Frustration aggression hypothesis

• Dollard- Frustration always leads to aggression, this hypothesis is based on the psychodynamic concept of catharsis
• When attempts to achieve a goal is blocked by external factors this leads us to experience frustration
• This creates a aggressive drive that at some stage leads to aggressive behaviour such as physical violence
• This is 'cathartic' because the aggression created by our frustration is now satisfied and this makes us feel better as we have 'got it off our chest' , this reduces the aggressive drive meaning future aggression is less likely
• The theory also recognises that aggression is not always expressed directly against the source of frustration
• Three reasons why aggression is not always expressed directly

  • Cause of frustration too abstract, not physically present
  • cause of frustration too powerful ,risk of punishment
  • Cause of frustration unavailable at the time
• In these cases aggression is displaced onto an alternative target one that's not abstract, weaker and available