...Psychology of Aggression & Violence: Aggression: Behavior perpetrated or attempted with the intention of harming another individual physically or psychologically or to destroy an object. Violence: Actual, attempted, or threatened physical harm that is deliberate and non-consenting: * Includes violence against victims who cannot give full, informed consent * Includes fear-inducing behavior, where threats may be implicit or directed at third parties Types of Aggression: Hostile (or expressive) aggression: Occurs in response to anger-inducing conditions, such as real or perceived insults, physical attacks, or one’s own failures. (Goal = to make victim suffer. Intense and disorganized emotion) Instrumental aggression: Begins with competition or the desire for some object or status possessed by another person. Goal = obtain desired object. No intent to harm, although indifferent. Violence as a Choice: The proximal cause of violence is a decision to act violently .The decision is influenced by a host of biological, psychological, and social factors .Neurological insult, hormonal abnormality, psychosis, personality disorder, exposure to violent models, attitudes that condone violence. Cognitive Models of Aggression: Most research supports the notion that human aggression is primarily learned (early learning and socialization). Hostile attribution bias: Individual’s prone to violence are more likely to interpret ambiguous actions as hostile and threatening ...
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...to reproduce the same behaviours when they were later allowed to interact with the doll; the children even improvised their own aggressive actions towards the doll. This was particularly the case when they saw the adult rewarded for their aggressive behaviour, thus supporting the claim that the expectation of reward influences the likelihood of a behaviour being performed. However, this study lacks validity because the children may have been aware of what was expected of them, leading to them displaying demand characteristics when they were allowed to play with the doll. The study also focuses on aggression toward a doll rather than real-life aggression, meaning the same results may not apply to other settings. However, a subsequent study using a live clown instead of a doll found similarly high levels of imitation among children, showing that SLT does apply to violence aggression towards other people. A...
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...WHY ARE INDIVIDUALS AGGRESSIVE?Aggression is difficult to define, it is a complex phenomenon, and depending upon the context the term can be made to carry either positive or negative connotations, it can be attacking behaviour that may be either self-protective and self-assertive or to the infliction of injury toward oneself or toward others, to the total destruction of others. Is aggression biological determined or the product of learning and environmental influences.? This essay, will consider instinctive theory, the frustration - aggression hypothesis, and social learning theory. It should then be possible to draw a conclusion to see if any or all of the theories discussed are the cause of aggression. Brain disorders, hormonal and chemical imbalances, environmental factors, such as heat, noise, air pollution and overcrowding, although contribute to the causes of aggression will not be discussed during the course of this essay. No universally adopted definition of aggression exists, for the purpose of this discussion, the definition of Gross will be used.Gross defines aggression as :- "The intentional infliction of some form of harm on others" (Gross page 444)Freud proposed that aggression is an instinctive biological urge. According to Freud this instinct, is made up of the libido (pleasure) and "Thanatos" (the death wish) (pain). This basic instinct is present in the Id from birth, at first the aggression is relatively uncontrolled, but with the development of the Ego and...
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...814002322 Course title: Introduction to Social Psychology Course Code: PSYC 1004 Lecture Topic: Aggression Aggression Baron and Branscombe define aggression as “behaviour directed toward the goal of harming another living being who is motivated to avoid such treatment” (Baron & Branscombe, 2012). * Violence: “an extreme form of aggression, such as assaults, rape or murder” (). Types of Aggression * Instrumental aggression – aggression aimed at accomplishing a goal * Hostile aggression – aim of the aggression is to inflict harm * Indirect aggression – aggressive is not face to face * Direct aggression – aggressive act is face to face Theories of Aggression Instinct Theory: Through evolution, humans have inherited a fighting instinct similar to that found in many species of animals. Social Learning Theory: Human aggression is largely learned by watching other people behave aggressively, either in person or in films. It is also learned when we are rewarded for aggression. Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis: Our motivation for aggression increases when our ongoing behavior is interrupted or we are prevented from reaching a goal. Negative Affect Theory: Proposed by Leonard Berkowitz, it states that negative feelings and experiences are the main cause of anger and angry aggression. Sources of anger include: pain, frustration, loud noise, foul odours, crowding, sadness, and depression. Aggression as Biology Neural influences - electrical...
