A2 Psychology Hampton College

1. A2 PsychologyHampton College Psya3 Aggressive Behaviour Learning outcomes: To find out why people become aggressive Be aware of the different situations in which aggression can exist Use the explanations to reduce aggressive behaviour Miss Keightley

2. A2 Psychology Overview – resit revision for AS papers at Friday lunch

3. A2 key issues to be aware of • Longer essays • More research and independent study needed • Form arguments and make solid conclusions • Issues, debates and approaches Issues – science, ethics, the use of animals, Debates- nature vs nurture, reductionism, free will vs determinism Approaches- psychodynamic, cognitive, biological, behavioural and humanistic

4. A’ level Psychology – assessment criteria Ao1 – knowledge (description of a theory) Ao2 – application (applying the theory to an unfamiliar setting, using research to support/contradict a theory, using other examples such as those from the news/media) and evaluation (pros and cons for theories and research) Ao3 – links to science, use of IDA, conclusions

5. A2 Psychology Homework Set every Monday due for the following Monday Every Monday you come with all parts of the homework If you are missing any of it for whatever reason you will be sent away and marked as absent You should spend 4- 5 hrs a week on Psychology homework 1 part- study work (reading and making notes) 2nd part- essay/project/presentation preparation/research All research should be hand written Any homework problems see me before Monday

6. Learning objectives for Monday 6/09/10 Be able to define aggression Be aware of the social psychological approach to aggression Be able to apply such theories to real life aggression Homework due for 13/09/10 • Read and make notes on the social psychological approach to aggression (hand written using a textbook/other sources beyond the lesson, minimum 2 sides) • Study- research and find examples of prison violence/riots (include details to allow you to identify potential causes) Extension work Make notes on research evidence linking video game violence to actual violence. Evaluate the conclusions drawn (essay style).

7. Aggression - AQA exam criteria Social psychological approaches to explaining aggression • Social psychological theories of aggression, for example, social learning theory, deindividuation Explanations of institutional aggression for example prison aggression Biological explanations of aggression • The role of neural and hormonal mechanisms in aggression • The role of genetic factors in aggressive behaviour Aggressionas an adaptive response • Evolutionary explanations of human aggression, including infidelity and jealousy Explanations of group display in humans, for example sports events and lynch

8. Connection – Think of some examples of real life aggression Pick 3 of these and attempt to explain why they may have occurred e.g. serial stabber in America – possibly a serial killer, gaining something from stabbing (psychological/physical)

9. Exploring the causes of aggression http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAjWi663kXc–Zidane’s head butting episode DanoSonnex

10. Hugh McFall – murdered wife and daughter Hugh battered his wife and daughter with a mallet in the middle of the night. He then committed suicide. He apologised in the note. The acts were linked to financial trouble he was believed to be in.

11. Cultural variations What is ‘aggression’ varies depending on where you are in the world and the time period. For instance, you see a female being hit by a male, clear example of domestic violence. Is this acceptable in the UK?

12. Somalia • A 13 year old girl was raped by 3 men. • Her father reported it to the police only for them to declare it an act of adultery under Islamic law • She was stoned to death on 27th October 2008 by a group of 50 men • 1000 spectators • 1 boy tried to stop it and he was shot dead

13. Iran • 16th October 2008 the death penalty for under 18 year olds was discussed. • It was decided that they would no longer execute under 18s as a matter of course • However, certain cases may still go to the death penalty but this is to be private • At the moment 130 under 18s await the death penalty

14. Turkey

15. Cultural factors • What specifically in the UK causes us to be aggressive?

16. Defining aggression • Hostile- caused by being provoked/upset. Aim to harm • Instrumental- to gain a reward, e.g. money, means to an end • Pro-social- aggression to prevent greater harm, e.g. police shoot a terrorist Tony Martin shot burglars- what type of aggression is this?

