Psychodynamic approach to aggression
unconsious drive - thanatos (death instinct)
builds up and needs to be redirected –> catharsis
Excitation transfer hypothesis of aggression
Something causes high excitation but this excitation is misattributed for another stimulus leading to aggression
Gender difference in aggression
men are more physically aggressive, women are more indirect
may be due to socialisation
How does alcohol influence aggression?
compromises cortical control and increases activity in more primitive brain areas
placebo effect
priming effect
more susceptible to pressure
How does crowding influence aggression?
population density correlated to crime rates
anonymity in crowds
disinhibition
deindividuation
Laboratory paradigms such as the noise-blast task are most often criticised because they:
May have limited ecological validity
Which factor is best classified as a personal determinant of aggression?
Trait hostility
Noise blast task (TAP)
participant chooses loudeness/duration of a loud noise punishment to deliver to another participant
demonstrates tendencies for provocation and retaliation
Hostile aggression
driven by anger, aiming to inflict pain or injury, making it emotional and impulsive (like a bar fight)
Instrumental aggression
a cold, calculated tactic to achieve an external goal, where causing harm isn’t the primary aim but a tool (like a rugby tackle to win the ball)
Personal determinant
internal, individual factors like beliefs, knowledge, attitudes, emotions, and resilience that shape a person’s actions and decisions
General aggression model (GAM)
integrates personal traits, situational factors, and immediate internal states (thoughts, feelings, arousal) to predict aggressive behaviour
Frustration-aggression hypothesis
suggests that frustration, caused by an obstacle blocking a goal, leads to aggression, which serves as a cathartic release
Which measure of aggression would best capture covert aggressive tendencies?
Self-report questionnaires
Which biological factor is most consistently associated with increased aggression?
Low serotonin activity
A driver becomes aggressive after being cut off in traffic, especially when already stressed and late for work. Which framework best explains this behaviour?
General Aggression Model
Which societal-level factor is most strongly associated with aggression rates across cultures?
Climate
Which internal state component in the GAM is most directly influenced by hostile attribution bias?
Cognition
Which research method provides the strongest evidence for causal effects of situational factors on aggression
Laboratory experiments manipulating provocation
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Organisational Psychology14
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The Intention-Behaviour Gap26
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Bridging the I-B Gap16
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Affiliation, Acceptance and Rejection22
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Personality and Individual Differences18
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Prosocial behaviour20
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Aggression19
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Social Influences on Health and Environmental Behaviours21
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General Psychology Terms12
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Social Methods3
