Week 9 - Chapter 12

Compared to our closest primate relatives, humans are lower in hostile aggression, but we still engage in a lot of ____________ violence.

(collective) instrumental

What is aggression? (from the lectures)

- Attribution: Someone is in the way of my goal (perceive a situation) Intentionality: on purpose Desire: bad motive - Evaluation: I very much don't like this and need to change the situation (assign a value to it) Motivational state such as anger or fear → passing from assigning a value to a situation to motivating an action - Action Tendency: harm them so they will stop blocking my goal or to punish them so they won't block future goals (motivate an action)

Does aggression on TV increase it in real life?

- Being physically aggressive ==> viewing physical aggression on TV - Being relationally aggressive ⇐⇒ Viewing relational aggression on TV

When is aggression likely?

- When you assign blame to the target - Resource competition - Need to protect self or group (ex: culture of honor; mama bear) - Chronic goal frustration (e.g., hangry) - Lack of control over other causes of frustration - Opportunity to aggress - Aggressive norms (ex: Bobo doll experiment; media; culture of honor) - Reduced inhibition (ex: personality, alcohol, hormones, age) - Other stressors (pain, heat) - No anticipated negative consequences - Past success using aggression - High competence, low warmth stereotype - Expect them to be aggressive - Already dislike target (maybe prejudice towards their group) - Perceived status/strength advantage over target

What are the five distinct reactions that explain why exposure to violence might increase aggression in those vulnerable "media consumers"?

1. Norms: If they can do it, so can I. When people see characters behaving violently, it may weaken their previously learned inhibitions against violent behavior. 2. Observational Learning: Oh, so that's how you do it! When people see characters behaving violently, it might trigger imitation, providing them with ideas as to how they might go about it. 3. Misattribution: Those feelings I am having must be real anger rather than merely my reaction to a stressful day. Watching violence may put people more in touch with their feelings of anger and make an aggressive response more likely through priming. Having recently viewed violence, someone might interpret their own feelings of mild irritation as intense anger and then be more likely to lash out. 4. Habituation: Ho-hum, another brutal beating. What's on the other channel?Watching a lot of mayhem seems to reduce both our sense of horror about violence and our sympathy for the victims, making it easier for us to live with violence and perhaps easier for us to act aggressively. 5. Self-fulfilling Prophecy: I had better get them before they get me! If watching a lot of television makes people think the world is a dangerous place, they might be more apt to be hostile to a stranger who approaches them on the street.

After watching his teenage brother beat up a classmate in a fistfight and walk away with the admiration of their friends, a little boy takes a swipe at another boy in the playground. He has acquired this behavior through a process of __________. A. observational learning B. parental support C. cognitive learning D. playing violent video games

A

Compassion collapse is a phenomenon that involves _______. A. feeling less compassion for multiple victims of a crime than one victim B. the unsustainability of compassion over time C. the sequence of physiological events that underlie compassion D. the role of strong situations

A

POLL Question: Which situation presents the BEST example of hostile aggression? A. Bernie is angry at his mother and screams at her, "I hate you!" B. Angela threatens her younger brother to force him to give up a toy that belongs to her. C. A defensive player sacks the quarterback to put him out of the game. D. An angry driver loses control and runs his car into a ditch.

A

What does research find about the validity of the catharsis theory? A. Disconfirmed: Expressing anger often makes people angrier. B. Disconfirmed: Acting out anger is healthy for physical but not psychological reasons. C. Supported: It is usually beneficial to ventilate anger and get it out of your system. D. Supported: Playing or watching violent sports reduces aggression.

A

What does the "think-drink" effect refer to? A. If you think alcohol releases your anger, it will. B. If you think you'd like a drink, you'll get one. C. If you think alcohol is healthy, you'll drink too much. D. If you think alcohol is harmful, you won't drink.

A

What does the research on cultures of honor suggest about the relationship between testosterone and aggression? A. It shows that culture affects when and why men can be provoked to become aggressive. B. It shows that testosterone and aggression are unrelated. C. It shows that culture has little effect on the basic biology of testosterone in men. D. It explains why men are more aggressive than women across cultures.

