Question 1

A sports psychologist observed the behavior of fans during an especially violent hockey game.He found that as the game progressed, spectators became more belligerent and hostile, not less.These findings present a direct challenge to the assumption that ________ reduces aggression.

Accepted Answer

The findings challenge the assumption that vicariously discharging aggressive impulses (through watching violence) reduces aggression, as the spectators became more hostile instead of less.

Question 2

A researcher (Pennebaker, 1990) asked people who had experienced a traumatic event to describe the event and how they experienced it.Six months later, he found that these people

Accepted Answer

Pennebaker found that those who wrote about their traumatic experience were healthier six months later, indicating that expressive writing may have a positive impact on physical health. There is no evidence given to suggest that the participants were less likely to let their frustration lead to aggression or that they made either internal or external attributions for the traumatic event.

Question 3

Ed is steaming mad and ready to punch the next person he sees.According to the authors of your text, what is the first, best thing he should do to help him resolve his anger effectively?

Accepted Answer

Taking a deep breath and counting to ten is a useful technique to help calm down before taking any action. Venting anger through physical violence or derogating someone may make the situation worse and cause harm to others. Keeping anger bottled up inside can also be harmful to one's own well-being.

Question 4

Based on the research presented in your text on aggression, what advice would you give to Tim, who just found out he didn't make the baseball team and is angry?

Accepted Answer

The best choice would be for Tim to try to relax and restrain urges to be aggressive. Engaging in violent activities, such as watching a violent movie or playing a violent game, may increase aggression rather than reduce it. Hitting a punching bag may also reinforce aggressive behavior as a way to cope with negative emotions. Instead, taking a few deep breaths, going for a walk, or talking to a friend or family member about his disappointment in not making the team may be more helpful in managing his anger.

Question 5

You've arrived half an hour late to pick up a friend.She was scheduled to take an examination, and even if you speed on the way to the university, she will now lose at least twenty minutes of the time she needs to complete the exam.According to the authors, what is the best thing to say when you arrive?

Accepted Answer

Apologizing and taking responsibility for being late is the best option in this situation. It shows that you acknowledge and understand the impact of your lateness on your friend's exam.

Question 6

A sports psychologist observed the behavior of fans during an especially violent hockey game.Contrary to predictions based on the notion of catharsis, Russell found that the belligerence and hostility of the spectators

Accepted Answer

The notion of catharsis suggests that aggressive behavior should decrease after witnessing violence, but Russell found that the spectators' belligerence and hostility increased throughout the game.

Question 7

________ theory can be used to explain why participants will derogate victims after they have done those victims physical or psychological harm.

Accepted Answer

Cognitive dissonance theory suggests that individuals experience discomfort or dissonance when their beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors are inconsistent with each other. In the case of derogating victims, individuals may experience discomfort knowing that they have caused harm to someone who did not deserve it. To reduce this dissonance, they may derogate the victim in order to justify their behavior and maintain a positive self-concept.

Question 8

Based on research on the idea of catharsis, what is the bottom line-does catharsis work to reduce aggression?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that the idea of catharsis, which suggests that expressing aggression or engaging in aggressive activities can reduce a person's aggressive feelings, does not effectively reduce aggression. Instead, it can actually increase aggression in individuals.

Question 9

Researchers conducted an experiment in which male participants were angered by a confederate.Angry participants then either recorded the confederate's errors or shocked him every time he made an error.Finally, all participants were given the opportunity to shock the confederate.These researchers found that contrary to ________, those participants who ________ later delivered stronger and more frequent shocks to the confederate.

Accepted Answer

The experiment goes against the catharsis hypothesis which suggests that engaging in aggressive behavior such as shocking or hitting something will reduce one's aggressive tendencies. However, the participants who had previously delivered shocks delivered stronger and more frequent shocks, contradicting the catharsis hypothesis. Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

Question 10

According to cognitive dissonance theorists, when people attempt to vent their aggressive impulses by harming another person, they are more likely to engage in later acts of aggression because

Accepted Answer

According to cognitive dissonance theory, when people harm others, it creates a state of psychological discomfort, or dissonance, because their actions contradict their values of being a good person. In order to reduce this dissonance, they may derogate the victim by blaming them or making them seem deserving of the harm. This justifies the initial aggressive behavior and reduces dissonance. However, this derogation increases later aggression because it strengthens the belief that the victim is a deserving target. Therefore, the correct answer is B, as it accurately describes how aggression towards others can lead to future acts of aggression.

