Social Psychological Explanations of Aggression

Social Psychological Explanations of Aggression 

Social Learning Theory:(SLT: We learn behaviours through observing 'models' with whom we identify.) Aggressive behaviour = learnt through observation, E.G: form it takes, who it can be directed towards and when it is or isn't appropriate to use.  Children unlikely to imitate behaviour unless motivated.                              Motivation can occur when behaviour = vicariously reinforced - children observe aggressive behaviour from model succeeding.Mental Representation:Bandura: Children must form mental representations of themselves performing the behaviour & possible outcome if they performed behaviour. If opportunity arises, children will perform behaviour - if expect positive consequences.Production of Behaviour:If rewarded, children likely to repeat aggressive behaviour = direct reinforcement.Value of aggressive behaviour increases because it becomes associated with rewards. Children will also have higher sense of confidence in using behavior to get what they want. 

Support for vicarious reinforcement (SLT) comes from Badura & Walters: Wanted to bridge gap between how and why children obtain an aggressive act. Group 1 - model rewarded for aggressive behaviour; Highest level of aggression shown in own play.Group 2 - model punished for aggressive behaviour; Lowest level of aggression.Group 3 - observed model but there were no consequences; Intermediate level of aggression.Children were learning about likely consequences of actions then adjusting  accordingly.This further suggests that group 1 children expected a reward and so were more likely to perform aggressive behaviour- learnt though vicarious reinforcement.

Bandura: found evidence to suggest that children imitate adult behaviour/aggression.Used 3-5 y/o's. Showed them specially prepared film clips of model behaving aggressively towards Bobo doll. 88% of children who observed the film subsequently imitated the behaviours seen when given opportunity to play with Bobo doll. No children in the control group showed these behaviours which appears to suggest that children have imitated the adults' aggressive behaviour.

Major limitation to lab studies = internal validity, specifically demand characteristics of Bandura's research.Noble: 1 child arriving at lab for study said 'Look mummy, there is the doll we have to hit.'Furthermore, children may have been acting in a way they felt was expected of them from experimenter rather than through real Aggression.

Real-world applications in evidence of relevance of SLT to explain aggression. Phillips: murder and assault rates in USA = almost always increased in week following major televised boxing bout.Suggests that viewers were imitating some of aggressive behaviour observed in boxing. 

Deindividuation:Festinger et al: deindividuation  = process by which people lose their sense of self-awareness and individuality, usually happens when their identities hidden. This theory = based on classic crowd theory of Gustave Le Bon, who believed an individual is transformed when part of crowd.Combination of anonymity, suggestibility and contagion mean that a 'collective mind' takes possession on individual. Consequence = individual loses self-control and becomes capable of acting in way that goes against personal/social norms. Hogg & Vaughan: it is loss of socialised individual identity that enables people to engage in anti-social & aggressive behaviours.

Support for the link between deindividuation and increased aggression can be seen with Zimbardo's study...Had 4 groups of undergraduate females, required to deliver electric shocks. 1/2 were deindividuated, 1/2 not.Ppts in deindividuated condition shocked 'learner' twice as long as individuated ppts.This suggests that when people feel anonymous = feel less guilty/aware of actions, therefore act more aggressively.

Social psychological explanations of aggression = reductionist. Focuses on behavioural approach alone.Fails to consider biological approach: hormones can be associated with aggression as suggested by psychologists such as Dabbs et al (testosterone levels associated with aggression). 

Support for self-efficacy in SLT of aggression= Perry et al.Found children described as highly aggressive by peers = also reported having greater confidence in ability to use aggression (resolve conflicts) than those rated as less aggressive. Further suggests individuals who act aggressively have added value to behaviour & have associated with positive reinforcement, therefore more likely to repeat. 

Ethical issues make SLT difficult to test experimentally: Considered unethical to expose children to aggressive behaviour knowing that they may then imitate acts in own behaviour.Thus many hypotheses forming part of theory of aggression can't be 'tested'.

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