A

Which of the following statements about gender differences in aggression is true? A. Girls are more likely than boys to express aggressive feelings indirectly, as by shunning or slandering a target. B. In families, almost all acts of physical aggression are committed by men. C. Because violence is so rare in women, female suicide bombers are have much more extreme beliefs than men who carry out these attacks. D. Gender differences in physical aggression increase when men and women are insulted.

A

_________ is an emotion that sometimes leads to aggression.

Anger

According to social cognitive learning theory, which of these factors intervenes between a person's observation of media violence and their likelihood of imitating it? A. The violence is portrayed as part of a religious story B. How the observer interprets the violent story C. The violence is endorsed by the government D. Whether or not the observer is in a good mood

B

In terms of physical aggression, men are more likely than women to __________. A. resist public displays of violence B. behave aggressively to defend their honor or status C. hit or slap a spouse or partner D. be physically aggressive due to sexual jealousy or anger

B

Suppose you want to reduce the chances that your children will act aggressively toward other people. Which of the following strategies is most likely to work? A. Let your children play all the violent video games they want. B. Be a good role model; do not be verbally or physically abusive. C. Encourage them to play sports where they can vent their frustrations on the playing field. D. Order them to behave nicely with other children and punish them if they don't.

B

The "weapons effect" refers to the fact that __________. A. the mere presence of a gun makes people feel safer B. the mere presence of a gun can provoke an aggressive response C. many people have an emotional response to seeing a weapon D. some weapons provoke more aggression than others

B

Tiffany is angry at Whitney for forgetting her birthday. To defuse her anger, Tiffany should __________. A. think about other times Whitney annoyed her and then confront Whit with all the evidence of what a bad friend she is B. write about her feelings privately for 20 minutes a day for a few days to get some perspective C. post her feelings about Whitney on TikTok D. get back at Whitney by complaining about her to all their mutual friends

B

What does research suggest is the most reasonable conclusion about the effects of media violence? A. It has a strong effect, making most young children more aggressive. B. It has an effect but primarily on children already predisposed to aggression. C. It has virtually no effect. D. The effects depend on whether children are watching cartoons, television, or movies.

B

What is relative deprivation? A. When people feel deprived of having close relatives they can count on B. When people feel there is an unfair discrepancy between what they have and what they expect to get C. When people live in poverty and feel they have no hope of improvement D. When some people earn relatively less than others for doing the same work

B

What is the main problem in interpreting longitudinal studies of the effects of media violence? A. Separating studies of television violence from those of violent video games B. Teasing apart whether media violence causes aggression or whether aggressive people are drawn to media violence C. Identifying which children are more vulnerable to television violence D. Finding out if children who play video games will also prefer violent pornography

B

Which form of apology is most likely to be accepted and believed? A. "I'm sorry." B. "I'm really sorry, and I understand what I did wrong; it won't happen again." C. "I'm sorry I hurt your feelings, but look, we were both to blame here." D. "If I hurt your feelings, I'm really sorry."

B

A utilitarian would vandalize a community center that they believed was diverting public funds away from their own community _______, A. because they view moral dilemmas as zero-sum games B. without any reason C. if they believed it would impact the center's funding eligibility D. if their intuitions told them it was the right thing to do

C

According to frustration-aggression theory, __________. A. frustration caused by deprivation causes aggression. B. when people behave aggressively, they feel frustrated. C. frustration increases the likelihood of aggression. D. when people are frustrated, they almost always become aggressive.

C

Chris moves to a new apartment building where all the neighbors are friends. Shortly after he is invited to a few neighbors' apartments, his neighbor Jenny begins spreading rumors about Chris' professional and personal behavior. Jenny feels threatened by Chris' new status in the group, and she spread the rumors solely to hurt his feelings. How would Jenny's behavior be categorized by social psychologists? A. Hierarchical aggression B. Instrumental aggression C. Relational aggression D. Physical aggression

C

From a social-psychological perspective, a problem with evolutionary theories of aggression is that they fail to account for __________. A. genetic influences on behavior B. differences between bonobos and chimpanzees C. different rates of aggression across cultures D. different levels of testosterone among men

C

Jim has been convicted of assault. Which of the following explanations of his behavior would a social psychologist be most interested in studying? A. He had just had a rich meal high in carbohydrates. B. His older brother was everything he wasn't—a great student and athlete. C. He grew up on a cattle ranch in the Southwest. D. He had just gotten a job he really wanted, but his self-defeating personality caused him to screw up.