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...The Causes and Effects of Alcohol Consumption on Aggression and Violence The Causes and Effects of Alcohol Consumption on Aggression and Violence Alcohol has been fermented or distilled for thousands of years and enjoyed by millions of people. Over the course of history it has profoundly influenced many societies in both positive and negative ways, thus acting as a double edged sword by stimulating its users, causing problems, and inspiring laws. Currently, alcohol is one of the most popular psychoactive drugs in use today. It acts as a great source of revenue for governments and influences both users and nonusers. Although there has been a substantial amount of research done on the influence of alcohol on aggression and violence, the relationship is still not completely understood. The common belief is that alcohol causes aggression or violent behavior. However, research has shown that there are several other factors involved. Various researchers have taken many different approaches to determine the effects of alcohol on violence and aggressive behavior. Some of these methods include experimental research, interviews, surveys, and naturalistic observation. One of the most common experimental testing methods of aggression is the Taylor Aggression Paradigm (TAP) or one of its various modifications (Chermack & Giancola, 1997). Studies utilizing the TAP have instructed the participants that they will be competing on a reaction time...
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...Kuo, Sullivan / AGGRESSION AND / July 2001 ENVIRONMENT AND BEHAVIOR VIOLENCE AGGRESSION AND VIOLENCE IN THE INNER CITY Effects of Environment via Mental Fatigue FRANCES E. KUO is an assistant professor at the University of Illinois, UrbanaChampaign. Her research examines effects of the environment on healthy human functioning in individuals, families, and communities. WILLIAM C. SULLIVAN is an associate professor at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. His research focuses on the psychological and social benefits of urban nature and citizen participation in environmental decision making. ABSTRACT: S. Kaplan suggested that one outcome of mental fatigue may be an increased propensity for outbursts of anger and even violence. If so, contact with nature, which appears to mitigate mental fatigue, may reduce aggression and violence. This study investigated that possibility in a setting and population with relatively high rates of aggression: inner-city urban public housing residents. Levels of aggression were compared for 145 urban public housing residents randomly assigned to buildings with varying levels of nearby nature (trees and grass). Attentional functioning was assessed as an index of mental fatigue. Residents living in relatively barren buildings reported more aggression and violence than did their counterparts in greener buildings. Moreover, levels of mental fatigue were higher in barren buildings, and aggression accompanied mental fatigue. Tests for the...
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...Introduction Aggression is behavior that is forceful, hostile or attacking. It is an intention to cause harm or an act intended to increase relative social dominance. Workplace aggression is any act of aggression, physical assault, threatening or coercive behavior that causes physical or emotional harm in a work setting (Rai, 2002). Aggression at workplace can also be to show or as a result of dissatisfaction and disapproval to other’s action. Violence is defined by the World Health Organization as the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against a person, or against a group or community that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, mal-development or deprivation. Workplace violence is an action or incident that physically or psychologically harms another person. It includes situations where employees and other people are threatened, attacked or physically assaulted at work (Department of Health, 2004). It ranges from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and even homicide. It can affect and involve employees, clients, customers and visitors. Violence is aggression; however aggression does not necessarily imply violence. When people talk about workplace violence they may be referring to a range of hostile acts – from threats and intimidation to homicide.. Workplace aggression includes violent acts as well as nonviolent acts such as harassment, intimidation, and threats that create...
