Social Psychology. Lecture I. Topic: Aggression and violence

Transcription

1 Social Psychology Lecture I Topic: Aggression and violence

2 Development of violent crime 2013: cases of violent crime share of total crime 3,1% Source: Polizeiliche Kriminalstatistik (PKS) 2013, S. 252 Social psychology I Topic: Aggression 2

3 Development of violence Baier, D., Pfeiffer, C., Simonson, J. & Rabold, S. (2009). Jugendliche in Deutschland als Opfer und Täter von Gewalt. Hannover: KfN Forschungsbericht Nr Social psychology I Topic: Aggression 3

4 Table 1. Homicide rates in five European regions, Note: The table lists simple arithmetic averages of all point estimates in the respective period. Values in parentheses are especially unreliable, because they are based on less than five point estimates. Italic entries are based on national statistics. Eisner, M. (2002). Langfristige Gewaltentwicklung: Empirische Befunde und theoretische Erklärungsansätze. In W. Heitmeyer & J. Hagan (Hrsg.), Internationales Handbuch der Gewaltforschung (S ). Wiesbaden: Westdeutscher Verlag. Social psychology I Topic: Aggression 4

5 Aggression: Definitions 1. Aggression is a physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt someone. (Myers, 1999) 2. Any and every activity by which a person seeks to inflict bodily damage or physical pain upon a person who is motivated to avoid such infliction constitutes aggressive behavior. (Zillmann, 1979) Differentiation Reactive-impulsive and Controlled-instrumental subtype of aggression Myers, D. G. (1999). Social psychology. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill. Zillmann, D. (1979). Hostility and aggression. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. Social psychology I Topic: Aggression 5

6 Some important explanations for aggression Psychodynamic explanations (Freud, 1941; Lorenz, 1963) Cathartic hypothesis, Hydraulic model Frustration-aggression hypothesis Theory of aggressive cues Excitation-transfer model Learning theories Instrumental conditioning Observational learning Freud, S. (1941). Abriss der Psychoanalyse. London: Imago. Lorenz, K. (1963). Das sogenannte Böse. Wien: Borotha-Schoeler. Dollard, J., Doob, L. W., Miller, N. E., Mowrer, O. H. Sears, R. R. (1939). Frustration and aggression. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Bandura, A. (1983). Psychological mechanisms of aggression. In R. G. Geen & E. I. Donnerstein (eds.), Aggression. Theoretical and empirical reviews, vol. 1, (pp. 1-40). New York: Academic Press. Social psychology I Topic: Aggression 6

7 Social psychology I Topic: Aggression 7

8 Frustration and aggressive cues (Berkowitz & LePage, 1967) Frustration Aggression Aggressive cues Subjects: Cover story: Procedure: IVs: DV: 100 students of psychology Physiological reaction to stress 2 subjects present, 1 is confederate of the experimenter, problem solving task, subjects evaluate each other s solution via electric shock 1. Frustration: high (7 e-shocks) or low (1 e-shock) 2. Cues (aggressive related, aggressive unrelated, none, irrelevant) Number of e-shocks given to confederate Cues Frustration low high Gun owned by confederate Gun owned by another person None Badminton racket 4.60 Berkowitz, L. & LePage, A. (1967). Weapons as aggression-eliciting stimuli. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 7, Social psychology I Topic: Aggression 8

9 Bandura, A. (1983): Observational Learning Bandura, A. (1983). Psychological mechanisms of aggression. In R. G. Geen & E. I. Donnerstein (eds.), Aggression. Theoretical and empirical reviews, vol. 1 (pp. 1-40). New York: Academic Press. Social psychology I Topic: Aggression 9

10 Mean average durations of aggressive responses 6 Media consumption and aggression Girls Boys Nonaggressive Aggressive Liebert, R.M. & Baron, R.A. (1972). Some immediate effects of televised violence on children s behavior. Developmental psychology, 6, Social psychology I Topic: Aggression 10

11 Media consumption and aggression Huesman, L. R., Eron, L. D., Lefkowitz, M. M. & Walder, L. O. (1984). Stability of aggression over time and generations. Developmental psychology, 20, Social psychology I Topic: Aggression 11

12 The influence of the media Anderson, C. A. & Bushman, B. J. (2002). Human aggression. Annual Review of Psychology, 53, Social psychology I Topic: Aggression 12

13 The influence of the media Anderson, C. A. & Bushman, B. J. (2002). Human aggression. Annual Review of Psychology, 53, Social psychology I Topic: Aggression 13

