Disussion 5
Chapter 10
Aggression & Antisocial Behavior
1
Today’s outline
Why are people aggressive?
Instinct/Biology
Narcissists
Social learning
Media & violence
Aggression under orders
Milgram’s study
Assertiveness instead of aggression
Antisocial Behavior
Antisocial behavior: any behavior that has a negative impact on other people
Aggression: hurting another person or achieving one’s goals at the expense of another person
E.g. war, homicide, riots, rape, assault, forcible robbery, family violence, bullying, etc.
Why are we aggressive?
Why are we aggressive?
First, as a quick note, with each passing year the world has grown more peaceful
Despite what it may seem like from the media
The world is many times more peaceful than in ancient times, where proportionally more people would died in wars
In the 2000’s there were only 2k deaths per year from warring countries whereas in the 1950’s there were 65k per year.
Instincts
Ethologists: people who study natural behavior patterns of animals
Believe that aggression is innate in all animals, including humans, e.g. killer instinct
Freud would have agreed
The fact that we are biologically capable of aggression does not mean that aggression is inevitable or “part of human nature”
The vast majority of people are NOT aggressive
Some cultures show very little: Eskimos, Navajo
Biology
Testosterone correlated with aggression
May partially explain why we see more physical violence from men than woman
Alcohol & other drugs lower inhibitions
The majority of murders and violent crimes involve alcohol
Body temperature is also linked to aggression
For this reason prisons usually keep a cool temperature
Other innate causes of aggression
Well, this theme has come up many times so far in this course, but once again:
Narcissists
Violent individuals often have high self-esteem and grandiose self beliefs
Bushman & Baumeister (2002), the authors of your textbook, also found that violent prisoners have higher narcissism scores than nonviolent people
Narcissism continued
Narcissistic personality inventory:
‘I insist on getting the respect I deserve’
Then participants mark the extent to which they agree
Direct quote from the Columbine killer:
“Isn’t it fun to get the respect that we’re going to deserve?”
Narcissistic rage, yikes!!!
Aggression as a response to Frustration
Frustration-aggression hypothesis: frustration tends to lead to aggression
road rage
watch for verbal aggression when people are frustrated
Why though?
Perhaps because frustration is an aversive state
Aggression as a response to aversive stimuli
Aversive stimuli make us more sensitive to aggressive cues
Aversive stimuli: pain, temperature, odors, etc.
Aggression cues: signals that are associated with aggression
Rude gestures, middle finger, body language
Weapons effect: observation that weapons serve as strong cues for aggressive behavior
Murders are much more likely in homes with guns
Hostile world bias
By default, some people just have a hostile world bias
They will have an ambiguous interaction with someone, but interpret it as hostile
The person with the hostile world bias is making attributions about the other person’s behavior and intent
They also assume accidentally hurtful things were intended to offend them
They expect aggressive behavior from others
This bias has been found significantly more in aggressive people than non-aggressive people
Aggression as a Learned response
Social learning theory: combines learning principles with cognitive processes, socialization, and modeling to explain behavior
Aggression must be learned
No instinctive (innate) desires for shooting guns, knife fights, and so on
Instead aggression is 'modeled'
Bandura's Bobo Doll Study
kids observe an adult playing aggressively & mimic
Learned through Media Violence
Media exposure teaches aggressive actions; people, especially children, learn aggressive behaviors from media such as television
Social learning theme: violence is rewarded
Kids who watched a lot of tv were more likely to be aggressive as adults
Media exposure desensitizes people to violence
Desensitization: reduced emotional sensitivity
Bloody fight film to boys, those who watched heavy amounts of tv were much less affected
Learned through Media Violence
In a 15 year longitudinal study, children who watched a lot of violent TV shows in 2nd and 3rd grade were 3x more likely to commit a violent crime as an adult in their 20’s
Media Violence Cont'd
The media results may occur due to priming
Aggressive thoughts
Priming makes all topics related to aggression salient (meaning, easily accessible or at the forefront of your thoughts)
Priming:
neural networks of ideas
Tide ____ water, moon or
Tide ____ detergent
Depends on how you were primed! With words related to washing clothes or with words related the ocean and moon
Parents as Media Guides
Model positive ways of getting along in the world
Limit total media time
Closely monitor what children experience
Show disapproval of violent media heroes
Media can also model prosocial behavior
Prosocial behavior: behavior toward others that is helpful, constructive, or altruistic
E.g., educational programming
Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers, etc.