17. Social psychological approaches Social Learning Theory- ‘of the many cues that influence behaviour, at any time, none is more common than the actions of others’ Bandura, 86

18. Social LearningTheory Aggression- will take place if it is: Associated with a reward (e.g. praise/self-esteem) A result of indirect/direct learning Berkowitz and Bandura– aggression is instinctive but it is more the product of learning.

19. Social learning theory • Bandura(77) 4 steps to modelling: 1-Attention 2-Retention 3-Reproduction 4-Motivation • Evidence Individuals are more likely to imitate others if it results in outcome they like; model is similar to the observer; task observed is easy/v.hard Study- modelling and Bobo dolls Variation-Bandura: children not allowed to play for 10 mins, got frustrated then was more aggressive with the doll • Evaluation – ethical? Studies http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdh7MngntnI

20. Learned through direct experience Skinner’s principle of operant reinforcement Learned by vicarious experience, e.g. a child learns a behaviour from seeing a role model do something.

21. Observing aggression • Most common aggression is reinforced by family members • Siegel (92) the boy who sees his father attack his mother, is more likely to become violent • Aggression is also more likely to be replicated if it is more life like • It is also more likely to be replicated if the viewer identifies with the aggressor

22. Evaluating SLT Think back to the examples you provided at the beginning of the lesson Can SLT explain all of them? What are the advantages and disadvantages of SLT? How useful is it as a theory? If what they are arguing is true, what implications does this have?

23. Key evaluation points Is the research scientific? Is the theory based on scientific research? What is the sample like? Is the theory reductionist (focusing on one aspect, ignoring others)? Does the theory treat us as if we have no control over our behaviour (deterministic) or does it suggest we have a choice (free-will)? Were animals used in the study? How useful is it? What are the implications for the real world? Does the research have relevance for today’s real world (ecological validity)?

24. SLT – what does this all mean for TV/film/video game violence?

25. Media violence – can it lead to actual violence? The Matrix murders Manhunter game Natural born killers Marilyn Manson http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P27cnBizD7U

26. Your study In pairs, read through your study/review of media violence leading to actual violence. Sum up the aims, procedure, results and conclusions for the class Include an advantage or a disadvantage

27. Media influence research – does tv/film violence lead to actual violence? Group 1- Charlton Group 2- Bandura et al Group 3- Hodge and Tripp Group 4- The National TV Violence study Group 5- Glasgow Media Group Group 6- Buckingham

28. Do individuals really consider the consequences before being aggressive? • Discuss in pairs, use real life examples.

29. Summary - SLT • What are the main ideas of SLT? • What are the key principles of behaviourism? • Give one study to support SLT. • Provide one advantage and one disadvantage for the theory. • How useful is it as a theory to explain aggression? Extension- how would Freud account for aggression? Which theory do you support the most?

30. Deindividuation: presence of a group leads individual members to feel anonymous and act differently When are we deindividuated? Why would this change our behaviour?

31. The evidence • Zimbardo (71) prison study Zimbardo advertised for men to participate in a prison simulation experiment. The aim was to demonstrate the power of social roles on an individual’s behaviour. 24 men tested as psychologically and physically fit were used, they were randomly selected to prisoner or guard condition. It was intended to last 2 weeks but this was stopped after 6 days. The guards gradually began to treat the prisoners very poorly, waking them up in the middle of the night to force confrontation and deliberately humiliating them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmwSC5fS40w

32. http://www.prisonexp.org/psychology/5

33. Zimbardo (1969) In one study, participants were rendered anonymous by clothing them in oversized lab coats and hoods, compared with normal clothes and name tags in the control condition. The participants' task was to shock a confederate in a situation similar to the classic Milgram studies on obedience. In a first experiment using groups of female students, Zimbardo demonstrated that anonymous participants shocked longer (and therefore more painfully) than identifiable participants.

34. Mann (81) ‘baiting crowd’ • Mann analysed 21 incident of suicide reported in newspapers in the 60s and 70s. • In 10 / 21 cases where a crowd had gathered to watch, baiting had occurred, they had shouted ‘jump’.

