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AGGRESSION

1. SOCIAL APPROACHES

   • SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY
   • DEINDIVIDUATION
     • A01/ OUTLINE
       • The idea that social arousal and a large crowd can lead to a feeling of anonymity, where individuals don't fear criticism by others or accountability, so act more aggressively than their personal or social norms.
         • ZIMBARDO (1969) - An example of the link between deindividuation and decreased aggression. Teachers were required to give participants electric shocks to 'aid learning'. In one condition, the 'teachers' wore bulky lab coats and hoods, were not addressed by name and were not introduced to the learners; i.e. they were anonymous, so this was the deindividuated condition. In the other condition, individuals wore normal clothing, a large name tag, were given instructions by name and were introduced to the learners. This was the inviduated condition. Particiapnts in the deindividuated study shocked the learner twice as much as those in the individuated condition.
       • The idea that when in a large, anonymous group and socially aroused people often behave in a more aggressive way than they would normally due to a decreased worry of accountability.
     • A02/ EVALUATION
       • Supporting: Diener et al (1976). 27 women gave sweets out to 1000 trick or treaters. Half had their names and addresses taken (individuated), half were anonymous (deindividuated). Whilst talking to the children, the women took a phone call and told the children to take one sweet. They found the anonymous children were more likely to steal more sweets due to deindividuation. Although due to deception this study has some ethical issues and age bias and the poor operationalization of aggression means this is weak evidence.
         • Supporting: Francis et al (2006). Deindividuation can have desirable effects. Adolescents reported feeling significantly more comfortable with seeking help with mental health issues under the deindividuated circumstances of internet chat rooms rather than a personal appointment with a health professional. Self-report techniques can be unreliable though. So this could be seen as weak evidence.
       • Opposing: Postmes and Spears (1998). As a meta-anaylsis, this study is strong evidence.
     • IDA
   • INSTITUTIONAL AGGRESSION

2. BIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS

   • NEURAL AND HORMONAL MECHANISMS
   • GENETIC FACTORS

3. EVOLUTIONARY APPROACHES

   • ON AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL
   • AT A GROUP LEVEL

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