Victim reactions in aggressive erotic films as a factor in violence against women.

Investigated whether the behavioral characteristics of the people in erotic films and the nature of the targets available for aggression afterward can affect subsequent aggression. In Exp I, 80 male undergraduates were angered by a male or female confederate. They were then shown a neutral film or 1 of 3 erotic films. The erotic films differed in terms of their aggressive content (2 were aggressive and 1 was not) and the reactions of the female victim in the 2 aggressive films (positive vs negative). Ss were then allowed to aggress against the confederate via electric shock. Results indicated that films had no effect on male targets, whereas both types of aggressive erotic films increased aggression toward the females. In Exp II with 80 male Ss, the effects of the above films on nonangry viewers were investigated with only female confederates. Results indicate that angered Ss were more aggressive toward the female after viewing either aggressive erotic film but that only the positive-outcome aggressive film increased aggression in nonangered Ss. The theoretical and applied aspects of aggressive and nonaggressive erotica are discussed. (40 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behavioral and physiological reactions to observed violence: Effects of prior exposure to aggressive stimuli.

80 male undergraduates first watched videotaped sequences that were arousing, but which contained different degrees of violence. Ss then observed either a 2nd videotape of a sequence of aggressive acts or no videotape. Ss who were shown the 2nd videotape were told that the aggressive acts they saw were either justified or not justified, or were given no information regarding justification. It was found that Ss who had first seen an arousing but less violent tape were subsequently more aggressive toward an antagonist if they had observed justified violence. Ss who had first watched the violent videotape showed no differences in aggression as a function of the justification of the 2nd set of aggressive acts. Analysis of blood pressure data showed that prior exposure to violence attenuated arousal in response to subsequently observed aggression. The results are discussed in terms of differential sensitivity to cues that inhibit or disinhibit aggression. (9 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Does media violence increase children's toleration of real-life aggression?

Randomly divided 22 male and 22 female 3rd and 4th graders into groups for a 2 * 2 (Sex * Film/No Film) factorial design. Ss in the aggressive film group saw a cowboy film that depicted many violent events. All Ss were led to believe that they were responsible for watching the behavior of 2 younger children whom they could see on a videotape monitor. The younger children at first played quietly, then became progressively destructive. Their altercation culminated in a physical fight ending with the apparent destruction of the television camera. The dependent measures were (a) the time it took an S to seek adult help after the younger children began to be disruptive and (b) whether or not the S waited until the younger children had begun to abuse one another physically before seeking adult help. Results show that (a) Ss who saw an aggressive film took longer to seek adult help than Ss who did not see the film and (b) Ss in the film group were much more likely to tolerate all but violent physical aggression and destruction before seeking help. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Stability and change in aggression and withdrawal in middle childhood and early adolescence.

Examined stability and change in aggression and withdrawal in the context of both normal and deviant behavioral development. The design included 3 age cohorts with a total of 653 Ss separated in age by 3 yrs. Aggression and withdrawal were measured using the Peer Evaluation Inventory initially when the Ss were in Grades 1, 4, and 7 and a 2nd time when the Ss were in Grades 4, 7, and 10, respectively. Members of 4 classification groups were included in the sample: 183 Ss in an aggressive group, 219 Ss in a withdrawn group, 251 Ss in an aggressive-withdrawn group, and a nondeviant control group consisting of 1,103 Ss. The stability of aggression was found to be moderately high, regardless of sex of S or grade at time of initial assessment. Moderate stability was found for withdrawal for both boys and girls when initial assessments were conducted at Grades 4 and 7. The withdrawn Ss became more withdrawn over the 3-yr period. It is concluded that, for many children, the problems of aggression and withdrawal do not appear to be transitory. (34 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Vicarious reinforcement and imitative learning.

The present experiment was designed to study the influence of response-consequences to the model on the imitative learning of aggression. Nursery school children were assigned randomly to 1 of the following groups: aggressive model-rewarded; aggressive model-punished; a control group shown highly expressive but nonaggressive models; and a 2nd control group which had no exposure to models. The children were then tested for the incidence of postexposure imitative and nonimitative aggressive responses. Children who witnessed the aggressive model rewarded showed more imitative aggression and preferred to emulate the successful aggressor than children in the aggressive model-punished group who both failed to reproduce his behavior and rejected him as a model for emulation. Control over aggression was vicariously transmitted to boys by the administration of aversive stimuli to the model, and to girls by the presentation of incompatible prosocial examples of behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effect of situational contingencies on female retaliative behavior.

Most studies that have found sex differences in aggression have reported that males are more aggressive than females. Recent evidence, however, suggests that the expectation of female nonaggressiveness may be unwarranted. The present study attempted to reconcile these differences by considering the contingencies of female aggression. 30 undergraduate females competed in a task designed to measure aggression (a) alone, (b) in the presence of a silent observer, or (c) in the presence of a supportive observer. Results indicated that as provocation increased, Ss in the private condition responded more aggressively than did Ss in the public condition. Also, Ss who responded in the presence of an audience were more aggressive when the observer was supportive than when she was silent. It is concluded that the usual findings of female nonaggressiveness may be attributable to women's expectations of disapproval for aggressive behavior. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Facilitating effects of erotica on aggression against women.

