Aggression and Violence

Overview

• The module discusses the causes and consequences of human aggression and violence.
• Covers both internal and external causes of aggression.
• Discusses effective and ineffective techniques for reducing aggression.

Learning Objectives

• Define aggression and differentiate it from violence.
• Compare perceptions of global violence with historical data.
• Identify internal and external causes of aggression.
• Understand techniques for reducing aggression.

Key Definitions

• Aggression: Behavior intended to harm another who does not want to be harmed.
• Violence: Aggression intended to cause extreme physical harm.

Introduction

• Quote from Yoda: "Anger, fear, aggression; the dark side of the Force are they."
• Example of aggression: Adam Lanza's shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.
• Researchers study internal and external factors influencing aggression.

Internal Factors

Age

• Toddlers (1-3 years) are most aggressive, using physical aggression to resolve conflict.
• Aggression decreases with age, though a small subset becomes more aggressive over time.

Gender

• Males are generally more physically aggressive than females.
• Females engage more in relational aggression (e.g., gossiping, excluding others).

Personality and Cognitive Biases

• The Dark Triad (narcissism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism) linked to aggression.
• Hostile cognitive biases: hostile attribution, perception, and expectation biases.

External Factors

Frustration and Unpleasant Events

• Frustrations and other unpleasant events can cause aggression.
• Examples include social rejections, hot temperatures, and crowding.

Alcohol

• Alcohol is associated with increased aggression.
• Two theories: pharmacological (alcohol disrupts cognitive processes) and expectancy (cultural beliefs link alcohol to aggression).

Reducing Aggression

Ineffective Methods

Catharsis

• Acting aggressively does not reduce anger; it can increase it.

Punishment

• Often not effective; can model the aggressive behavior it seeks to prevent.

Successful Interventions

• Target multiple causes of aggression collectively.
• Early intervention is crucial for effectively reducing aggression.
• External causes are easier to change than internal causes.

Conclusion

• Despite the prevalence of aggression, violence is decreasing globally.
• Knowledge of factors influencing aggression helps in addressing these behaviors effectively.

Outside Resources

• Book by Bushman & Huesmann (2010): "Aggression."
• TED Talk by Zak Ebrahim: Choosing peace.
• Video by Brad Bushman on aggression research.

Discussion Questions

1. Discuss examples meeting the definitions of aggression and violence.
2. Consider the changeability of aggression causes to reduce aggressive behavior.

Vocabulary

• Catharsis: Belief that expressing aggression purges anger.
• Hostile Attribution Bias: Seeing ambiguous actions as hostile.
• Relational Aggression: Harming social relationships.
• Punishment: Inflicting pain to decrease behavior likelihood.

References

• A comprehensive list detailing studies and articles on aggression.