Question 11

According to the authors, when we are angry, it is best to

Accepted Answer

According to the authors, expressing anger assertively and calmly can help reduce the likelihood of further anger and aggression. It is important to communicate our anger and the reasons behind it, while also remaining respectful towards others. Additionally, this approach can help address the problem that caused the anger in the first place.

Question 12

Anger control through "active enabling" might involve which of the following?

Accepted Answer

"Active enabling" refers to strategies that allow individuals to release and divert their anger in a healthy and constructive way. Options A, C, and D all involve aggressive or violent activities that may reinforce angry impulses rather than help control them. Option B, on the other hand, encourages individuals to take a moment to step back and regulate their emotions before responding in a negative way. Deep breathing and counting to ten has been shown to be an effective anger control technique as it allows emotions to settle down while providing time to think before reacting impulsively.

Question 13

The research (Pennebaker, 1990) on "opening up" about the experience of traumatic events finds that expressing one's thoughts and feelings about these events is helpful primarily because

Accepted Answer

Expressing thoughts and feelings about traumatic events helps primarily by fostering insights and increased self-awareness, as it allows individuals to process their experiences, understand them better, and integrate these understandings into their sense of self.

Question 14

According to research on the effects of apologies in reducing later aggression, which of the following statements is true about the effects of apologies? Apologies

Accepted Answer

According to research, apologies that are sincere and include an explanation are the most effective in reducing later aggression. This is because they address both the emotional and cognitive aspects of forgiveness, helping the offended party to understand why the offender acted as they did and demonstrating that the offender is taking responsibility for their actions. Although apologies can also be effective if the offender can right the wrong, this may not always be possible, whereas a sincere apology is always within reach. The effectiveness of apologies does not depend on whether they are made in public or private. Finally, while apologies may help to reduce dissonance, their primary benefit is in promoting forgiveness and reducing aggression.

Question 15

According to Pennebaker (1990), talking about our angry feelings and their sources can be physically and psychologically beneficial because

Accepted Answer

According to Pennebaker (1990), talking about our angry feelings and their sources can be physically and psychologically beneficial because such self-disclosures often result in insights and increased self-awareness. Venting and mutual understanding (A), apologies from the offending party (C), and reducing aggressive impulses (D) are not specifically mentioned as benefits in Pennebaker's work.

Question 16

Recall that participants in a research experiment presented in the text were insulted by an alleged medical technician who was taking some physiological measurements.Half of the participants were given the chance to vent their hostility, and half were not.Those who were allowed to vent their hostility by complaining to the technician's supervisor

Accepted Answer

Participants who vented their hostility by complaining often experience increased feelings of dislike and hostility, as venting can reinforce negative emotions rather than alleviate them.

Question 17

Who would be more likely to expect an apology?

Accepted Answer

In general, European cultures, including French culture, place a higher value on apologies and expect them more often.

Question 18

Recall that participants in a research experiment presented in the text were insulted by an alleged medical technician and that those who were allowed to vent their hostility to the technician's supervisor subsequently felt even greater dislike and hostility towards the technician than did those who did not get a chance to complain.This increase in dislike after complaining is most likely due to

Accepted Answer

When participants vent their hostility, they may experience cognitive dissonance if their actions (complaining) do not align with their feelings (dislike). To reduce this dissonance, they may increase their dislike for the technician to justify their behavior.

Question 19

You woke up late and are far behind at work.When you reach the end of your rope, you treat your secretary with hostility and disrespect.This mistreatment causes you to experience dissonance, which you are most likely to reduce by

Accepted Answer

The answer of You woke up late and are far...

Question 20

The authors of your text suggest that openly and rationally discussing something that has made you angry with close friends can lead to

Accepted Answer

The authors suggest that openly and rationally discussing anger can lead to increased understanding and empathy between friends, and ultimately strengthen the friendship. Option A is incorrect because conflict may arise during the discussion, but that does not necessarily mean there will be greater conflict after the fact. Option C is incorrect because discussing the issue can actually prevent the friendship from ending. Option D is incorrect because the goal of the discussion is to express anger in a healthy way, not to act out in aggression.

Quiz 12: Aggression: Why Do We Hurt Other People Can We Prevent It