Evaluate the claim "we can predict who will become a criminal"
Sharonhy
Workshop6aAggression.pptxCriminal Behaviour CRM203
Aggression
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Content
Definitional issues
Theoretical Perspectives
Biological Perspectives
Cognitive Perspectives
Media Violence
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Definition
Many definitional problems
Complexity is the difficulty
And the violence–aggression distinction
Is aggression violent?
Is violence aggressive?
What about different types of aggression and violence? (verbal, physical, passive etc.)
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Definition
Aggression is a specific type of social interaction in which one person (the perpetrator or aggressor) acts with the intent to harm another
Note: Don’t be passive listeners
Intent?
Harm?
BRACE YOURSELF SHOCKING IMAGE FOLLOWING
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What sorts of harm?
Tedeschi and Felson (1994) proposed there are four main types of harm that can underpin grievances:
physical harm (injury, pain, or the threat of);
material damage (loss of goods or services);
psychological harm (lack of respect, fairness or equality);
political harm (violation of rights and freedoms by the state or organisations)
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Thus
Needs to be at least two players and in some cases more
The attributes of those involved in aggression are critical to the "observation" of aggression.
The social class, gender, age, setting and nature of the relationship are critical to the perception.
Aggression is a social judgment
Reaction to aggression is a social judgement
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Note
Actual violence is not necessary for an act to be aggressive.
Not all aggression results in social disapproval e.g., "an aggressive selling technique".
Is armed robbery aggressive, or violent or both or neither?
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Dimensions of Aggression
Direct/Indirect
Active/Passive
Physical/Non-physical
Hostile (anger) versus Instrumental (goal oriented)
Now a continuum from controlled or planned at one end to reactive and impulsive at the other (~psychopathy?)
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Dimensions of Aggression
Proactive Aggression
purposeful, instrumental, goal-directed
linked to reward and punishment processing
Primary psychopathy
Reactive Aggression
response to anger, provocation or threat
linked to basic threat circuitry (FFFS) and regulatory systems (Blair et al., 2005; Blair & Cipolotti, 2000)
Secondary psychopathy
(Reidy et al., 2007; Cima & Raine, 2009)
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So aggression can be…
motivated by anger (from extreme rage to mild annoyance) or
by some calculated thought that someone needs to be harmed to meet some objective
deliberate, hostile, active and physical (and may be criminal)
accidental, instrumental (in protecting oneself), passive or non-physical (and non-criminal)
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Explaining aggression
Theories focus on:
Biological, instinctive or evolutionary basis versus
Socially learnt or cognitive basis – the thoughts, feelings, behaviour interactions
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Psychodynamic Theory
Two basic and fundamental drives: eros and thanatos - the drive to survive and procreate and the drive to conquer or subdue others.
Natural build up of aggressive impulses (thanatos), need regular discharging, if not reaches dangerous levels and may explode (or become internalised) – the hydraulic explosion
Aggression viewed as an explosion of pent up frustration or anger.
Over control of aggression leads to psychological problems
Discharge of aggression through catharsis: direct or vicarious (thus, theoretically, watching violence leads to a reduction in active violence).
Links to frustration-aggression hypothesis (coming later)
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Psychodynamic Theory
Assumed that acting out aggression in a manner that does not result in harm to others is a positive action since it leads to the release of pent up frustration.
But evidence points to catharsis leading to an increase in violence (does it?)
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Ethological Approach
The theory is largely evolutionary idea that man needs to be aggressive because of a poor design feature – no claws or sharp teeth.
So why was humanity successful?
Because:
We are aggressive
And have opposable thumbs – just like koalas
And make tools
And talk
And think
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Ethological Approach
Programming
Animals (particularly males) biologically programmed to fight over resources
Hydraulic model
In humans, emotional or instinctive pressures, and release is aggression (overlaps Freud’s psychodynamic)
Ritualization
Development of rituals, stylized actions, leading to symbolic / function of communication
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Ethological Approach
Game theory: Hawk-Dove
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Biological Theories
At this stage of limited value because they do not sufficiently explain onset, maintenance, desistence etc
As noted psycho-dynamic interventions based on catharsis can increase violence.
Why?
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Frustration-Aggression
Frustration-aggression hypothesis now the major explanation
Suggests that aggression is an elicited drive
Aggression is a follow-on from frustration
That is, aggression is a drive state that is elicited from our interactions with the world
The drive is based on frustration
Originally: frustrating a goal leads to aggression
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Cusp Catastrophe Model
For everyone that loves Chaos Theory
Butterfly effect (Sensitive Dependence on initial conditions)
Attractors
Bifurcation
Hysteresis
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Re-formulation
Blocking a goal leads to frustration
Frustration leads to anger
Anger pre-disposes aggression
Aggressive acts are dependent upon interpretations, values and repertoires of the individual (your thoughts) and stimuli
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Real World Case Study: INCELs
Involuntary-Celibates
(online) subculture – defined themselves as unable to find romantic/sexual partners.
Desire a partner.
Forums characterised by resentment, misanthropy, self-pity, self-loathing, misogyny, racism.
Can foster/facilitate violence against sexually active people
Growing number of mass murder attacks perpetrated by individuals with INCEL background – most notably Elliot Rodger – Isla Vista attack.
