Question 1

According to cognitive dissonance theory, why will edict of an "eye for an eye" fail to stop a cycle of violence?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance theory suggests that when we harm others, we experience dissonance and must justify our actions by devaluing the victim, perpetuating a cycle of violence.

Question 2

Patterson measured the hostility of high-school football players both one week before and one week after the football season. He found that:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Patterson measured the hostility of high-school football...

Question 3

In the experiment by Barker, Dembo, and Lewin, in which children were delayed or not delayed from playing with attractive toys, the greater aggression of children who were delayed from playing with the toys probably occurred because:

Accepted Answer

The delayed children were frustrated because they had been led to expect to play with the toys, but were then delayed from doing so. This frustration likely led to increased aggression towards the other children who were not delayed and able to play with the toys. Therefore, the greater aggression of delayed children is likely due to frustration and not liking the situation they were put in. Relative deprivation and anger towards other children were not the primary factors in this study.

Question 4

John is frustrated by doing poorly on a college chemistry test because he felt he really knew the material. After the test, he thought he would "blow off steam" by going to his favorite bar and playing video games. This example highlights the principle underlying:

Accepted Answer

This example highlights the principle of catharsis, which is the release of emotional tension. John is frustrated after doing poorly on his test, and he seeks to alleviate this tension by going to his favorite bar and playing video games. This may help him feel better temporarily, but it does not address the underlying issue of why he did poorly on the test or how he can improve in the future.

Question 5

Freud's catharsis theory suggests that a violent or aggressive act will release pent-up aggression, and decrease future acts of violence. What does the research into this idea suggest?

Accepted Answer

The research suggests that the catharsis theory is incorrect, as acting aggressively tends to lead to more acts of aggression rather than decrease them. In fact, aggressive behavior can even become a habit that reinforces itself, leading to a cycle of increasing aggression.

Question 6

Alcohol is involved in ________ percent of violent crimes arrests.

Accepted Answer

According to research, alcohol is involved in 75 percent of violent crimes arrests.

Question 7

When the amygdala is stimulated in a monkey's brain it will:

Accepted Answer

The answer of When the amygdala is stimulated in a...

Question 8

The catharsis theory of aggression holds that:

Accepted Answer

The catharsis theory of aggression suggests that expressing aggressive behavior or fantasies can purge those feelings, thereby reducing the likelihood of further aggressive acts. This is based on the idea that venting aggression in a controlled manner can be therapeutic and reduce the impulse for future aggression.

Question 9

Which of the following are NOT true about males and females in regards to aggression?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following are NOT true...

Question 10

Barker, Dembo, and Lewin's classic study of children who were either delayed or not delayed from entering a room full of attractive toys showed that, with regard to aggression:

Accepted Answer

Barker, Dembo, and Lewin found that children who were delayed from playing with the toys experienced frustration and were more aggressive than children who were not delayed. This suggests that frustration can lead to increased aggression in children.

Question 11

Dissonance reduction theory predicts that once a person has hurt another, he will be ________ likely to hurt the person again in the future. This explanation is ________ the idea of catharsis.

Accepted Answer

Dissonance reduction theory suggests that after hurting someone, a person may justify their actions to reduce cognitive dissonance, making them more likely to hurt the person again. This is contrary to the idea of catharsis, which suggests that expressing aggression reduces future aggression.

Question 12

Research on the effects of testosterone on aggression suggests that:

Accepted Answer

Research has consistently found that physical forms of aggression in males are associated with higher levels of testosterone. However, the relationship between testosterone and aggression is not as clear in females, and research on this topic has yielded mixed findings. Additionally, the association between testosterone and aggression in males is influenced by a variety of factors, including cultural norms and individual differences in personality and social context. Finally, behaving aggressively has been shown to temporarily increase testosterone levels in males, not reduce them.

Question 13

In Kahn's experiment, students were allowed to express their hostile feelings towards a medical technician who had made derogatory remarks about them. Compared to students who were not allowed to vent, students who vented:

Accepted Answer

Expressing aggression often leads to increased negative feelings towards the target, as it can reinforce and justify the initial hostility.

Question 14

In a "natural experiment" in the real world, some technicians who were laid off by their company were given a chance to verbalize their hostility against their ex-bosses, while other technicians did not have this opportunity. Later, when given a chance to talk about their ex-bosses, workers who had voiced their hostility were ________ than workers who had not voiced their hostility.

Accepted Answer

The workers who had voiced their hostility were more likely to hold onto negative feelings and resentment towards their ex-bosses, therefore making them more negative in their descriptions of them.

Question 15

Broadly speaking, the hormone that is most often associated with aggressive behavior in both humans and lower animals is:

Accepted Answer

Testosterone is a hormone that is primarily associated with the development of male reproductive tissues and secondary sexual characteristics. However, it has also been linked to increased levels of aggression in both humans and lower animals. Studies have found that testosterone levels are often higher in individuals who exhibit more aggressive behaviors, and hormone replacement therapy using testosterone has been shown to increase aggressive tendencies in both men and women.

Question 16

The fact that monkeys who are lower in the dominance hierarchy of their group will not attack monkeys who are higher in the hierarchy, even when their brain is stimulated, suggests that:

Accepted Answer

The fact that monkeys' aggressive behavior is modified by their social hierarchy indicates that aggression is heavily influenced by social learning rather than being solely innately determined or solely learned since our earliest evolutionary times. This also suggests that human aggression, which is similarly influenced by social factors, can be traced back to lower primates.

Question 17

Catharsis refers to the idea that:

Accepted Answer

Catharsis refers to the idea that engaging in violent or aggressive behavior can reduce pent-up aggressive energy and therefore decrease the likelihood of future aggression. However, research has not supported this idea and it is now widely believed that engaging in violence only reinforces and increases aggressive tendencies.

Question 18

Research on the effect of environmental conditions suggest that higher air temperature:

Accepted Answer

Higher air temperatures have been linked to increased hostility and aggression due to heightened physiological arousal and discomfort.

Question 19

Which of the following perspectives would encourage you to let children watch violent TV programs?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following perspectives would encourage...

Question 20

Neurological research indicates that when we try to use the same amount of force in a retaliation that was used in the original attack on us:

Accepted Answer

Neurological research suggests that people tend to apply greater force in retaliation than was used in the original attack, often without realizing it, due to the brain's perception and response mechanisms.

Quiz 6: Aggression