To examine the effects of highly erotic stimuli on aggression against females, 60 male undergraduates were angered by a male or female confederate and exposed to an erotic film, an aggressive film, or a nonfilm condition. Ss were given 2 opportunities to aggress against the confederate. Both the aggressive and the erotic films increased aggression against both targets during the 1st and 2nd aggression opportunities; however, the erotic film facilitated aggression against the female target across the 2 aggression sessions. The processes operating to cause this increase are discussed in terms of reducing restraints against aggressive behavior and the specific cue value of erotic films. (33 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Desensitization to media violence: Links with habitual media violence exposure, aggressive cognitions, and aggressive behavior.

This study examined the links between desensitization to violent media stimuli and habitual media violence exposure as a predictor and aggressive cognitions and behavior as outcome variables. Two weeks after completing measures of habitual media violence exposure, trait aggression, trait arousability, and normative beliefs about aggression, undergraduates (N = 303) saw a violent film clip and a sad or a funny comparison clip. Skin conductance level (SCL) was measured continuously, and ratings of anxious and pleasant arousal were obtained after each clip. Following the clips, participants completed a lexical decision task to measure accessibility of aggressive cognitions and a competitive reaction time task to measure aggressive behavior. Habitual media violence exposure correlated negatively with SCL during violent clips and positively with pleasant arousal, response times for aggressive words, and trait aggression, but it was unrelated to anxious arousal and aggressive responding during the reaction time task. In path analyses controlling for trait aggression, normative beliefs, and trait arousability, habitual media violence exposure predicted faster accessibility of aggressive cognitions, partly mediated by higher pleasant arousal. Unprovoked aggression during the reaction time task was predicted by lower anxious arousal. Neither habitual media violence usage nor anxious or pleasant arousal predicted provoked aggression during the laboratory task, and SCL was unrelated to aggressive cognitions and behavior. No relations were found between habitual media violence viewing and arousal in response to the sad and funny film clips, and arousal in response to the sad and funny clips did not predict aggressive cognitions or aggressive behavior on the laboratory task. This suggests that the observed desensitization effects are specific to violent content. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive controls and aggression in children: The concept of cognitive–affective balance.

160 6–15 yr old psychiatric patients (97 males, 63 females) were assigned to high- or low-aggression groups on the basis of their performance on the Miniature Situations Test. The majority of Ss were diagnosed as having attention deficit, conduct, and anxiety disorders; the remaining Ss were diagnosed as having borderline or psychotic disorders. The groups (along with age and sex variables) were compared with 2 tests of the leveling/sharpening cognitive control—one presenting nonaggressive stimuli and the other stimuli that aroused aggressive fantasies/affects. High-aggression Ss showed more cognitive sharpening when managing aggressive stimuli and more leveling with nonaggressive stimuli. A significant interaction with sex was also observed. Findings support the concept of cognitive–affective balance (i.e., the unique manner in which personalities coordinate and meet both the requirements of external stimuli/tasks and those of fantasies/affects). Results are discussed in terms of aggression as a personality characteristic and whether psychosexual identity and sex are syntonic. The concept of cognitive–affective balance is related to other models addressing the relationship between cognition and personality/emotions. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Role of affective assessment in modeling aggressive behavior.

Examined the role of affective assessment, a self-generated influence in learning acquisition, in the A. Bandura et al (1963) modeling-of-aggression procedure. 32 1st- and 2nd-grade children rated toys and televised acts of aggression against an inflated doll according to their personal affective preference. A matched control group of 32 children was yoked to the affective preferences of the experimental Ss. Control Ss were not shown the televised aggression. All Ss were then introduced to a free-play situation in which toys and an inflated doll were present. In line with the Bandura et al findings, it was predicted that observational learning would be demonstrated across conditions. However, in line with logical learning theory, it was predicted that Ss would model affectively preferred aggressive acts and toys more readily than affectively dispreferred acts and toys. Boys and girls differed significantly only in their imitation of positively rated aggressive actions, not in their imitation of negatively rated actions. Ramifications for the TV violence/aggression issue are discussed. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive mediators of aggression in adolescent offenders: II. Intervention.

A 12-session intervention program, based on a model of social–cognitive development, was designed to remediate cognitive factors identified as correlates of aggression (R. G. Slaby and N. G. Guerra; see record 1989-01839-001). 120 male and female adolescents incarcerated for aggression offenses participated in either the cognitive mediation training program, an attention control group, or a no-treatment group. Compared with Ss in both control groups, Ss in the treatment group showed increased skills in solving social problems, decreased endorsement of beliefs supporting aggression, and decreased aggressive, impulsive, and inflexible behaviors, as rated by staff. Posttest aggression was directly related to change in cognitive factors. No group differences were detected for number of parole violators up to 24 months after release. The ways in which changes in cognitive skills and beliefs may mediate changes in aggressive behavior are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Scapegoating: An experimental investigation.

