Frustration-aggression hypothesis

• The hypothesis suggests that all aggression is the result of frustration

  This is defined as 'any event or stimulus that prevents an individual from attaining some goal and its accompanying reinforcing quality'
• Frustration is caused when people are prevented from getting what they want
• Contextual factors such as threat of punishment can inhibit aggression
• Catharsis is a form of emotional release that is achieved by a person engaging in aggressive behaviour

  There is a cause and effect relationship between frustration aggression and catharsis

  Acting aggressively allows someone to release their emotions providing a cathartic effect and reduction in aggression
• Factors that may increase aggression:

  • When our motivation to achieve a goal is very strong
  • When we expect gratification
  • When there's nothing we can do about it
• Pastore identified two types of aggression which affects how aggressive we become - justified and unjustified
• Justified aggression - when there is a reason for aggression to occur. Usually justified when it is in response to other violence of to defend oneself or family

  Unjustified aggression - when there is no reason for the aggression to occur. Usually unjustified if it is motivated by cruelty, ill will or negative emotions
• Displacement

  Aggression is usually taken out on the source of the frustration, but that is not always possible so sometimes a person may displace their aggression onto another source (scapegoat)

  This can explain why we take out our aggression out on another source that hasn't cause us aggression
• AO3

  Research has found that aggression can occur without frustration that frustration does not always lead to aggression. This suggests the theory is not accurate in explaining all aggression
• AO3 - Bushman

  Found that behaving aggressively keeps aggressive thoughts and angry feelings active in memory making people more angry and more aggressive.

  This goes against the explanation as cathartism is an emotional release that suggests we feel less aggressive. Contradicts.
• AO3 - Reifman

  Found that baseball players got more aggressive as temperature went up. This may be used against the explanation as it suggests that other factors can result in aggression not just frustration
• AO3 - Frustration aggression hypothesis has real world applications

  It can explain why people may become frustrated about social and economic circumstances but yet take out their aggression on something else.

  Real world usefulness and suggests that some elements of the theory may be correct
• AO3 - Geen

  Found that when participants were deliberately frustrated by a confederate while trying to complete a jigsaw puzzle, they gave stronger shocks to him when he failed a task compares to a non frustrated control group.

  When participants made frustrated they acted aggressively suggesting that frustration does lead to aggression
• AO3 - other explanations

  Other explanations of aggression like SLT and genetic which suggests this explanation does not take into account other explanations and may be over simplistic - not a complete explanation of aggression