PSYCH 360 Lecture Notes - Prosocial Behavior, Stepfamily, Inclusive Fitness
19 Apr 2013
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Document Summary
Hostile aggression, refers to behavior motivated by feelings of anger and hostility and whose primary aim is to harm another, either physically or psychologically. Instrumental aggression, refers to behavior that is intended to harm another in the service of motives other than pure hostility. People may harm others to gain status, to attract attention, to acquire wealth, and to advance political and ideological causes. Anger literally raises the temperature of the body because of the increase in blood pressure and the distribution of blood to certain places of the body, such as the hands. Research has shown that levels of aggression have been higher in places with hotter climates. People are also more aggressive during the hotter months (july and august). In the hotter months, rape and violence rates can be expected to increase. Heat increases arousal level, but people are typically unaware that heat is the source of their arousal.