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...Aggression In psychology, the term aggression alludes to a scope of practices that can bring about both physical and psychological mischief to oneself, others or objects in the environment. The aggressive expression may occur in a variety of ways, including verbally, rationally, and physically. Psychologists recognize diverse forms, purposes and types of aggression. Mainly, there are four types of aggression including physical, verbal, mental, and emotional. Moreover, there is a number of purposes an aggression may serve, for instance, to express outrage or hostility, to affirm strength, to scare or debilitate, to accomplish an objective, and to express possession, as well as, to response to fear or pain. Additionally, psychologists recognize two distinct types of aggression. The first type is impulsive aggression which is portrayed by strong feelings, usually outrage. This type of aggression is not arranged and frequently happens without giving it much thought. The second one is known as instrumental aggression which is marked by practices that are planned in order to accomplish a bigger objective. Instrumental aggression is regularly painstakingly arranged and typically exists as a means towards an end. Furthermore, exist a number of various factors which influence the aggressive expression. Thus, biological factors may play a large role. Men are more probable that women to participate in physical aggression. While scientists have found that women are less inclined to...
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...Annotated bibliography PSYC101 Stephanie Adams Jong hwan, Kim 30/07/2013 PERSONALITY TRAIT : Aggression Article 1, “Apparent motives for aggression in the social context of the bar” There are four types of motivation that aggression could be appeared. Compliance, grievance, identity, and excitement motivation could be indicated when aggression is used in response to unfair or perceived offensive behavior. After excluding incidents, where motives could not be coded or only staffs were aggressive, 1507 people had an experiment. For both men and women, compliance was negatively related with all other motives when grievance was positively connected with identity and negatively associated with excitement. Identity was positively associated with excitement for women but negatively associated for men. There were gender differences in motives. Men scored higher on identity and excitement, when women scored higher than did men on compliance and grievance. Women were more likely to have compliance as a primary motivation. There was also association of motives with escalation. Of these engaging in two or more aggressive acts, the later acts were more aggressive than first acts at the same level of aggression. Moreover, there was association of motives with severity of aggression. The coefficients from multilevel bivariate linear regression of severity on each motive with separate models for men and women and for the first or only act and for the second act. ...
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...Introduction Is human aggression learned? Was the cruelty that led to the offenses committed by our grandparents in World War II in their genes? Or did Hitler and the Nazis use the moment of the huge economic crisis and great shame of Germany after the Treaty of Versailles to integrate power, shut down the conflict, and through mass propaganda persuade German people to follow them in their achievement of Europe and the greater Third Reich? In this research paper, I will give an imperative assessment of the extent to which human beings are learned towards aggression, or conditioned for aggression by their environment. My goal is to present evidence that will show that humans are not biologically or inherently aggressive, but the aggression is something that is learned from everyday life experience. The first part of the paper will present theories and evidence that punctuate biological factors as the main causes of aggression in humans. The second part will present theories and evidence that demand that “aggression and hostility are diseases of development,” as Buss (1961: 190) puts it, and are affected by the external environment. Aggression in Human Beings Aggression is defined as physical or verbal behavior intended to harm. Aggression can either be ordered inside by self-mutilation or self-murder, or ordered apparently at another person. There are many things that human aggression has been blamed on, including broken homes, discrimination, poverty, chemical inequalities...
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...The changing face of aggression: the effect of personalized avatars in a violent video game on levels of aggressive behavior. Analysis 1.1 Alexis Walker Selitto Playing a video game is a good stress reliever it works especially well when you can immerse yourself in a world of fantasy. Being able to go a step further and create a likeness of yourself makes the experience all the more entertaining and relaxing. There are groups who say that making a likeness of yourself in a video game has a negative effect on a person even when playing a non-violent game they say that the effects on children are worse than in adults. It is said that because one has a likeness in the game they can carry out violent tendencies that would in the real world be illegal. When the player has stopped playing the game their mind is still focused on what they did when playing wither it was raiding a village, killing hordes of demons or suplexing someone from behind. Having an avatar that looks like the player does not cause one to become violent it is the fact that people with aggression problems pick games that would allow them to express their anger and aggression and can not come back to reality once they have been playing and they carry this over into other activities in their lives such as school...