14 Preventive measures Primary prevention: the goal is to create circumstances that prevent the emergence of problem behavior in the first place Secundary prevention: already-emerged problem behavior shall be reduced or dissolved Tertiary prevention / intervention: already-emerged problem behavior, which is expected not to vanish, shall be limited in its negative consequences Social psychology I Topic: Aggression 14

15 Preventive measures The Olweus Program (1) influencing factors familiar upbringing patterns - emotional denial - permissivity - punitive methods genetic and personality factors (Learned) aggressive behavioral patterns - positive reinforcement (intermitting contingency) - model character violent action resulting reactions of the concerned victims : - passiveness - silence - withdrawal fellow students: - passiveness - voyeurism - blind followers teachers: - weak, inconsistent, missing actions parents: - no reaction possible reactions of the concerned victims : - frightened - insecure fellow students: - frightened - fascinated Teachers: - indecisive - discordant - helpless parents: - get to know little or nothing Olweus, D. (1999). Gewalt in der Schule. Göttingen: Hans Huber. Social psychology I Topic: Aggression 15

16 Preventive measures The Olweus Program (2) Is based on the Social Learning Theory (see Bandura, 1986) Includes measures on several different levels measures on school level (e.g., questionnaires, pedagogical days, contact telephone, better supervision) measures on class level (e.g., class rules against violence, commendation, regular conversations in class, cooperative learning) measures on individual level (e.g., serious discussions with bully, bullied victim and parents, changing class or school) Well-evaluated in Norway and by Hannewinkel & Eichler (1999) in Schleswig-Holstein. Olweus, D. (1999). Gewalt in der Schule. Göttingen: Hans Huber. Social psychology I Topic: Aggression 16

17 Theories Aggression (following frustration) can be increased if aggressive cues, which are associated with aggressive thoughts in the learning history of the individual (aggressive associate networks), are present in the situation. The disposition towards aggressive reactions (following provocations) depends on the testosterone level. Social psychology I Topic: Aggression 17

18 Testosterone and aggression Hypothesis: Aggressive provocation: Testosterone Participants: Procedure: IVs: DVs: Aggression 34 people (15 females, average age 23 years) measurement of testosterone from saliva samples series of Ultimatum Game decisions = decision whether to accept or reject (both players receive nothing) a sharing offer of $10 made by another participant 1. Fair ($5:$5 and $6:$4) or unfair offer 2. Testosterone level rejection of the offer (indicator for aggression) Unfair offer: Testosterone Beta =.12 (.35) rejection Metha, P. H. & Beer, J. (2009). Neural mechanisms and the testosterone-aggression-relation: The role of orbitofrontal cortex. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 22, Social psychology I Topic: Aggression 18

19 Coleman s bathtub Coleman, J. S. (1990). Foundations of social theory. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, p. 8. Social psychology I Topic: Aggression 19

20 Aggressive cues, testosterone and aggression Hypothesis: Aggressive cues Aggression Testosterone Participants: Cover story: Procedure: 30 male students Effects of attention direction on taste performance 15 min Inspection of an object and writing an instruction manual IV: DV: Mouse Trap vs. Revolver r =.61 Handgun ( Desert Eagle Automatic Handgun ) vs. Children s toy ( Mouse Trap ) 1. Pre-Post testosterone change in saliva (mediator) 2. amount of Frank s Red Hot Saucewhich should be consumed by another participant r =.36 (.62) Testosterone r =.64 Hot Sauce (g) Klinesmith, J., Kasser, T. & McAndrew, F. T. (2006). Guns, testosterone, and aggression. Psychological Science, 17, Social psychology I Topic: Aggression 20

21 Social psychology I Topic: Aggression 21

22 Testosterone and aggression Hypothesis: Aggressive provocation: Testosterone Aggression Participants: Procedure: IVs: DVs: Unfair offer: Testosterone 34 people (15 females, average age: 23 years) measurement of testosterone from saliva samples series of Ultimatum Game decisions = decision whether to accept or reject (reject=nobody receives money) to share $10 in a certain way offerd by another participant 1. Fair ($5:$5 and $6:$4) or unfair offer 2. Testosterone level rejection of the offer (indicator for aggression) OFC activity (fmri) Beta =.12 (.35) OFC activity rejection Metha, P. H. & Beer, J. (2009). Neural mechanisms and the testosterone-aggression-relation: The role of orbitofrontal cortex. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 22, Social psychology I Topic: Aggression 22

23 Aggressive cues and aggression Culture of honor Frustration: aggressive cues Aggression Nisbett, R. E. (1993). Violence and U.S. regional culture. American Psychologists, 48, Sozialpsychologie I Thema: Aggression 23