11AggressionPsy 240; Fall 2006Purdue UniversityDr. Kipling Williams2Layperson Definitions ofLayperson Definitions ofAggressionAggression••We commonly use the word aggression to mean:We commonly use the word aggression to mean:– assertive– competitive– Forward/“fresh”– risk-taking– dominant, powerful– angry• Factors that predict aggression are different fromfactors that predict these behaviors23Working DefinitionWorking Definition••Social psychologists define Social psychologists define aggressionaggression as: as:intent to harm anotherintent to harm another• Problems with this:– hard to measure intention, so why don’t we justsay “Doing harm to others?”• Harming without intent shouldn’t be calledaggression• Not harming, but intending to do so, should becalled aggression4Three Theoretical PerspectivesThree Theoretical Perspectiveson Aggressionon Aggression• Psychodynamic (Freud)• Sociobiological (Lorenz)• Learning– I. Two-factor theory (Berkowitz)– II. Social learning (Rotter, Bandura)– III. GAM: General Aggression Model;(Anderson)35FreudFreud’’s Psychodynamics PsychodynamicPerspectivePerspective• We all possess an innate drive forsex and aggression. They are inescapable.• Society functions to inhibit directexpression of these urges, so weseek socially acceptable means toexpress them– sex: creativity, the arts– aggression: sports, competition• Hydraulic Model: aggressive tendencies build up over time and must bereleased (catharsis)• Can achieve catharsis vicariously: watching violence can release pent-upaggressive tendencies6Sociobiological Perspective:Lorenz• Aggression is innate,necessary and adaptive– Genes for aggression are passed along,whereas genes for passivity are not.• Situational or environmental cues interact withgenetic predispositions:– Arousal caused by hormones, etc.– A situational cue or trigger: hard wired, not learned• The case of the “stickleback fish”47Stickleback Fish…………………….8Learning I: Two factor theory ofLearning I: Two factor theory ofaggression aggression (Berkowitz)(Berkowitz)• We are not born with innatetendencies to be aggressive• Two factors must co-occur inorder to produce aggression:– Arousal (could be hormonal,could be externally induced)– External cue (learned to beassociated with aggression)59Origins of 2-factor theory• Originally stems from the““frustration-aggression hypothesisfrustration-aggression hypothesis””“Frustration, and only frustration, causesaggression, and only aggression”Research Example:• Children building blocks with desk-shakingbutton10Problems with the Frustration-Problems with the Frustration-Aggression HypothesisAggression Hypothesis• But, hypothesis overly strong and generallynot supported, because:– Many things can instigate aggression• heat, insult, modeling or conformity– Frustration causes other feelings and behaviours• helplessness, perseverance, reactance611Two-factor Theory• Internal arousal +• External cue, which is learned (via classicalconditioning)Both must be present• Examples– Rifle study (lab)– Dunking booth study (field)– Horn-honking studies (field)12The Presence of a GunNo Insult InsultNo Gun ? ?Gun ? ?BadmintonRacquet? ?Amount of Aggression as defined by intensity of shocks713The Presence of a GunNo Insult InsultNo Gun Low LowGun Low HighBadmintonRacquetLow LowAmount of Aggression as defined by intensity of shocks14The Dunking BoothNo Insult InsultPasture Backdrop ? ?Guns & Saloonbackdrop? ?Amount of Aggression as defined by number of bean bags thrown815The Dunking Booth No Insult Insult Pasture Backdrop Low Low Guns & Saloon backdrop Low High Amount of Aggression as defined by number of bean bags thrown16Learning II: Social learning• Aggression is learned, not innate• We learn– either directly through reinforcement ofaggressive behaviors; OR– by modeling others who are behavingaggressively• aggressive behavior must be rewarded• aggressive behavior must be seen as real917Bandura’s Bobo Doll Studies• Participants were normalchildren• Watched violent TV episodeor various “control” episodesthat were not violent• Manipulated whether aggressor invideo was rewarded or not• Observed children in play areaafter they watched video• Aggression defined as number oftimes the children hit the bobo doll18Results indicate that...Results indicate that...••Viewing Viewing rewardedrewarded violence increases violence increasesviolent behaviors in children.violent behaviors in children.••Viewing Viewing unrewardedunrewarded violence does not violence does notnecessarily increase violencenecessarily increase violence••Choice of control groups are very importantChoice of control groups are very importantwhen conducting this researchwhen conducting this research••So, what are the effects of watchingSo, what are the effects of watchingviolence? Catharsis or modeling?violence? Catharsis or modeling?1019Media Effects on SuicideMedia Effects on SuicidePhillips, 1977, 1978Phillips, 1977, 1978••U.S. suicides increase after publicizedU.S. suicides increase after publicizedsuicide storiessuicide stories••the more publicity given to the suicide story,the more publicity given to the suicide story,the higher the suicide rate thereafter; andthe higher the suicide rate thereafter; and••the rise occurs mainly in the geographic areathe rise occurs mainly in the geographic areawhere the suicide story is publicizedwhere the suicide story is publicized20Media Effects on SuicideMedia Effects on SuicidePhillips, 1977, 1978Phillips, 1977, 1978••Additionally, automobile fatalities alsoAdditionally, automobile fatalities alsoincrease just after publicized suicide stories;increase just after publicized suicide stories;••the more publicity given to the stories, thethe more publicity given to the stories, thegreater the increase in automobile fatalities,greater the increase in automobile fatalities,andand••the increase occurs mainly in the area wherethe increase occurs mainly in the area wherethe story is publicized.the story is publicized.1121Media Effects on SuicideMedia Effects on SuicidePhillips, 1977, 1978Phillips, 1977, 1978••Also, single-car crash fatalities increaseAlso, single-car crash fatalities increasemore than other types, andmore than other types, and••the driver in these crashes is significantlythe driver in