C

Which of the following men is most likely to act aggressively toward someone who insults him? A. Ricky, who grew up in Maine B. Ray, who grew up in Minnesota C. Richard, who grew up in Louisiana D. Randy, who grew up in Massachusetts

C

Which of the following statements is not true about dehumanization? A. Dehumanization involves a failure to take the perspective of another person. B. We dehumanize people whom we are prejudiced against. C. Dehumanization is unrelated to prejudice. D. We do not empathize with people we dehumanize.

C

__________ aggression stems from feelings of anger and is aimed at inflicting pain, whereas __________ aggression serves as a means to some goal other than pain. A. Passive, direct B. Instrumental, hostile C. Hostile, instrumental D. Direct, passive

C

Comparing humans, chimps, and bonobos (in terms of hostile vs instrumental aggression):

Chimpanzee: - High instrumental aggression (e.g., intergroup violence, infanticide) - High hostile aggression (e.g., ingroup violence, especially males) Human: - High instrumental aggression - Depends on cultural norms and resource availability - Low hostile aggression (Evolved to be cooperative) Bonobo: - Low instrumental aggression - High hostile aggression (males and females)

John has consumed enough alcohol to make him legally drunk. Under which of the following conditions is he most likely to become aggressive? A. A stranger says hello to him. B. He is walking to work on a cold winter day. C. He is partying with his friends. D. A stranger bumps into him in a crowded restaurant.

D

Noah was counting on his roommate George to help him on moving day, but George never showed up, and Noah is plenty annoyed. What might he say to himself to reduce his wish to retaliate or tell George off? A. "I don't need his help anyway." B. "I'm a better person than he is." C. "That's just his personality; he's always thoughtless." D. "I bet George is under a lot of stress about exams this week."

D

Relational aggression refers to __________. A. the negative effects of aggression on one's relationships B. behaving violently against one's relations C. having sexual relations with the target of one's aggression D. expressing aggression indirectly by manipulating a relationship

D

Social cognitive learning theory explains why, when people are provoked, __________. A. they seek their friends' opinions of what to do B. they automatically respond aggressively C. they respond aggressively if they are tired or hungry D. they respond aggressively if they think aggression is justified

D

Tiffany finally decides she is ready to confront Whitney directly. How should she express her anger (assuming she wants to keep the friendship)? A. She should explain why she feels upset and hurt but let Whitney know that she blames her for her thoughtless behavior. B. She should "let it all out" so that she will feel better and Whitney will know exactly how she feels. C. She should invite Whitney to play a game of tennis and then really try to clobber her. D. She should explain why she feels upset and hurt, as calmly as she can, without blame and accusation.

D

Watching violence in the media and behaving aggressively are positively correlated. What does this mean? A. Watching violent shows makes children more aggressive. B. Aggressive children are more likely to watch violent shows. C. Growing up in a violent environment makes children aggressive and more likely to watch violent shows. D. All of the above.

D

What do experimental studies of media violence tend to find? A. Watching violent films has little effect on aggressive behavior. B. Children get used to media violence quickly, so it doesn't affect them. C. Playing violent video games makes children feel better and less angry. D. Playing violent video games has a stronger effect than watching violent shows.

D

What is the most significant risk factor for teenage suicide and violence? A. Doing poorly in school B. Having a genetic predisposition C. Having strict parents D. Being socially rejected

D

Which of the following statements is true? A. Watching violent shows makes most young children likely to imitate them. B. Playing violent video games has less of an impact on children than watching television or movie violence does. C. Viewing television violence has no effect on people's response to others in trouble. D. Watching violent shows makes some children more likely to imitate them.

