Week 10 Exam Notes: Aggression and Violence PDF

**Week 10 Exam Notes: Aggression and Violence** **1. Definitions and Key Concepts** - **Aggression**: Any behavior (physical, verbal, or relational) intended to harm someone who does not wish to be harmed. 1. Observable behavior. 2. Not an internal response (e.g., thoughts or feelings)....

**Week 10 Exam Notes: Aggression and Violence** **1. Definitions and Key Concepts** - **Aggression**: Any behavior (physical, verbal, or relational) intended to harm someone who does not wish to be harmed. 1. Observable behavior. 2. Not an internal response (e.g., thoughts or feelings). 3. Intentional---meant to harm, not accidental. 4. Victims must want to avoid harm. 5. May or may not achieve its goal. 6. Aim is to hurt another person. 1. Danny accuses Sarah of stealing printer ink, hoping the information reaches the boss. 2. Tristan throws a punch but misses. 3. Susie kicks her partner under the dinner table to stop him from disclosing a secret. - **Violence**: A form of aggression intended to cause extreme physical harm, injury, or death. **2. Theories of Aggression** - **Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis (Original)**: - Aggressive behavior always results from frustration. - Frustration occurs when a person is prevented from achieving a goal. - **Limitations**: Ignores other causes of aggression (e.g., anxiety, tiredness). Frustration can also lead to sadness or depression. - **Reformulated Frustration-Aggression Model**: - Frustration leads to aggression only if it produces negative affect (emotion). - Negative affect increases aggressive inclinations but doesn't guarantee aggression. - **Key Ideas**: - Negative affect can stem from frustration, pain, heat, discomfort, or offensive odors. - Aggression is more likely when frustration is unexpected, or when the goal is almost within reach but is taken away last minute. - Expectation and proximity (closeness to goal) influence aggression. - **Negative Affect**: Any discomfort or unpleasant feeling can lead to aggression, including frustration, heat, or pain. **3. Factors Influencing Aggression** - **Personal Factors**: Personality, mood, and cognitive biases. - **Situational Factors**: Alcohol, media exposure, and cultural influences. **Aggression Influenced By**: 1. **Social Norms**: What is socially accepted in a given context. 2. **Consequences**: Fear of punishment or social repercussions can inhibit aggression. 3. **Target Attributions**: Gender and age influence aggression; men are more likely to act aggressively than women. 4. **Victim Attributions**: Aggression can be more intense toward the same sex. **4. Gender and Aggression** - **Hyde (1984)**: Only 5% of the difference in aggression is due to gender. - **Studies on Gender and Aggression**: - Men are generally more aggressive than women in unprovoked situations (Bettencourt & Miller, 1986). - Men are more physically aggressive, while women may use more indirect aggression (Bjorkqvist, 2018). - No significant difference in verbal aggression between men and women. **Cultural Influences**: - In certain cultures, aggression in men is more accepted than in others. For example, men from honor cultures or areas with limited law enforcement are more likely to use aggression. **5. Culture and Aggression** - **Culture of Honor**: A culture where protecting one\'s reputation is paramount, often leading to aggressive behavior in response to insults. - **Found in**: Southern USA, Middle East, certain urban neighborhoods, jails, and mafia groups. - **Key Characteristics**: - Violent responses to small insults. - Aimed at proving masculinity or self-reliance. - **Cohen et al. (1996)**: Inadequate law enforcement in the South leads to self-reliance for justice, fostering a culture of honor and aggression. - **Testosterone and Aggression**: - Higher testosterone levels increase aggression. - Public insults are viewed as threats to masculinity, leading to more aggressive responses (Cohen et al., 1996). **6. Cognitive Biases and Aggression** - **Hostile Attribution Bias**: The tendency to perceive others\' actions as hostile, even when ambiguous. It develops through early experiences and personality. - **Consequences**: - More aggressive behavior. - Linked to martial conflict, dissatisfaction, and even early death. - Children with hostile attribution bias tend to grow into aggressive adults. - **Cognitive Bias and Aggression Puzzle**: - **Dodge (1980)**: Aggressive individuals interpret ambiguous situations as threats, leading to a cycle of aggression. - **Tuente et al. (2019)**: Hostile attribution bias correlates with aggressive behavior but doesn't establish causation. **7. Alcohol and Aggression** - **Disinhibitory Effect**: Alcohol reduces self-control and increases aggression by lowering inhibitions and impairing judgment. - **Brown et al. (2011)**: Exposure to alcohol images increases aggression, even in adolescents. - **Why Alcohol Increases Aggression**: - It reduces glucose levels, impairing the brain\'s self-control mechanisms. - People expect alcohol to make them aggressive, reinforcing this behavior through schemas. - **Military Use**: Soldiers are given alcohol before battle to reduce anxiety and increase aggression. **8. Media and Aggression** - **Eron (1982)**: Exposure to violent media, including television shows, increases aggressive behavior in adolescence. - **Liebart & Baron (1972)**: Children exposed to violent TV behave more aggressively. - **Phillips (1983, 1986)**: Following televised boxing matches, murders in the community increase, with a racial bias depending on who lost the fight. - **Desensitization**: Long-term exposure to violent media makes people less sensitive to real-world violence, reducing emotional responses and empathy. - **Cline et al. (1973)**: Regular TV viewers showed less physiological arousal to on-screen violence. - **Thomas (1982)**: Violent media desensitizes viewers, reducing emotional responses before and after aggressive acts. **9. Video Game Violence** - **Theories on Video Game Violence**: 1. **Social Learning Theory**: People learn violent behaviors by observing others, especially through media. - Evidence is mixed; some studies show no significant difference in aggression after exposure to violent video games. 2. **Catharsis Hypothesis**: Venting emotions through violent games should reduce aggression, but evidence is limited and mixed. 3. **Mood Management Theory**: People choose media to regulate emotions; violent video games may help some cope with stress or frustration. **10. Limitations of Research on Media and Aggression** - Many studies are correlational, meaning they can\'t determine causation. - Some studies fail to create the necessary conditions (like frustration) to measure aggression accurately. - Small sample sizes and biased research can affect the validity of results.