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Chapter 12: Aggression, aggression: Intentional behavior aimed at causing…
Chapter 12: Aggression
12.1: Is Aggression Innate, Learned, or Optional?
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aggression: Intentional behavior aimed at causing physical harm or psychological pain to another person
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Most social psychologists believe that aggression is an optional strategy: We humans are born with the capacity for aggressive behavior, but how, whether, when, and where we express it is learned and depends on our circumstances and culture
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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
Aggression frequently stems from the need to reciprocate after being provoked by aggressive behavior from another person.
weapons effect: The increase in aggression that can occur because of the mere presence of a gun or other weapon
Most of the experimental evidence demonstrates that watching violence does increase the frequency of aggressive behavior, angry emotions, and hostile thoughts
Longitudinal research finds that the more violence children watch, the more aggressively they behave later as teenagers and young adults
Taking all this research together, we conclude that frequent exposure to violent media, especially in the form of violent video games, does have an impact on average children and adolescents, but the impact is greatest on those who are already prone to violent behavior.
the use of 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
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
it IS possible to control anger by actively enabling it to dissipate. Actively enabling means using such simple devices as counting to 10 (or 100!) before shooting your mouth off.
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One way to reduce aggression, then, is to teach people such techniques as how to communicate anger or criticism in constructive ways, how to negotiate and compromise when conflicts arise, and how to apologize when they need to
Typically, any apology sincerely given and in which the perpetrator takes full responsibility is effective.
Challenge Hypothesis
Testosterone relates to aggression only when there are opportunities for reproduction
Dual-Hormone Hypothesis
Testosterone relates to dominance-seeking behavior only when the stress hormone, cortisol, is not elevated
Social-cognitive learning theory
The 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
alchohol, pain, heat: increase aggression
contributors to sexual assault: Sexual scripts vary according to one’s culture, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and geographic region, and they change over time. One dominant script in America for young straight women and men is that the female’s role is to resist the male’s sexual advances and that the male’s role is to be persistent.
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Disrupting the rejection rage cycle: Research from social psychology shows that it should be possible to make our schools safer, as well as more pleasant and humane, by bringing about a change in the negative, exclusionary social atmosphere and by building empathy among schoolchildren.
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