Socialization and Cultural Differences

1
Socialization and Cultural Differences

• Socialization of aggression varies across
  cultures.
• e.g., Cultural differences in machismo.
• A culture of honor emphasizes honor and status,
  particularly for males, and the role of
  aggression in protecting that honor.
• Promotes violent behavior.

2
Arousal and Aggression

• Schachter Singer (1962)
• People injected with adrenaline used
  environmental cues to determine mood
• Being aroused seems to intensify any emotion
  (Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock effect)

3
Catharsis

• Viewed as a two-step sequence
• Aggression reduces the level of physiological
  arousal.
• Because arousal is reduced, become less angry and
  less likely to aggress further.
• Sounds logical, but is it a myth?

4
Problems with Catharsis

• Imagined aggression or the observation of
  aggressive models is more likely to increase
  arousal and aggression than reduce it.
• Actual aggression can lower arousal levels.
• But if aggressive intent remains, cold-blooded
  aggression can still occur.
• Also, if it feels good, more likely to act
  aggressively again.

5
Problems with Catharsis (cont.)

• Feelings of hostility and anger may persist, and
  possibly increase.
• Even relatively low levels of aggression can
  loosen restraints against more violent behavior.
• Practicing violence seems to breed rather than
  extinguish violence

6
The Extent of Media Violence

• By the end of elementary school, a typical
  American child will have seen
• 8,000 murders
• More than 100,000 other acts of violence.
• 2003 study found 534 separate episodes of
  prime-time violence during a 2 week period.
• The most violent TV shows are targeted to
  children (e.g., cartoons).

7
Immediate Effects of Media Violence

• Aggressive models increase aggressive behavior
  among children and adults.
• Models can be live or on film.
• Violent imagery in the music industry associated
  feelings of hostility and aggressive thoughts.
• Playing violent video games can increase
  aggressive thoughts and behaviors.

8
Pornography and Aggression

• Positive correlation for men between exposure to
  pornography and reported sexually aggressive
  behaviors and attitudes.
• Experiments reveal that men who watched an
  aggressive-erotic film gave stronger shocks to
  female victims
• Does sex and violence in the media reflect our
  tastes or does it influence our thoughts and
  behaviors?
• Some argue that there was rape and violence
  before television and movies

9
Attitudes About Sex and Aggression
Based on Burt, 1980.
10

• Three possibilities as to why viewing violence
  causes increase in violent behavior
• Arousal
• Disinhibits
• Imitation
• What would happen if prosocial behavior was
  modeled on T.V.?

11
Group Influences

• Groups can amplify aggression partly by diffusing
  responsibility

12
Genocide

• The crime of genocide is defined in international
  law in the Convention on the Prevention and
  Punishment of Genocide.
• "Article II In the present Convention, genocide
  means any of the following acts committed with
  intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a
  national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as
  such

13

• (a) Killing members of the group
• (b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to
  members of the group
• (c) Deliberately inflicting on the group
  conditions of life calculated to bring about its
  physical destruction in whole or in part
• (d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births
  within the group
• (e) Forcibly transferring children of the group
  to another group.

14
8 stages of genocide

• Classification
• Symbolization
• Dehumanization
• Organization
• Polarization
• Preparation
• Extermination
• Denial

15
Reducing Aggression Situational and
Sociocultural Factors

• Reduce stressors such as frustration, discomfort,
  and provocation.
• Teach and model nonviolent responses to
  frustrations and social problems
• Emphasize cooperation over competitiveness.
• Change cost-reward payoffs associated with
  aggression.

16
Reducing Aggression Media Effects

• Censorship?
• Education may be most effective approach.
• Increase critical viewing skills.

17
Reducing Aggression Intimate Violence

• Sex education programs that
• Emphasize desirability of being respectful and
  considerate towards ones partner.
• Debunk rape myths.
• Increase sensitivity.
• Provide family members with educational and
  employment opportunities to reduce family
  violence.