Frustration Aggression Hypothesis

• John Dollard et al (1939) published frustration and aggression, aiming to explain where violence came from
• According to Dollard et al (1939) frustration is what happens when an individual is prevented from reaching their goals
• Displaced aggression is when aggression isn’t directed at the source of an individual’s frustration. This is because the source can be abstract, too powerful or unavailable
• There are two factors that influence how likely an aggressive response is: the proximity to a goal and whether aggression is a solution
• Doob and Sears (1939) asked participants how they would feel in a range of typically frustrating situations. Most participants reported feeling angry and frustrated
• Pastore (1952) adapted these situations to present justified and unjustified frustration. Now participants only reported being frustrated in the unjustified situations
• Berkowitz and LePage (1967) conducted a study where participants were shocked by a confederate before having the opportunity to return the favour. The presence of weapons increased the number of returned shocks. 4.67 without guns and 6.07 with guns
• Berkowitz (1989) found one issue with the original hypothesis which is that the link between frustration and aggression isn’t fixed as they thought. Frustration isn’t necessary for aggression and frustration doesn’t always result in aggression. Frustration creates negative affect, which is a precursor for aggression
• Marcus-Newhall et al (2000) did a meta analysis of displaced aggression and found that provoked individuals were significantly more likely to act aggressively towards an innocent party
• Bushman (2002) found that participants that vented anger by hitting a punchbag became more aggressive
• Berkowitz (1989) found that frustration is only one way that negative emotions are generate, and anger is only way to respond to it
• Staub (1996) suggested that frustration is the root cause of mass killings. Social and economic challenges produce frustration which is displaced onto a weaker group
• Priks (2010) identified when football teams lost a place in the league there was a 5% increase in unruly behaviour