35. . • Zimbardo (69) WHY WERE PEOPLE AGGRESSIVE? -individuated behaviour -deindividuated behaviour • LeBon (1895) studied French riots in the 1900s and devised a theory to explain why crowds can sometimes become violent. 1. Contagion (ideas and emotions spread rapidly); 2. Suggestibility (in this situation we are more easily suggestible); 3. Anonymity (if we can’t be identified, we behave differently to normal, usually for the worse)

36. Darkened room arousal study • Gergen et al. (73) Men and women asked to interact for an hour in an environmental chamber Only instructions- there are no rules • Dark • Lights on Results: 1-participants were bored 2. Hugged, 89% intentionally touched each other, fun DEINIDIVIDUATION DOES NOT ALWAYS LEAD TO AGGRESSION

37. Football hooliganism Can the ideas of deinidividuation be applied to football hooliganism? Marsh (78) argued that football hooliganism is more about ritualised aggression and gaining status than as a result of deindividuation.

38. Evaluating deindividuation • Can this explanation account for your type of aggression?

39. Evaluating deindividuation

40. Exam question • Outline and evaluate one social psychological aggression (9 marks + 16 marks)

41. Institutional aggression- why are people aggressive in hospitals and prisons? .

42. Prison violence has increased nearly six-fold between 1996 and 2005, Home Office figures show

43. Importation model Prisoners bring their own social histories/traits to prison (Irwin and Cressey, 62). An individual who has a good reputation/self view outside of prison, will have a good self view within prison. Someone who rates violence highly outside of prison, will rate it highly inside prison. DanoSonnex- 83 convictions against his family, all had served time in prison.

44. Deprivation model • Prison aggression may well be due to inmates being deprived of many things • This deprivation makes social relationships difficult when they leave prison/whilst in there Sykes (58) deprivations: • Of liberty • Of autonomy • Of goods and services • Of heterosexual relationships • Of security

45. The Popcorn model (Folger and Skarlicki, 95) • This says that the first person to become aggressive is like the first piece of corn to pop when the saucepan is heated. • What caused the heat in the first place that led the first person to be aggressive? • This suggests prisoners that are not normally aggressive may become so in prison due to the heat.

46. Management Model (Dilulio, 87) • Aggression in prisons happens because of failed management, high staff turnover and a lack of discipline among staff. • McCorkle et al. (95) Study of 371 US state prisons Measures of both individual and group aggression Results showed there was a stronger link between administration practices and aggression, e.g. ratio of white to black staff was linked to aggression. To reduce aggression- they recommended educational programmes. Likely to motivate people.

47. Evaluation of situational models Con Consistent levels of stress in prisons –situational models do not account for sudden riots appearing Pro Richards (07) examined inmate-on staff and inmate-on staff aggression and found levels of aggression varied from institution to institution Con Light (91) found that over 25% of prison violence had no apparent reason/motive Con Female aggression is completely different, strong bonds are typical amongst female inmates, aggression is due to other reasons

48. Biological explanations of aggression • Hormonal and neural mechanisms play a role in aggression • Testosterone and aggression are linked in adolescent males (Olweus et al 88) and females (Ehlers et al. 80) • Testosterone in females is particularly influential when there is too much of it directly after birth and in adulthood

49. Testosterone and aggression • Mostly studied in non-human animals • Involves removing and replacing hormones • Castration-one technique that leads to a significant decrease in testosterone • When testosterone is replaced in these animals, aggression increases (Simpson, 01) • Bethold (1849) noted behavioural changes in cockerals when castrated and then when testes were replaced • Is linked to birth date- castration near birth has the most effect

50. Testosterone- how does it affect animals and people? • Interacts with androgen and oestrogen receptors • During the critical period after birth changes can lead to a sensitive period allowing for the effects of testosterone that manifest in adulthood. • Presence of serotonin can reduce effects of testosterone • Subtraction and replacement- testosterone paradigm, appears to have support • But when a castrated animal is given 4 times the normal amount of testosterone, they are aggressive (Sapolsky, 97)