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Research shows
The greater the magnitude of the frustration the greater the aggression.
The greater the degree of interference, the greater the aggression.
Arbitrary frustration increases aggression.
Unexpected frustration increases aggression
The aggression may be directed at the source or may be displaced to other more convenient targets which are somehow related to or represent the obstacle.
Aggression occurs only with the appropriate stimulus
Aggression is likely to occur if frustration is intentional.
Aggression is more likely to occur if frustration is aversive.
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Reflective-Impulsive Model
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Think about ‘priming’ or suggestion
Spreading Activation Model
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Implicit Aggression
Reflective-Impulsive model
Wheels
Car
Drive
Traffic
Anger
Bicycle
Round
Round-abouts
Reflective (questionnaires)
Higher self-control = lower verbal, physical, anger, hostility aggression scores in males and females
Impulsive (implicit)
Higher self-control = lower verbal, physical, anger aggression scores in males and females
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Social Learning Theories
These theories are integrated theories based on the feelings, thoughts and behaviour model of human behaviour.
Three aspects to understanding aggression:
the acquisition of aggressive behaviour;
the process of instigation of aggression; and
the conditions which maintain aggression
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Social Learning Theories
In social learning theory, aggressive behaviour is learnt vicariously and maintained by the reinforcements which are contingent upon its display.
Vicariously means by observing models
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Social Learning Theories: 5 monkeys
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Learning Aggression
aggression is observed – you see role models engaging in aggression;
aggression is reinforced – your role model is rewarded for their aggression and/or your own aggression is rewarded;
the individual has been subjected to aggression – you learn its power (and this may stop you from being aggressive).
Think about this in terms of childhood development in homes … aggressive parents… etc.
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Role and nature of models
Major models:
Family – aggressive families produce aggressive children
Peers
Symbolic models
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How does modelling work?
Aggressive behaviour is learned through modelling. Key factors are:
the importance of the model;
the effect of the model’s behaviour;
other behaviours which condone or condemn aggression.
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HINT: this is a good chance to ask me anything
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Maintaining aggression
Once aggressive behaviour is acquired how is it maintained?
By its consequences – as with all behaviours the more aggression is reinforced the more it is maintained
Stimulus discrimination means learning to exhibit behaviours in different situations – thus people learn to exhibit aggression under different stimuli. Aggressive people have less stimulus discrimination
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Maintaining aggression
Cognitive processes or how you think about aggression:
Role of values or cognitive scripts –endorsing aggression or minimising harm
Attributions of hostile intent
Scripts endorsing particular styles of responding
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General Aggression Model
Anderson & Bushman (2018)
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General Aggression Model
Anderson & Bushman (2018)
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Determinants of Aggression
Other research has focussed on stimuli which precede aggression. This is not necessarily theoretical but it is consistent with learning theory based on ABC
Antecedent-Behaviour- Consequence
It recognises that many behaviours are controlled by events that occur before the behaviour
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Some Determinants
provocation
exposure to aggressive models
orders from an authority
drugs —those that reduce inhibitions (such as alcohol) and those that heighten arousal levels (such as amphetamines) but not a simple relationship
gender
aggressive cues eg weapons
displays of aggression
changing the environment
noise - induces stress which may induce aggression
heat but unclear
population density but only if felt
intrusion of personal space
physical pain
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Situational Precipitators
Prof. Richard Wortley (Head of UCL Crime Science)
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Situational Precipitators
Prof. Richard Wortley (Head of UCL Crime Science)
Prompts: Aspects of the immediate environment that bring to the surface thoughts, feelings, desires that may be dormant
Pressures: Situations exert pressure on individuals to perform inappropriate behaviours
Permissions: situational factors can help distort moral reasoning processes
Provocations: Situations can create stress and/or provoke antisocial responses, particularly aggression
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BSA and Aggression
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Grievance escalation
When does aggression occur?
When frustrated
And you consider aggression an acceptable response
Luckenbill and Doyle suggest a three stage model
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3 stage model
Naming: Grievances develop when one party (the victim) recognises that another party (victimiser) has caused harm. Furthermore, it is necessary that the victim holds the victimiser accountable for their “bad behaviour”.
Claiming: The transformation of the grievance into a demand for reparation. If acceptable to the victim then the dispute ends. If not it escalates to
Aggression.
Naming
Claiming
AGGRESSION
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Controlling aggression
In terms of controlling aggression, the traditional threat of punishment does not seem very useful in most situations and may backfire as it is often seen as a provocation - a further frustration. Punishment also suggests that the solution to conflict is the application of force, which is counterproductive since it is the wrong sort of behaviour to model.
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Media and violence
However you measure it, there is no doubt that we are saturated with violence in the media.
Does it matter?
Some evidence indicates long term effects of violence exposure with increases in aggressive behaviours, thoughts and feelings and decreases in niceness
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Media and violence
There is sound correlational evidence for a contagion effect for violence, including self harm
Makes sense form a social learning perspective because you
Observe aggression and
See aggression rewarded
But what if the models you identify with are not the media ones?
Do we engage in stimulus discrimination? Or
State dependent learning?
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Media and violence
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Media and violence
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In sum
Aggression is central to many crimes
But what is aggression?
How do we measure / quantify aggression?
If we cannot accurately define and quantify it, how can we hope to understand/treat it?
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