical topics in psychology.