Interpersonal Processes: Aggression

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Interpersonal ProcessesAggression

• Political Psychology

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Definition of Aggression

• Aggression is a response that delivers noxious
  stimuli to another organism (Buss, 1961, p. 1)
• intent to harm
• motivation of the victim
• form of aggression

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Four Categories of Aggression

• Instrumental or Specific Aggression Concerned
  with obtaining or retaining particular objects or
  positions or access to desirable activities.
• Hostile or Teasing Aggression Directed towards
  annoying or injuring another individual.
• Defensive or Reactive Aggression Provoked by the
  actions of others.
• Games Aggression Involving deliberate attempts
  to inflict injury escalating out of physical
  games.

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Origins and Antecedents of Aggression.

• Konrad Lorenz
• The Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis
• Research on Brain Stimulation
• Sigmund Freud
• Genetics
• The Media

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Konrad Lorenz

• There can not be any doubt, in the opinion of
  any biologically minded scientist, that
  intra-psychic aggression is, in man, just as much
  of a spontaneous instinctive drive as in most
  other higher vertebrates. (1964, pp. 49)
• the fighting instinct in beast and man
• Huntingford, F. A. (1989). Animals fight, but do
  not make war. In J. Grobel and R. A. Hinde
  (Eds.). Aggression and War Their Biological and
  Social Bases. NY Cambridge University Press.

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Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis

• Dollard, J., Doob, L. W., Miller, N. E., Mowrer,
  O. H., Sears, R. R. (1939). Frustration and
  Aggression. New Haven, CT Yale University Press.

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Research on Brain Stimulation

• Eichelman, B. (1971). Effects of subcortical
  lesions on shock-induced aggression in the rat.
  Journal of Comparative and Physiological
  Psychology, 74, 331-9.
• Delgado, J. M. R. (1969). Physical Control of the
  Mind. New York Harper Row.

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Genetics
Table 1. Correlates of twin type with personality
variables
Rushton, J. P. et al. (1986). Altruism and
Aggression The heritability of individual
differences. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 50, 1192-8
Carmelli, D. et al (1990). The Heritability of
the Cook and Medley Hostility Scale Revisited.
Journal of Social Behaviour and Personality, 5,
107-16.
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Lombroso XYY Males

• Once the idea was accepted that inherited genetic
  traits might be related to aggression,
  researchers hoped to isolate the specific genes
  involved. The chemical packages that comprise
  genes are known as chromosomes. Every human cell
  contains 23 pairs of chromosomes that contain
  DNA. Each person has two sex chromosomes, males
  XY and females XX.
• The first finding made by scientists of an
  abnormal chromosome pattern that was believed
  might be related to 'hyper-aggressiveness' was
  the XYY chromosome, characterized by the extra
  male Y chromosome. It was hypothesized that the
  extra Y chromosome resulted in a "supermale," one
  who was therefore more predisposed to aggressive
  and violent behavior. Research had found 3 of
  men in maximum security prisons were XYY while
  only 0.1 of the general population was XYY.
• Led to calls for compulsory sterilization,
  segregation, lobotomies and even euthanasia
  against the "unfit."
• However, contrary to expectation, studies of XYY
  populations within prisons found them
  considerably less violent than their non-XYY
  counterparts.
• Explanations for the relatively high
  institutionalization rates for XYY males include
  fear of their physical height, slightly lower IQ
  scores, although evidence for the later is quite
  weak.

• Lombroso popularized the notion of a born
  criminal through biological determinism.
  Criminals have particular physiognomic attributes
  or deformities. Physiognomy attempts to estimate
  character and personality traits from physical
  features of the face or the body. Whereas most
  individuals evolve, the violent criminal had
  devolved, and therefore were societal, or
  evolutionary regressions. If criminality was
  inherited, then the born criminal could be
  distinguished by physical atavistic stigmata,
  such as
• large jaws, forward projection of jaw, Low
  sloping forehead
• high cheekbones, flattened or upturned nose
• handle-shaped ears
• hawk-like noses or fleshy lips.
• Hard Shifty eyes, scanty beard or baldness
• Insensitivity to pain, long arms.

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Sigmund Freud

• Freud, S. Why War Standard Edition of Complete
  Works, Vol 22. (Ed.) J. Strachey, London
  Hogarth.
• Life instinct (eros)
• Death Instinct (thanatos).

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Media Influences

• Lead to a Set of Beliefs about Aggression
• Humans are instinctively aggressive. Therefore an
  outlet for this destructive expression must be
  found.
• Failure to express anger results in heart
  disease, stress and high blood pressure.
  Expressing anger is a health way to deal with it.
• Substitute activities, such as football and
  watching violent films can control our aggressive
  urges.
• Children should be allowed to play aggressively.
  This will get it out of their system and they
  will be better behaved as a result.
• Extreme acts of violence, such as terrorism and
  child abuse, are usually committed by mentally
  ill individuals.
• Violence is a result of aggressive drives. In
  some individuals and groups this motive is
  abnormally strong.
• War is an expression of the aggressive instinct.
  It is unavoidable because humans have an inborn
  need to satisfy their aggressive urges. Peace is
  only a temporary period between wars.

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Conclusion

• We are biological creatures
• We can change ourselves and adapt
• We are not in a vacuum
• Assumptions shape our choices
• Warfare is complex
• The biological template has its
• limitations