AggressionViolence in the Media Chapter 12

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Aggression/Violence in the MediaChapter 12
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Announcements

• Exam 3 is one week from today (December 6th)!
• Covers chapters 7, 10, 11, 12 16
• Study guide available today
• Review session for exam is Wed. December 5th 7pm
  in UH 3800
• Grades for Exam 3 will be posted outside my door
  (UH 6524) on December 7th

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Announcements

• If you are happy with your grades after Exam 3,
  you do not have to take the final!
• Final exam is cumulative! It will be Dec. 13th at
  1015 in this room
• Study guide for final will be available at Exam 3
• Review session for final is Monday Dec. 10th Time
  and location TBA

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Defining Aggression

• Aggression
• any behavior intended to hurt someone. Intention
  is key!
• Hostile aggression aggression driven by emotion.
  The purpose of the behavior is only to hurt.
• Instrumental aggression aggression driven by
  reason. The behavior is a means to an end.

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• So, what is it about a context that provokes
  aggression?

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Sources of aggression Psychological Views

• Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis (Dollard, 1939)
• people always aggress when they feel frustrated
• Classic study of kids and toys
• But, lots of times people can be frustrated and
  not aggress

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Sources of aggression Psychological Views

• What is frustration?
• Original answer The negative emotion produced
  when we do not get what we want.
• New answer The negative emotion produced by
  interrupting a person's progress toward an
  expected goal.

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Studies of frustration

• Frustration and Civil Rights
• Cutting in line study
• Block towers study

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Insights of Berkowitz

• First, frustration is not the only thing that can
  lead to aggression
• Shock Studies
• noise, crowds, pain, heat, anything that puts you
  in bad mood increases aggression

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Insights of Berkowitz

• Second, aggression is more likely when people are
  aroused, regardless of their mood
• Anger and exercise study
• Manipulated anger insulted or not
• Manipulated arousal ran on treadmill or not
• Those angered AND aroused gave most shocks
• Conclusion? Arousal intensifies whatever mood you
  are in!

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Cognitive-Neoassociation Model

• Stage model of aggression
• Stage 1 People occasionally have unpleasant
  experiences
• Stage 2 These negative experiences produce
  arousal
• Stage 3 External influences may modify
  interpretations of arousal this stage is key!
• What is done with arousal depends on context

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Stage 3 Effects of Context on Aggression

• Stimulant study
• All given a stimulant only ½ told would
  increase arousal
• If told about arousal, did not get angry
• Excitation transfer if we arent aware of
  sources of arousal, all arousal is attributed to
  the negative event

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Stage 3 Effects of Context on Aggression

• Weapon effect violent cues can prime aggressive
  responses
• Gun/badminton racket study
• Social learning - we learn aggressive behavior by
  observing and imitating others
• Bobo doll study

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Stage 3 Effects of Context on Aggression

• Reciprocation
• Bad grade/shock study
• All participants insulted, then can give shock in
  return
• ½ told about bad grade before insult ½ told
  after insult
• Gave less shock if told before

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Cognitive-Neoassociation Model

• Stage 4 Processing of rewards and costs occurs
  (social exchange theory)
• Stage 5 Decide on flight or fight

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• Unpleasant Experiences (pain, heat, etc.)

• Arousal

• Objects or Events Priming Aggression

• AngryThoughts and Associations

• Angry Thoughts and Associations

• Benign Thoughts and Associations

Fight
Fight
Flight