A group of 48 high prejudice (HP) Ss and 48 low prejudice (LP) Ss were studied, with ? of each group exposed to an aggression including film and ? to a control film. When a measure of fantasy aggression (Objective Apperception Test) was employed, LP Ss exceeded HP Ss in expression of prejudice. However, when a verbal measure of prejudice (Triandis and Triandis Social Distance scale) was employed, an increase in prejudice always followed instigation to aggression, HP Ss always exceeded LP Ss in expression of prejudice, and scapegoating was specifically isolated towards the Chinese. (18 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Persuasibility in young children as a function of aggressive motivation and aggression conflict.

This study investigating the dynamic bases of the reported negative relationship of overt aggression to persuasibility postulated that low persuasibility is associated with an overtly aggressive orientation, high persuasibility with a defensive need to inhibit strong aggressive motivation, and medium presuasibility with a relative absence of aggressive motivation and inhibitions against aggression. 3 groups of 15 were selected from an initial sample of 169 1st-grade boys for high, medium, and low presuasibility, and were compared on aggressive motivation and an aggression conflict ratio. The results are that High and Low persuasible (P) Ss have more aggressive motivation than Medium P Ss; High P Ss have a smaller aggression conflict ratio than Low P Ss. The results thus support the initial postulates. (16 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of erotic stimuli on male aggression toward females.

To examine the effects of highly erotic films on aggression toward females, 72 male undergraduates were first either angered or treated in a neutral manner by a male or female confederate. After viewing a highly erotic or a neutral film, Ss were given an opportunity to both aggress against and reward the confederate. Erotic films were found to increase aggression overall, but there was no indication of differential aggression as a function of sex of target. Results for physiological arousal, however, suggested that aggression was possibly inhibited for Ss exposed to an erotic film and paired with a female. Suggestions for future lines of research based on the notion of inhibition are offered, along with observations regarding the sexual arousal and aggression relationship. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relation of early socialization experiences to aggression in middle childhood.

A follow-up study (7 years after) on the Ss in the original investigation on patterns of child rearing (Sears et al., 1957). Parental attitude towards child rearing and attitudes towards aggression when S was 5 were related to patterns of aggressive behavior and attitudes toward agression expressed by Ss at age 12. The manner of expressing aggression was seen to be a function of sex of the child and specific familial attitudes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Maternal permissiveness toward aggression and subsequent TAT aggression.

To test the hypothesis that the effect of permissiveness towards the expression of aggression in childhood extends into adulthood, 2 groups of Ss (100 college girls), distinguished by the degree of maternal permissiveness towards the expression of aggression (derived from questionnaires answered by the mothers), were placed in an aggression-arousing situation (inducted by making highly insulting and deprecating comments to them). Subsequently, Ss were asked to respond to TAT cards (selected on the basis of being high or low in aggressiveness and presented on a screen for 20 sec.). Ss reared under conditions of high maternal permissiveness responded more frequently with aggressive responses to the "aggressive" cards than did the low permissive group. The low permissive group felt more uncomfortable and dysphoric than Ss reared under conditions of greater permissiveness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An investigation of the frustration-aggression relation in children.

Describes an experiment with males in Grades 1-3 (N = 80) involving variations in level of frustration, type of model behavior, and model's outcomes. Neither initial level of frustration nor the female model's outcome had a significant effect on level of post-modeling aggression, although the model-behavior variable did have a significant impact. Ss rated by teachers as high in aggressive tendencies showed significantly greater increases in aggression in response to an aggressive model than Ss rated low in aggressive tendencies. (French summary) (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A test between deindividuation and emergent norm theories of crowd aggression.

In groups of 6–8, 89 female undergraduates who were either anonymous or identifiable to each other acted as an audience to a pair of discussants. Ss were given the opportunity to administer loud noise to the discussants. The response displayed to each group as an alleged average was manipulated so that Ss were led to believe that either an aggressive or a lenient norm had developed. As predicted by deindividuation theory, anonymous Ss administered significantly higher levels of noise than identifiable Ss. Anonymous Ss used equally loud noise regardless of group norm. Self-ratings provided evidence that the effects of anonymity were mediated by a psychological state of deindividuation, in addition to freedom from accountability for individual acts. There was no support for the crucial emergent norm theory prediction that aggression will be greatest when Ss who are identifiable to each other are exposed to an aggressive norm. (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Aggression, need for social approval, and humor preferences.

This study investigated the humor preferences of Ss with extreme scores on need aggression and need for social approval under alcohol and nonalcohol conditions. Since aggression is disapproved by the middle class, conflict in the S was inferred by the relationships between these 2 scores. High-aggression Ss rated aggressive cartoons as funnier than did low-aggression Ss. Nonsense cartoons were rated higher by high need for social approval Ss than by low need for social approval Ss. Alcohol seemed to facilitate the expression of repressed aggressive needs in humor since the ratings of aggressive cartoons by high aggression-high need for social approval Ss were greater under alcohol than nonalcohol conditions. This difference was not found for high aggression-low need for social approval Ss, nor for the Ss with low need aggression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)