AggressionAggression

Motivation&

Emotion

Motivation&

Emotion

What is Aggression?

Aggression

• Presenting an aversive stimulus to an unwilling victim

Types of Aggression

• Hostile Aggression– Striking out against someone or something because of anger or frustration (e.g., road rage)

Types of Aggression

• Instrumental Aggression– Desired results obtained through hostile means due to reinforced hostile behavior (e.g., a bully who gains respect of his/her peers)

Factors Increasin

g Aggressiv

e Behavior

Factors Increasin

g Aggressiv

e Behavior

• Neurological Factors– Activation of certain regions in the limbic system

• Environmental Factors

– Crowding and temperature

Theories of Aggression

Biological Perspective of Aggression

• Hypothalamus prompts instinctive aggressive actions when electrically stimulated. In higher animals, however, the brain(cerebral cortex) seems to moderate the aggression (inhibit it).

Psychodynamic Perspective of

Aggression• Reactions to the frustrations of daily life. Frustrations come from ungratified Id impulses, which, of course, can never be fully satisfied.

Cognitive Perspective of Aggression

• We act aggressively if we choose to, based on our values, how we process information in the world; therefore, if we feel it is justified or not

Learning Perspective of Aggression

• Acquired through principles of reinforcement. If aggression gets us what we want, it is reinforced and the behavior will increase.

Sociocultural Perspective on

Aggression• Cultures foster aggression (or not) The United States fosters competitiveness, independence, and differentiation allowing children to be “under-controlled”. The problem (side effect) arising from this is Aggression.

• other cultures foster politeness and deference & their children tend to be “over-controlled”

• This fosters side effects like sleep disorders, irrational fears, and physical problems… but NOT aggression.

• You Get What You Foster

Definitions of Aggression

Proposed by psychologists

Freeman (1982)

• “Behavior intended to hurt another person”

McGee & Wilson (1984)

• “Any behavior whose intent is to inflict harm or injury on another living being.”

Lefreancois (1982)

• “Hostile or forceful action intended to dominate or violate.”

Atkinson, Atkinson & Hilgard (1983)• “Behavior that is intended to injure another person (physically or verbally) or to destroy property.”

Buss (1961)

• “A response that delivers noxious stimuli to another organism.”

What does or does not constitute aggression?

Even the experts can’t agree

• MOTIVALTION CONFLICT

• Approach-approach conflict: choosing between two positive or desirable alternatives.

• Avoidance-avoidance conflict: choosing between two negative or mutually undesirable alternatives.

• Approach-avoidance conflict: being attracted to and repelled bye the same goal.

• Double approach-avoidance conflict: being simultaneously attracted to and repelled by each of two alternatives.