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...those games involve mature content that often includes violence. The connection between violent media and aggression has also spawned a body of research that has gone back and forth on the issue.” Children who repeatedly play violent video games are learning thought patterns that will stick with them and influence behaviors as they grow older, according to a new study by Iowa State University researchers. The effect is the same regardless of age, gender or culture. Douglas Gentile, an associate professor of psychology and lead author of the study published in JAMA Pediatrics, says it is really no different than learning math or to play the piano. “If you practice over and over, you have that knowledge in your head. The fact that you haven’t played the piano in years doesn’t mean you can’t still sit down and play something,” Gentile said. “It’s the same with violent games – you practice being vigilant for enemies, practice thinking that it’s acceptable to respond aggressively to provocation, and practice becoming desensitized to the consequences of violence.” Researchers found that over time children start to think more aggressively. And when provoked at home, school or in other situations, children will react much like they do when playing a violent video game. Repeated practice of aggressive ways of thinking appears to drive the long-term effect of violent games on aggression. “Violent video games model physical...
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...Final Paper Aggression in the Human Society The topic I have chosen is aggression. I want to try to show that everyone can be affected by aggression. I want to show the different stimuli that will bring anger out in people thus causing them to have aggressive behavior. I want to discuss the different types of aggressive behavior as well as who else can be affected by aggressive behavior besides the victim. I have been a victim of aggressive behavior which is the reason I picked this topic. I want to try to understand the causes behind the behavior. Understanding from my own experiences the aggressor may know the victim in one of many different roles; such as, and intimate partner, a family member, a close friend, or they could be a stranger. Aggression is an attacking, hostile behavior by one person toward another person with the intention of causing pain or doing harm. Aggression is usually thought of as physical acts against another person. However, verbal assaults meant to cause psychological harm are also considered acts of aggression (FAQs, 2013). Direct aggression is the physical act of attacking someone; indirect aggression can be overt or covert. While indirect aggression may be less passive it can cause just as much pain and harm to an individual as direct aggression. Indirect aggression is a behind-the-back behavior that reduces the chances for retaliation by the victim (Archer, 2005). Aggression may be considered as a hostile act or as an instrumental...
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...The Effects of Video Game Aggression on Adolescence Aggression Adrienne Nichole Abercrombie Research Methods PSY: 326 Prof. Jennifer Madsen January 7, 2013 The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of video game violence on adolescence aggression. Over the years, the gaming industry has become more advanced and influential. Video games in the past years have advanced with better graphics and more capabilities than ever before. The increasing growth of video game industry has left many of its customers questioning most of the contents of the games that are being purchased. The main concern of many of these customers is the violence that is associated with the games. There have been several studies that have examined the effects that violent video games have on aggression. Huesmann, (2010) conducted a study on violent video games. The studies from this meta-analysis found that violent video games stimulated aggression in the players in the short run and increased the risk for aggressive behaviors by the players later in life. The effects occur for both males and females and for children growing up in Eastern and Western cultures. Konijn, Nije, and Bushman, (2007) conducted a study to examine if violent video games increased aggression if the player identified with the violent game characters. The authors concluded that the most aggressive participants were those who played a violent game and wished they were like a violent character in the game....
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...Overview “Violence is a disease, a disease that corrupts all who use it regardless of the cause.” These are the wise words of renowned author Chris Hedges. In today’s society, this proverbial disease has spread and has come to plague one demographic in particular: teenagers. It appears that incidents of teenage violence are always swarming the media and dominating news coverage which has led to psychologists and sociologists desperately trying to find the source of this aggression. However, even in this epidemic of violence amongst adolescents, there is one social organization in which acts of violence are not just tolerated, but glorified and encouraged as well; the world of contact sports. Could participation in contact sports be a major contributing factor in the widespread occurrence of teen violence? This study focuses on the correlation between teenagers’ involvement in contact sports, and their development of violent tendencies, and it will help reveal whether there is a correlation at all between the two, and if so to what degree. Specifically, it will explain if, through the acceptance of violent acts performed in sports, a teenager is desensitized to violence and assumes those same acts are tolerated outside of the sports environment. It will also tap into the closely related matter of whether the glorification of these violent acts in sports, subconsciously teaches teenagers that violence is a good thing even outside of the sports environment. Finally, it will...
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