Aggression

1
Aggression

• Chapter 10

2
What is aggression?

• What is a prototypically aggressive behavior?
• What is a prototypically nonaggressive behavior?
• How do they differ?
• What is the key ingredient in aggression?

3
Intent is key

• Behavior is considered to be aggressive if it
  includes the intention of hurting someone
• This intent can be there for different reasons
• Hostile aggression the goal of the behavior is
  to hurt someone
• Instrumental aggression the real goal of the
  behavior is something else, but hurting someone
  is a step in getting to that goal

4
Why do people engage in aggression?

• This can be addressed in two ways
• What sorts of people engage in aggression?
• Under what circumstances are people likely to
  engage in aggression?
• The first question addresses the P part of
  Lewins equation
• The second question addresses the E

5
Who is aggressive?

• Biology
• Everyone, to some degree
• Aggressive instinct
• But, doesnt really address why people engage in
  aggression
• Why aggress?
• b/c have an aggressive instinct
• Those with biological differences
• Under-active prefrontal cortex
• Genetic differences
• Low serotonin

6
Who is aggressive?

• Social learning
• Those who have seen aggressive behavior rewarded
• Societal response to aggression
• Parents response and behavior
• TV programs
• (can also address the question when are people
  aggressive)

7
More TV and aggression

• When people in countries begin owning more tvs,
  aggression increases
• Children who watch more aggressive tv tend to
  engage in more aggressive behavior

8
More tv and aggression

• Why might there be a link?
• Social learning, imitation
• Desensitization
• Overestimating the extent to which others are
  aggressive (e.g., availability heuristic)
• Priming how to respond? Aggression comes to mind

9
Does tv-watching cause aggression?

• Correlation does not
• Might aggressive and non-aggressive children
  select different tv shows to watch?
• How should this be studied?
• Bobo doll
• ? evidence of a small effect size

10
When are people aggressive?

• Biology
• Drinking people with a tendency to behave
  aggressively more likely to do so if drinking
• Frustration
• When people are frustrated
• But mixed lab results
• May need cues Berkowitz and LaPage study (but
  debate over high number of suspicious
  participants)
• Relative depravation (upward social comparison)
  may lead to frustration

11
When are people aggressive?

• When theyre in unpleasant circumstances
• In pain
• Heat
• When they make aggressive interpretations of
  their feelings
• Physiological arousal right interpretation cues
• Schachter and Singer, and angry confederate

12
How can aggression be reduced?

• Catharsis?
• Evidence against it
• Self-perception theory
• Physiological arousal and interpretation
• ? may increase aggression
• Social learning?
• Punishment for aggression?
• But can lead to frustration ? back to the
  aggression cycle!
• Aggression is frequently not thought-out
• ? people may not consider rewards and
  consequences of aggressive behavior

13
How can aggression be reduced?

• Changing social norms?
• Changing aggressive cues?