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Chapter 4 - AggressionChapter 4 - Aggression

• Topic 1 - Social psychological approaches to explaining aggression– Social psychological theories of aggression– Explanations of institutional aggression

• Topic 2 - Biological explanations of aggression– The role of neural and hormonal mechanisms– The role of genetic factors

• Topic 3 - Aggression as an adaptive response– Evolutionary explanations of human aggression– Explanations of group display in humans

4 Aggression

Topic 1 - Social Psychological Topic 1 - Social Psychological Approaches to Explaining AggressionApproaches to Explaining Aggression

• Social psychological theories of aggression• Explanations of institutional aggression

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Social Psychological Explanations Social Psychological Explanations of Aggressionof Aggression

Social Learning Theory

• Direct and vicarious experience– Learning by direct experience

(operant conditioning)– Learning by vicarious experience

(observational learning)

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ReinforcementReinforcement

• The likelihood of a person behaving aggressively depends on

– Previous experiences of aggressive behaviour– Reinforcement of past aggression– Likelihood that current aggression will be rewarded– Cognitive, social and environmental factors

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Research into Social Learning TheoryResearch into Social Learning Theory

• ‘Bobo doll’ experiments• Teaching effect (acquisition of behaviour)• Motivational effect (reproduction/performance of

behaviour)

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Social Learning TheorySocial Learning Theory

• Explains inconsistencies in aggressive behaviour

• Explains cultural differences in aggressive behaviour

• Social learning or biology as primary causal agent?

Evaluation Evaluation

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DeindividuationDeindividuation

• Individuated and deindividuated behaviour

• Public and private self-awareness

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Research Related To DeindividuationResearch Related To Deindividuation

• The Stanford Prison experiment (Zimbardo et al. 1973)

• Deindividuation in mobs– The baiting crowd – The faceless crowd

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DeindividuationDeindividuation

• Deindividuation and pro-social behaviour• The role of anonymity• Social norms and behaviour• The Zimbardo et al. prison study• Deindividuation and football crowd violence

Evaluation Evaluation

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Explanations of Institutional AggressionExplanations of Institutional Aggression

• Institutional aggression in prisons– The importation model– The deprivation model– The power of the situation and the effect of

dehumanising labels

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Explanations of Institutional Aggression Explanations of Institutional Aggression in Prisonsin Prisons

• Research support for the importation model• Limitations of the importation model• Research support for the deprivation model• Limitations of the deprivation model• Real life relevance

Evaluation Evaluation

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Institutional Aggression in Institutional Aggression in Initiation RitualsInitiation Rituals

• Initiation rituals

– Special rituals and requirements for new members of a group

– Aim to create bond between members– Hazing – painful initiation rituals

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Explanations of Initiation RitualsExplanations of Initiation Rituals

• Research support

• Why is hasing effective?

Evaluation Evaluation

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Psychological Approaches to Explaining AggressionPsychological Approaches to Explaining Aggression

1. What is the difference between direct and vicarious reinforcement?

2. According to Social Learning Theory, the likelihood of a person behaving aggressively is determined by what four factors?

3. What conclusions can be drawn from the Bobo doll study concerning the imitation of aggression?

4. Explain two evaluative points concerning the social learning theory of aggression.

5. What is meant by ‘deindividuation’ in the context of aggression? What is the difference between ‘individuated’ and ‘deindividuated’ behaviour?

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Psychological Approaches to Explaining AggressionPsychological Approaches to Explaining Aggression6. What conclusions can be drawn from Zimbardo’s Stanford

Prison Experiment concerning the causes of aggressive behaviour?

7. Explain two evaluative points concerning the deindividuation explanation of aggression.

8. Explain the difference between the importation and deprivation models of institutional aggression.

9. Explain two evaluative points concerning each of the importation and deprivation models of institutional aggression.

10.Outline what is meant by initiation rituals (including ‘hazing’) and provide one explanation for this phenomenon.

11.Explain two evaluative points concerning initiation rituals as a form of institutional aggression.

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4 Aggression

Topic 2 - Biological ExplanationsTopic 2 - Biological Explanationsof Aggressionof Aggression

• Role of neural and hormonal mechanisms

• Role of genetic factors

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Neural and Hormonal MechanismsNeural and Hormonal Mechanisms in Aggression in Aggression

• Neurotransmitters

• Hormones

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NeurotransmittersNeurotransmitters

• Chemical messengers that transmit nerve impulses – e.g. serotonin; dopamine

• Negative correlation between serotonin and aggression

• Positive correlation between dopamine and aggression

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Neural Mechanisms in AggressionNeural Mechanisms in Aggression

• Serotonin: alternative explanations• Alcohol, serotonin and aggressive behaviour• Research support • Why it is difficult to establish a link between

dopamine and aggression

Evaluation Evaluation

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HormonesHormones

• Chemicals that regulate and control bodily functions– e.g. testosterone; cortisol

