Chapter 13: Aggression

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Chapter 13 Aggression

• Social Psychology by Tom Gilovich, Dacher
  Keltner, and Richard Nisbett

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Aggression

• Hostile aggression - behavior intended to harm
  another, either physically or psychologically,
  and motivated by feelings of anger and hostility
• Instrumental aggression - behavior intended to
  harm another in the service of motives other than
  pure hostility (for example, to attract
  attention, acquire wealth, and to advance
  political and ideological causes)

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Modern Theory of Aggression
Social Determinants
Personal Determinants
Frustration Provocation Exposure to aggressive
models Cues associated with aggression Causes
of discomfort/negative affect
High irritability Beliefs about
aggression Proaggression values Type A behavior
pattern Hostile attribution bias
Arousal
Affective States
Aggressive Cognitions
Aggression
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Personal Determinants

• Type A behavior pattern
• Hostile attributional style
• Narcissism (inflated self-esteem)
• Gender (higher in males when not provoked)
• males tend to use direct forms (push, shove,
  insult)
• females tend to use indirect (gossip, spread
  rumors)

Next
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Personal Determinants

• Biological
• Instinct theory - innate (unlearned) behavior
  pattern
• Freud- redirecting the death instinct
  (thanatos) to others
• Lorenz- inherited fighting instinct developed
  through the course of evolution (strongest
  survive)
• Neural Influences
• Genetic Influences
• Blood Chemistry
• high testosterone linked to higher aggression and
  less helping
• low levels of serotonin inhibit ability to
  restrain aggressive urges

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Social Determinants

• frustration
• elicits aggression esp. when cause is unjustified
  
• direct provocation (physical or verbal)
• exposure to media violence
• primes aggressive thoughts desensitizes viewers
• heightened arousal (provocation, exercise)
• arousal in one situation can persist and
  intensify reactions in another, unrelated
  situation

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Frustration-Aggression Theory
Direct
Outward aggression
Instigation to aggress
Indirect
Frustration (Goal)
Inward aggression (e.g., suicide)
Other additional responses (e.g., withdrawal)
Back
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Bandura, Ross, Ross

• Subjects were exposed to either aggressive or
  nonaggressive models
• Nonaggressive model assembled tinker toys
• Aggressive model hit Bobo doll
• Subject then spent 20 mins alone in room with
  various toys including Bobo.
• What did it look like?

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Measuring Human Aggression in the Laboratory

• Buss Technique (similar to Milgrams)
• Participants (teacher) told to shock a
  learner each time they made an error on a
  simple learning task
• Note teachers chose how strong the shocks were
• Competitive Reaction Time task (Taylor et al.)
• Participants compete with opponent on
  reaction-time trials. After losing a trial, they
  receive shock levels ranging in intensity from
  very mild to painful. After winning a trial, they
  pick shock level to administer to opponent

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Chermack, Berman, Taylor

• Subjects competed against opponent in reaction
  time game
• After each trial, loser received a shock
• 2 conditions
• Low provocation - shocks stayed at setting 2
• High provocation - shocks gradually increased
  from 2 to 9

Back
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Excitation Transfer Theory
Aggression is increased
Arousal and irritation attributed to delay at gate
Frustration (delay at gate)
Meeting your future in-laws
Heightened arousal
Residual arousal
Aggression is not increased
Arousal and irritation are attributed mainly to
meeting the parents
Back
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Situational Determinants

• high temperatures
• hotter years (and summers) increased rates of
  violent crimes, but not property or rape crimes

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Situational Determinants

• alcohol
• intoxicated participants behave more aggressively
  and respond to provocations more strongly
• low aggressors became more aggressive when
  intoxicated, whereas high aggressors did not

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Situational Determinants

• Media

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Controlling Aggression

• Catharsis (blowing off a little steam)
• does not reduce aggression
• Punishment
• must be prompt, strong, and justified
• Exposure to nonaggressive models
• place prosocial models in violent situations

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Controlling Aggression (cont)

• Cognitive interventions
• apologizing can be effective
• engage in activities that distract attention away
  from causes of anger
• Teach social skills
• better communication
• Induce incompatible responses
• humor

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