PS270 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9: Verbal Behavior, Machismo, Poverty Threshold
Document Summary
Aggression is physical or verbal behaviour intended to cause harm. Excludes unintentional harm like auto accidents, all about intent. Excludes actions that may involve pain as a side effect of helping someone (dental treatments) Aims to injure but only as a means to some other end. Bullies do this often to seek to demonstrate their dominance and high status. Frustration always leads to some form of aggression. Frustration is anything that blocks our attainment of a goal. Our motivation to achieve a goal is strong. Displacement: displacing hostilities to safer targets, more likely whe the target shares some similarity to the instigator and does some minor irritating act that unleahses the displaced aggression. We"re less likely to respond aggressively if person apologizes or accepts responsibility. Revised theory states frustration produces anger, an emotional readiness to aggress. Frustration arises from the gap between expectations and attainments. Most economically frustrated people are middle class north americans who aspire to be rich.