D

POLL Question: Which of the following is NOT associated with increased aggression, according to the textbook? A. Hot weather B. Physical pain C. Frustration D. Self-awareness E. Violent norms

D ?

venting vs self-awareness

If your close friend or partner makes you angry, express that anger in a way that helps you gain insight into yourself and the dynamics of the relationship, or express yourself in a way that solves the problem without escalating it by arousing anger in the other person. But for that to happen, express feelings in a way that is neither hostile nor demeaning.

When is it useful to express anger as a leader?

Integrity-based violations: - When followers breach the ethical and moral standards of the workplace - More effective - Judged as appropriate by observers - Observers are more likely to use anger expression to guide their construal of the violation Competence-based violations: - When followers fail to apply the technical skills necessary to perform their jobs - Less effective - Judged as inappropriate by observers - Observers are more likely to have a negative reaction to the leader who expressed anger However, anger expression by abusive leaders* is never perceived as effective (covariation model of attributions!)

What is the Green dot experiment?

Intervention to reduce sexual violence on campuses

When is it useful to express anger in response to trauma?

Maladaptive: unremitting anger that leads to destructive interpersonal behaviors and distorts survivors' construals Adaptive: when anger fuels desire for a more moral world and leads survivor to reassert bodily autonomy and dignity and seek action But reaction of others to anger matters: "When the expression of adaptive anger is met with further rejection and/or institutional betrayal, or the survivor is punished for drawing attention to the moral-ethical violation of sexual violence, the potentially positive social and psychological effect of anger may be blocked."

What is social cognitive learning theory?

a theory that people learn social behavior (e.g., aggression or altruism) in large part through observation and imitation of others and by cognitive processes such as plans, expectations, and beliefs

What is hostile aggression?

aggression stemming from feelings of anger and aimed at inflicting pain or injury

What is instrumental aggression?

aggression that is done as a means to achieve some goal other than causing pain

Aggression is a _________.

behavior

What is physical aggression? Who are more likely to commit it?

behavior in which a person attacks or injures another person or that involves destruction of property -- men are more likely to commit it

Violence reduction involves changing ___________ norms.

behavioral

How can one control anger by actively enabling it to dissipate?

counting to 10 (or 100), taking a deep breath - hold it - and let it out slowly, getting involved in a pleasant/distracting activity (ex: playing a game)

What is the challenge hypothesis?

hypothesis that testosterone relates to aggression only when there are opportunities for reproduction

What is the dual hormone hypothesis?

hypothesis that testosterone relates to dominance-seeking behavior only when the stress hormone, cortisol, is not elevated

What is aggression?

intentional behavior aimed at causing physical harm or psychological pain to another person

Why may be the reason of using harsh punishments to reduce aggression usually backfires?

it may put a halt to a child's aggressive behavior in the short term, but children who are physically punished tend to become more aggressive and antisocial over time.

What is relational aggression? Who are more likely to commit it?

nonphysical acts, such as insults or social rejection, aimed at harming the social connection between the victim and other people -- women are more likely to commit it

provocation and reciprocation

people usually feel the need to reciprocate after they are provoked by aggressive behavior from another person

What is Deontological thinkers?

people who believe in absolute moral truths

What are utilitarian thinkers?

people who believe that the most moral decision is the one that does the greatest good for the greatest number of people

Collective violence is most likely when resources are _________ and when a person strongly identifies with a ________ group.

scarce, violent

media and violence

some studies demonstrate desensitization to violence after exposure to video games

What is compassion collapse?

the decreasing amount of compassion felt for victims of mass casualties versus the amount they feel for a single victim

What is the weapons effect?

the increase in aggression that can occur because of the mere presence of a gun or other weapon

What is catharsis?

the notion that "blowing off steam"—by behaving aggressively or watching others do so—relieves built-up anger and aggressive energy and hence reduces the likelihood of further aggressive behavior

What is dehumanization?

the process whereby we deny another human being their full humanity

What is the frustration-aggression theory?

the theory that frustration - the perception that you are being prevented from attaining a goal - increases the probability of an aggressive response

What is altruism?

unselfish regard for the welfare of others

What is collective violence?

when people cause harm on behalf of their group