Define Frustration aggression hyp
Theory that argues aggression is always the outcome of frustration (when prevented from achieving goals)
A01 key points
-frustration aggression hypothesis
-catharsis
-The weapon effect
Issues with biological explanations?
-don’t get to root of peoples experiences of agg
-social psychological can address way someone experiences agg
What are the 3 social psychological explanations of agg?
- Frustration agg hyp
- Social learning theory of agg
- De-individualisation + agg
Who came up with the fus agg hyp
Dollard (1939)
What is the fuse agg hyp?
-States that frustration always leads to agg which is a result of of frustration
- agg is a psychological drive to biological drives such as hunger
-we experience this fuss when we out attempts to achieve a goal is blocked by an external factor which creates an agg drive
Why does aggression occur? (Key term that removes negative emotion?)
- the aggressive drive create =ed leads to agg behaviour/thoughts causing individual to displace anger onto friend/something else
-this removes the negative emotion - catharsis
-the agg created is satisfies reducing drive and making further agg less likely = feel better
3 reasons why agg is not always expressed directly against serve of frustration?
- Cause abstract ( economic situation/government)
- Cause too powerful (risk punishment by aggressing against it) teacher gives bad grade but may get onto trouble if agg
- Cause may be unavailable ( no opp to be angry, person leaves room)
Frustration may be taken out on…
Someone weaker or younger that sees vulnerable and available
Weapon effect
- even if we become angry we might not behave aggressively
-Berkowitz says frustration merely creates a readiness for agg
-presence of agg cues r an element of hyp
Weapon effect lab study
- ppts were given real electric shocks by confed creating anger + frus
-the no. Of shocks were greater when there were two guns on a stable compared to other conditions when there were no guns
-suggests role of cues/presence of enviromental cues stimulates agg
Russell green study
-uni students (men) completed a jigsaw puzzle += level of frustration was manipulated
-group 1 - puzzle = impossible to solve
-group 2 - ran out of time as confederate kept interfering
-group 3 - 3rd group,, confederate insulted ppts as failed to solve puzzle
All ppts later had opp to give confederates shocks
3rd group were more likely to give more shocks due to environmental cue (insults)
Limitation of frus agg hyp
-May not be cathartic
-bushman found ppts who vented anger by hitting punch bags actually became more aggressive
-doing nothing was more affective at reducing agg
-he says venting = petrol to put put fire
-suggest fus hyp not valid
Strength of ra for a key concept of fus agg hyp
Newhall conducted meta analysis of 49 studies of displaced agg
Agg beh directed against human target
R’s concluded that displaced agg is a reliable phenomenon more agg towards innocent people
Shows frus can lead to agg against weaker target
Lim of frus agg hyp
-Link between fus + agg = complex
-Not clear weather fus causes agg +agg does concur without frus. Frus doesn’t always mean agg
-nothing about link between 2
-suggest frus hyp agg = inadequate as explains how agg arises in some sits but not all
Lim of frus hyp agg (other examples)
From an evolutionary perspective agg isn’t caused by frus
-ev implies adaptions +bio aspect
-frus hyp disregards
