- conducted meta-analysis of 49 studies of displaced aggression (concept within the frustration aggression hypothesis)
- Investigated situations where aggressive behaviour had been directed against a target other than the one that caused the frustration
- Concluded that displaced aggression is reliable phenomenon/ idea
- This is because participants who were provoked but unable to retaliate against the source of heir aggression were significantly more likely to direct their aggression towards an innocent party
- Exactly outcome predicted by frustration aggression hypothesis
P - Psychologists have criticised the idea or aggression being an example of catharsis
E - Bushman (2002) found patient who were able to vent/ let out their anger by repeatedly hitting a punching bag became angrier and more aggressive rather than less
A - Also, found that doing nothing was more effective at reducing aggression than venting out their anger
L - This outcome is very different from what is predicted by frustration aggression hypothesis. Doubts the validity of one of the central assumptions within this hypothesis
Berkowitz's reformulation: negative affect theory - 🙁
- It is rather clear from research at frustration doesn't always lead aggression and that aggression can occur without frustration
- After reformulating his hypothesis Berkowitz argued that frustration is only one of the many stimuli that lead to negative feelings
- Others included jealousy, pain and loneliness
- This therefore means that aggressive behaviour is triggered generally by negative feeling and not just specifically by frustration
- Moreover, the outcome when feeling frustrated can have a range of response but only one of aggression
- Frustration due to a poor grade might not directly lead to aggression but also other feelings like anxiety, determination and helplessness '
- The negative affect theory was built on the idea that the original frustration aggression hypothesis was inadequate because it can only explain how aggression arises in some situation and not others