Explaining and Reducing Aggression

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Explaining and Reducing Aggression

• Aggression is an action performed with the
  deliberate intention of harming or injuring
  another person.

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Types of Aggression

• Hostile aggression
• Aggression motivated by negative emotions such as
  anger
• Intent is to inflict injury because of the anger

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Types of Aggression

• Instrumental aggression
• Aggression used to achieve a goal.
• Not emotional.

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Types of Aggression

• Symbolic aggression
• No physical harm toward victim.
• Aggression is directed against property or takes
  the form of verbal aggression.

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Types of Aggression

• Sanctioned aggression
• Aggression approved of and perhaps rewarded by
  society as in self-defense and war.

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Causes of Aggression

• A. Biological bases
• 1. Brain Limbic system
• Case studies
• Animal research

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Biological Causes of Aggression

• 2. Hormones Testosterone
• Correlational studies
• Male vs. Female
• XY vs. XYY
• Animal research

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Causes of Aggression

• B. Learning
• 1. Social learning theory people learn by
  observing others
• Banduras Bobo doll studies
• Studies of media violence and aggressive behavior

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Learning Aggression

• 2. Cultural norms
• The Culture of Honor

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Causes of Aggression

• C. Motives and Emotions
• 1. Frustration-aggression hypothesis
• (Dollard Miller)
• i. Frustration always leads to aggression
• ii. Aggression is always preceded by frustration
• Problems
• Frustration does not always lead to aggression
• Other factors can bring on aggression

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Frustration, Anger, and Aggression (Geen, 1968)
No Frustration
Task Frustration
Personal Frustration
Insulted by Another
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General Aggression Model (Anderson)
Individual Differences
Situational Variables
Aggressive Thoughts
Physiological Arousal
Aggressive Feelings
Appraisal Processes
Behavioral Choice
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Controlling Aggression

• 1. Psychodynamic processes
• Catharsis

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Controlling Aggression

• 2. Motivational processes
• Control arousal
• Incompatible response strategy
• Gun control

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Controlling Aggression

• 3. Learning processes
• Censor aggressive models
• Model prosocial behavior
• Introduce stronger penalties for violent behavior