My response
The research is probably right about the link between media and aggression...it makes sense...
But...I like my violent movies and games!!!
I know there has been dissent on this topic, if anyone finds a recent meta-analysis refuting these claims, email it to me
Aggression and Pornography
Aggressive pornography: depictions in which violence, threats, or obvious power differences are used to force someone (usually a woman) to engage in sex
Increases actual male aggression against women
Specific type of aggression: bullying
Bullying: any behavior that deliberately and repeatedly exposes a person to negative experiences
Bullying can be verbal (name-calling, insults, teasing) or physical (hitting, pushing, confining)
Can be direct (“in your face”) or indirect (intentional exclusion, spreading rumors)
Male bullies are more likely to engage in direct aggression; female bullies tend to specialize in indirect aggression
Aggression as an order
One potential excuse for aggression is:
“He told me to” or “It’s policy”
The following is a classis experiment in psychology.
Some of its methodologies have been called into question, but the main finding has been replicated many times
Social Influence: Obedience
Obedience: conformity to the demands of an authority
E.g., would you shock a man with a known heart condition who is screaming and asking to be released?
Stanley Milgram’s Obedience Studies
A “teacher” (real research participant) tries to “teach” word pairs to a “learner” with an apparent heart condition (an accomplice)
Ever more intense “shock” is administered every time the learner made a mistake
As mistakes were made, shock levels rose; once 300 volts (“severe shock”) was reached, the learner screamed and provided no further answers; regardless, 65% obeyed the researcher (who insisted the experiment continue) by going all the way to 450 volts
Milgram Results
Milgram Discussion
Obedience to authority
Rejected responsibility
The 'teachers' had breakdowns
Follow-ups:
When conducted at shabby building instead of Yale
48% instead of 65% (original) administered the max shock
Authority figure closer = more compliance
A group of people who disobey greatly reduced obedience, but one accomplice didn’t reduce the likelihood to shook at a high value
Themes of Zimbardo's Prison Study
The power of 'roles’
Participants were assigned to either be mock prisoners or mock prison guards
Anonymity for guards (sunglasses, uniforms, etc.), loss of identity for prisoners (given a number, jumpsuit)
Guards in Zimbardo’s study became verbally and physically abusive and some prisoners suffered break-downs
There were issues with this study too, its methodology was not great, but the overall point about anonymity and anti-social behavior still stands
Note the irony: Zimbardo researching the Lucifer Effect & evil people, but didn't stop his own study in time. Highly unethical. His girlfriend suggested he stop...
Themes for Milgram & Zimbardo's Studies
THE POWER OF THE SITUATION!!!
Situation > you being a good person
Situations determine our actions to a profound extent (the essence of social psychology)
So...
Don't make the mistake of thinking you would have acted differently, or you won't grasp the profound weight of these studies. Assume you'd shock for max value if told to or become abusive if you could get away with it anonymously
Other types of antisocial behavior
Lying is also an antisocial behavior
To learn more about that, I suggest taking a legal psychology course if you haven’t yet
You’ll be taught about different methods that are used to detect deception
Additionally, the DSM has a classification of ‘antisocial personality disorder’
That is another way of saying psychopath or sociopath
Meaning a complete disregard for the lives of others
Finally someone even worse than a narcissist!
It goes without saying they’re extremely dangerous
Assertiveness Training
Assertiveness training: instruction in how to be self-assertive without being aggressive
Self-assertion: standing up for your rights by speaking out on your own behalf; direct, honest expression of feelings and desires
Assertiveness Techniques
When you expect a possible confrontation with someone
Rehearsing the dialogue, posture, and gestures you might use to assert yourself
Practice in front of a mirror
Role-play scenes with a friend taking the part of a really aggressive or irresponsible person, as well as a cooperative one.
Overlearn: practice that continues after initial mastery of a skill
Assertiveness Techniques (cont’d)
Broken record: self-assertion technique that involves repeating a request until it is acknowledged
Good way to be assertive without being aggressive
How to Limit Anger
Anger control: personal strategies for reducing or curbing anger
Define problem as precisely as possible
Make a list of possible solutions
Rank likely success of each solution
Choose a solution and try it
Assess how successful the solution was and make adjustments if necessary