social explanations of aggression

• The social learning theory of aggression says that aggression is learned through the observation and imitation of models.
• Identification with the model and vicarious reinforcement influences whether or not a person will imitate aggressive behaviour.
• A person is more likely to imitate aggressive behaviour if they feel similar and identify with the model.
• A person is more likely to imitate aggressive behaviour if the model is rewarded for their aggression. This is vicarious reinforcement.
• There are four mediational processes which determine how likely a person is to imitate the behaviour of a model: attention, memory, reproduction and motivation.
• Supporting evidence for SLT explanation. Bandura 1977 conducted a quasi experiment & found people living in high crime rate areas display more aggression than those in low crime rate areas. This is positive as it supports the social learning theory explanation that people observe aggressive behaviour and subsequently are more likely to imitate it. However, a limitation of Bandura's study is the use of a quasi experiments as participants couldn't be randomly allocated into groups and the IV couldn't be manipulated meaning a cause & effect relationship can't be established.
• SLT accounts for cultural differences in aggression. For example, in the !Kung society aggression is not rewarded and children observe less aggression that children in the western world meaning the children of the !Kung society display less aggression than western children. This is positive as SLT provides a comprehensive explanation accounting for cultural differences.
• SLT ignores genetic factors. For example, SLT doesn't account for the role that the MAOA gene has in aggression as outlined under the genetic explanation of aggression. This is problematic as SLT doesn't account for the fact aggression appears to be caused by an interaction of genetic and environmental factors.
• De-individuation theory of aggression is a social explanation of aggression that suggests aggression as being caused by the environment.
• De-individuation theory off aggression suggests that people lose their sense of individual identity and responsibility when they are in a large group. When we experience de-individuation in a large group, we lose our inhibition and fear of being judged by others.
• A large group size and wearing clothing that is more anonymous increases the likelihood of experiencing de-individuation and behaving aggressively.
• Supporting evidence for de-individuation theory. Zimbardo 1969 conducted a study requiring participants to deliver electric shocks to someone else. Participants in the control group were identifiable and participants in the experimental group were anonymous and found participants in the experimental group gave longer electric shocks. This is positive as it supports the de-individuation theory that people who were anonymous were more likely to display aggression.
• Supporting evidence for de-individuation theory. Mullen analysed lynchings that occurred in the USA between 1899-1946 and found the bigger the group, the more aggressive and violent the lynching was. This is positive as it supports the idea that group size is a factor affecting aggression, as suggested by de-individuation theory.
• Inconclusive evidence for de-individuation theory. Postmes and Spears conducted a meta-analysis and found that being in a larger group sometimes led to more prosocial behaviour. This is problematic as it suggests de-individuation had only a weak effect on aggression.
• De-individuation theory doesn't account for gender differences. Cannavale et al found de-individuation only increases aggression in male participants. This is problematic as de-individuation theory has low population validity and cannot equally be applied to the entire population.