• Positive correlation between testosterone and aggression

• Negative correlation between cortisol and aggression

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Hormonal Mechanisms in AggressionHormonal Mechanisms in Aggression

• Inconsistent evidence on testosterone and aggression

• The positive influence of testosterone• Research support for cortisol link• Lack of consistent research evidence

Evaluation Evaluation

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Role of Genetic Factors Role of Genetic Factors in Aggressive Behaviourin Aggressive Behaviour

• Twin studies

• Adoption studies

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Twin StudiesTwin Studies

• Support the role of genetic factors in aggression

• Aggressive behaviour more highly correlated in MZ than in DZ twins

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Adoption StudiesAdoption Studies

• Support the role of genetic factors in aggression– e.g. Danish study (Hutchings and Mednick, 1973)

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Twin and Adoption StudiesTwin and Adoption Studies

• The imperfect nature of twin studies• Gender differences in heritability• Problems with the interpretation of adoption

studies

Evaluation Evaluation

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Genes for AggressionGenes for Aggression

• Candidate genes: DRD4 and DRD3

• Candidate gene for MAOA

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Genes for AggressionGenes for Aggression

• Genes for aggression do not predict aggressive behaviour

• Positive implications of genetic research• Gene-environment interaction

Evaluation Evaluation

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Biological Approaches to Explaining AggressionBiological Approaches to Explaining Aggression

1. Explain the main difference between the serotonin and dopamine explanations of aggression.

1. Explain two critical points concerning the serotonin and dopamine explanations of aggression.

1. Outline, in 50 words, the relationship between testosterone and aggression.

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Biological Approaches to Explaining AggressionBiological Approaches to Explaining Aggression

6. Explain three critical points concerning the relationship between hormones and aggression.

6. Outline the main conclusions that can be drawn from twin and adoption studies of aggression.

6. Explain three critical points concerning twin and adoption studies of aggression.

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Topic 3 - Aggression as Topic 3 - Aggression as an Adaptive Responsean Adaptive Response

• Evolutionary explanations of human aggression

• Explanations of group display in humans

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Evolutionary Explanations Evolutionary Explanations of Human Aggressionof Human Aggression

• Concept of natural selection– Selection of ‘adaptive’ characteristics

• Infidelity and jealousy– Cuckoldry and sexual jealousy– Mate retention and violence

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Infidelity and Jealousy as Explanations Infidelity and Jealousy as Explanations for Aggressionfor Aggression

• Use of mate retention tactics

• Research on sexual coercion

• Practical applications of research

Evaluation Evaluation

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The Evolution of MurderThe Evolution of Murder

• Murder as an adaptive response– To prevent harm– To bolster reputation– To protect resources

• Predisposing factors for murder– Sexual jealousy– Lack of resources– Threats to male status

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The Evolutionary Explanation of MurderThe Evolutionary Explanation of Murder

• Comparative evidence

• The evolved goal hypothesis – an alternative explanation

Evaluation Evaluation

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Evolutionary Explanations of AggressionEvolutionary Explanations of Aggression

• Limitations of explanation

• Cultural differences

Evaluation Evaluation

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Evolutionary Explanations of Evolutionary Explanations of Group Display in HumansGroup Display in Humans

Examples of group display:

• Lynch mobs• Self directed aggression during religious

and cultural displays

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Adaptive Explanations for Lynch MobsAdaptive Explanations for Lynch Mobs

• The power threat hypothesis• Dehumanisation

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Adaptive Explanations for Lynch MobsAdaptive Explanations for Lynch Mobs

• The Power threat hypothesis• Evidence for dehumanisation• The role of deindividuation

Evaluation Evaluation

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Adaptive Explanations for Adaptive Explanations for Religious/Cultural DisplaysReligious/Cultural Displays

• Religious display and cooperative gains• Costly signalling to deter free riders

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Adaptive Explanations of Adaptive Explanations of Religious/Cultural DisplaysReligious/Cultural Displays

• Religious displays• Cultural rituals• The evolutionary approach

Evaluation Evaluation

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Aggression as an Adaptive ResponseAggression as an Adaptive Response

1. Give three examples of mate retention strategies commonly used by human males.

2. Explain the relationship between cuckoldry, infidelity and sexual jealousy.

3. Explain two critical points concerning the infidelity/sexual jealousy explanation of aggression.

4. Give two reasons why murder might be an evolutionary adaptation.

5. Outline two situations in which murder has been shown to be an adaptive behaviour.

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Aggression as an Adaptive ResponseAggression as an Adaptive Response

6. Explain two critical points concerning the ‘murder as an adaptive behaviour’ explanation.

7. Outline two explanations of the behaviour of lynch mobs being an adaptive response.

8. Explain two critical points concerning the behaviour of lynch mobs.

9. What is meant by ‘costly signaling theory’ in the context of religious displays?

10. Explain two evaluative points concerning the ‘costly signaling theory’ of religious displays.

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