Cards (12)

  • Types of aggression:
    1. Instrumental - occurs in premeditated and goal-directed manner
    2. Hostile - impulsive 
    3. Displaced - directed against an innocent target that is easily accessible or non threatening
  • Issue: 
    We may not be able to study aggression effectively as ethical concerns mean we cannot use serious aggression in a lab. Scientists use substitutions e.g. punching dolls, electric shocks. Is this generalisable?
  • Biological theories:
    • Natural human instinct that is universal and adaptive.
    • Evolutionary theory: aggression promotes survival by enhancing our access to resources.
  • Biosocial theories:
    • Frustration-aggression theory: a sense of frustration over an event/ situation that thwarted one’s goals invariably leads to aggression (criticism: loose definition of frustration and other factors than frustration can cause aggression).
  • Social theories:
    • SLT: aggression is learnt either by direct experience or vicariously.
    • Bobo doll study
  • Cultural factors:
    • Variation exists with what constitutes aggression and how acceptable it is
    • ‘Honour cultures’ often accept aggression to deal with physical/ social threats.
  • Personality factors:
    • Developmental stability: aggression at 8 years of age extends into adulthood
    • Narcissism and type A personality (overactive and excessively competitive) are more prone to aggression.
  • Situational:
    • Heat
    • Crowding
    • Pain
    • Alcohol
    • Ostracism
    • Attributions e.g. hostile intentions to others
    • Deindiviuation - being in a large group creates more anonymity
    • Dehumanised targets
    • The weapons effect study: Participants gave more shocks to a confederate when they had seen a gun on the table from ‘another experiment’ instead of badminton rackets or nothing.
    • Sex: aggression in women is less physical and more premeditated.
  • Myth: you can redirect aggression e.g. punch a pillow
  • Society:
    • Implement policies that minimise societal inequalities.
    • Promote non-violent core values and conflict resolution strategies.
    • Pass laws against the physical punishment of children.
  • Situational:
    • Reward cooperative and non violent behaviour.
    • De-anonymise victims of aggression.
    • Reduce alcohol abuse.
  • Individual:
    • Reduce exposure to violent models e.g. through media.
    • Minimise hostile attribution bias.
    • Train emotion regulation and self-control.
    • Train non-aggressive conflict-resolution strategies.