Definition of Agression
offender has immediate goal and intention to harm
- Harm is undesired and offender is aware of this
Instrumental Aggression
o means to reach a desired outcome
§ Cause; opportunity for gain, depends on cost benefit calculation -> systematic thinking
è Poverty and Competition as robust predictors
Hostile Aggression
motivated by negative emotion, harming as central goal of behavior
§ Cause; emotional response, little regard for consequences, can be in blind fury or planned
è Provoked by threat to self-esteem / social connection / enhanced by public situation
Proactive
Reactive
Relational Aggression
provoked
unprovoked
aimed at relationships of person
Violence definition
Aggression restricted to phyisical expression
Attempts to measure Aggression
o Self reports (Eg. AQ=Aggression Questionaire)
o Other- reports (eg. Peer-nominations)
§ Primarily to validate
o Indirect measures/cover stories ( hot sauce, Name calling, exclusion, provide mild shocks)
Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis (Dollard)
o Frustration(blockage from goal) triggers aggression (not only cause tho)-> aggression as means to overcome frustration
o Presence of aggression related cues -> aggressive action more likely (Weapon effect)
§ Example experiment; frustrated ppl have to shock others (Berkowitz)
· Ppl only gave more shocks if there was a aggression related cue before
o Inhibited if:
§ Fear of punishment
§ Unavailability of frustration source
§ -> displaced aggression onto available or less powerful target
· Restores feeling of self efficacy
Weapon effect
Agressive cues heighten probability of aggressive behavior
Cognitive Neo Associations model
o 1. Aggression can be triggerd by any negative situation/ affect
o 2. Always unconscious primitive associative reaction;
§ rudimentary anger
§ rudimentary fear
· prevalences for either vary from person to person
o 3. Conscious interpretation of feeling & elaboration of Situation decides if/what act follows initial reaction
- Excitation-Transfer Theory (Zillman)
o Higher physical arousal ( of any kind)+(mis)attribution towards frustration source (provocation) = increased acts of frustration
§ Exemplar study(Zillman u Bryant); ppl who were cycling react stronger to provocation than ppl who are relaxed (no difference if no provocation).
Evolutionary View on Aggression
o enhances survival and reproductive success (higher in men) BUT cooperation generally equally /more successful
o Genetic and hormonal links are relatively weak in humans
Soccial Learning Theory (BAndura)
o Observational Learning;
o Vicarious Reinforcements
o Self efficacy
o Example Study Bobo doll (Bandura, Ross)
§ Kids pick up modeled behavior(the type of model seems irrelevant) and added their own
§ Boys “more aggression” than Girls
o Longitudinal study; violent Tv Programms (van Huseman)
-> Model learning forms aggressive scripts (learned interpretations/reactions to a situation) and normative beliefs (Descripive and Prescriptive)
Observational learning
o observing and imitating behavior of others
§ Processes: attention, retention, reproduction, motivation
Vicarious reinforcements
o observed consequences others experience after their behavior -> affects the likelihood of imitation
- General Aggression Model (GAM) (Anderson)
o 1. Input Variables: Individual (Traits, Attitudes, Norms…), Situational (Cues, provocation)
o 2. Input get processed by the Present Internal State;
§ Cognition(scripts,thoughts)
§ Affect
§ Physiological arousal
o 3. Automatic Appraisal
o 4. Ggf. Controlled reappraisal (depending on motivation and ability)
o 5. Behavior
o 6. Target response -> Feedback loop
Interindividual Differences
- Trait aggressiveness; stable dispositional likelihood of showing aggressive behavior
o Study; Aggressiveness equally stable as IQ
- Hostile Attribution Style; tendency to interpret ambiguous behavior as intended hostility -> leads to more aggressive response
o Also scientifically backed
Situational Differences in Aggression
Alcohol consumption
high Temperatures (Clash model)
Violent media content
Curltural norms
Access to guns
Effects of Violent media content
o Significant part of general equasion (not on its own but strong compared to others)
§ Violent media second highest predictor in comp to others (Anderson)
o True for Videos AND Music
§ Short term Effects
· Priming aggr. thoughts and feelings
· Increased arousal
§ Long Term effect;
· Observational learning (new aggressive scripts)
· More hostile attribution
· Habituation (Gewöhnungseffekt) of violence -> less compassion w victims
· Increase hostile attribution bias
· Normative acceptance of violence
o Exemplar studys;
§ 8-Year-olds Tv programmes(Huseman)
· Follow up evaluation of Aggression and TV Violence at 18 and 30 (+Criminal offence record)
· Significant prediction of aggression at various times by 8-year-olds TV Violence
Reducing Aggression
- Catharthis; Living out (redirection) aggression to prevent aggressive feelings/action (Freud)
o Exemplar Study with offended participants (Bushman)
§ Catharsis may not work or even increase displayed and felt anger (even higher than physical arousal without catharsis)
- Threat of Punishment reduces Aggression if;
o Anticipated and aversive
o Immediate (contingence perception)
o High likelihood of being caught
o Cognitive resources available
o Alternative coping available
è May sever as aggressive cues themselves
- Distraction /Deescalation
o Study (Oswald) Completing scenarios with implied aggression´after playing game
§ Pro- social games=lowest aggression
o Study listening to pleasant music reduces anger when provocated
- Moghaddam Staircase Model of Terrorism
o Ground floor; Interpretation of material conditions
o 1st floor; Perceived options to fight unfair treatment
o 2nd floor; displaced aggression
o 3rd floor; Moral engagement
o 4th floor; solidification of categorical thinking, legitimacy of terrorist organization
o 5th floor; Sidestepping inhibition
è Initial “causes” of terrorism are social situations, personality becomes relevant later
è No use to identify possible terrorist but to resolve underlying social condition
Norms and Aggression
Can Restrict Agression on multiple levels but usually only target ingroup
can condone/promote aggression
Last changed10 months ago