Deck 9: Aggression: Hurting Others

Question 1

Sigmund Freud argued that aggression ultimately springs from

A) an innate sexual drive.
B) a primitive death urge.
C) observation of aggressive adult models.
D) blocking of goal-directed behaviour.

Answer 1

a primitive death urge.

Question 2

In most studies of attack aggression, competing participants get to choose how much shock to give the loser after they beat him or her in one round of a contest. Which of the following axioms seems to guide the behaviour of participants who have received escalating shocks from a programmed opponent?
A.
"Turn the other cheek."
B.
"The word is mightier than the sword."
C.
"A soft

Answer 2

turneth away wrath."
D.
"An eye for an eye."

Question 3

In analyzing the causes of aggression, social psychologists have focused on three primary ideas. Which of the following is not one of them?

A) Aggression is a variable trait; some humans rarely behave aggressively, while others cannot control aggressive impulses.
B) There is an inborn aggressive drive among human beings.
C) Aggression is a natural response to frustration.
D) Like other social behaviours, aggression is learned.

Answer 3

Aggression is a variable trait; some humans rarely behave aggressively, while others cannot control aggressive impulses.

Question 4

In Schachter and Singer's classic study, participants injected with adrenaline were exposed to either an angry or a euphoric confederate. Participants who expected the injection to make them feel _____ became _____ when placed with the angry confederate.
A.
aroused; angry
B.
aroused; euphoric
C.
no side effects; angry
D.
no side effects; euphoric

Answer 4

A.
aroused; angry
B.
aroused; euphoric
C.
no side effects; angry
D.
no side effects; euphoric

Question 5

Philosopher Thomas Hobbes sees laws as necessary to restrain and control the "human brute." This brutish view of human nature was also held by

A) Jean-Jacque Rousseau
B) Albert Bandura
C) Sigmund Freud
D) Carl Rogers

Answer 5

Sigmund Freud

Question 6

The results of the Schachter and Singer experiment in which participants were injected with adrenaline prior to waiting with either a hostile or euphoric person support the idea that
A.
bodily arousal feeds one emotion or another depending on how we interpret the arousal.
B.
distinct physiological differences exist among the emotions.
C.
frustration is largely a function of our prior experience and of whom we compare ourselves with.
D.
every emotion triggers an opposing emotion.

Answer 6

A.
bodily arousal feeds one emotion or another depending on how we interpret the arousal.
B.
distinct physiological differences exist among the emotions.
C.
frustration is largely a function of our prior experience and of whom we compare ourselves with.
D.
every emotion triggers an opposing emotion.

Question 7

___________ aggression in humans appears to parallel __________ aggression in animals.

A) Hostile; silent
B) Hostile; social
C) Instrumental; social
D) Social; silent

Question 8

Imagine that Steve is driving home, when a car cuts him off on the highway. Under which of the following conditions is the most likely to be enraged by this incident?
A.
When he's on his way home from a 12-hour shift at work
B.
When he's on his way home from a lecture on stress reduction and relaxation techniques
C.
When he's on his way home from an electrifying rock concert
D.
When he's on his way home from his mother's house

Question 9

Of the following, which is the best example of instrumental aggression?

A) An angry football player tackles a quarterback after he has attempted a long pass.
B) A jealous wife finds her husband with another woman and shoots them both.
C) A group of mercenaries, hired to kill the dictator of a small country, arrange to poison him.
D) A man smashes his TV set after he cannot make it work.

Question 10

Nancy is running around in the park, playing a vigorous game with her children, when she sees someone who treated her badly at a recent social event. She feels a very strong surge of anger. This is an example of the idea that
A.
alcohol unleashes aggression.
B.
group membership increases hostility.
C.
arousal of any type feeds emotions.
D.
pheno-motives are dangerous.

Question 11

According to your text, ______________ is an example of the human potential for extraordinary cruelty across the globe.

A) conformity.
B) genocide.
C) kidnapping.
D) obedience.

Question 12

Sandra and her date Adrian are on a rollercoaster at the fair. After getting off the ride, Sandra is feeling like she may be falling in love with Adrian. This example can be best explained by the fact that
A.
arousal decreases aggressive impulses.
B.
engaging in similar events influences attraction.
C.
arousal decreases psychological inhibitions.
D.
arousal of any type feeds emotions.

Question 13

Aggression is any physical or verbal behaviour that

A) may result in physical or psychological damage.
B) springs from anger or hostility.
C) results in harm regardless of intent.
D) is intended to hurt someone.

Question 14

In a revision of frustration-aggression theory, Berkowitz maintained that frustration most directly produces
A.
anger.
B.
aggression.
C.
relative deprivation.
D.
arousal.

Question 15

Tawanda is upset with TinA. During a social gathering she verbally cuts Tina down in front of others. Tawanda's behaviour is

A) assertive.
B) manipulative.
C) aggressive.
D) an example of displacement.

Question 16

In a revision of frustration-aggression theory, Berkowitz emphasized the importance of
A.
aggressive cues, such as weapons.
B.
the role of biochemical influences, such as alcohol.
C.
relative deprivation and the adaptation level phenomenon.
D.
catharsis as a reducer of frustration.

Question 17

Twentieth-century humanity was the ________ educated, and homicidal, in history. Adding in genocides and human-made famines, there were approximately _____ million "deaths by mass unpleasantness."

A) most; 10
B) least; 10
C) most; 182
D) least; 182

Question 18

Berkowitz and LePage (1967) found that frustrated men delivered more shocks when
A.
guns happened to be in the room.
B.
badminton racquets happened to be in the room.
C.
they had just received a shot that lowers serotonin levels.
D.
they were initially depressed.

Question 19

According to the text, a dynamic salesperson who is self-assured, energetic, and "go-getting" on the sales floor should be described as

A) instrumentally aggressive.
B) manipulative.
C) aggressive.
D) assertive.

Question 20

Research suggests that the sight of a weapon can
A.
elicit frustration.
B.
sensitize one to the danger of violence.
C.
amplify aggression.
D.
produce catharsis.

Question 21

Which of the following would be considered aggression as the term is defined in the text?

A) A motorist accidentally hits a child who has run into the car's path.
B) An assertive salesperson manages to sell $200,000 worth of automobiles in one month.
C) A child attempts to hit a playmate with a rock but misses.
D) All of these choices.

Question 22

As a prominent social psychologist you have been asked to give advice to the government of a new nation. What should the government do to prevent as many murders as possible?
A.
It should carefully restrict handgun ownership.
B.
It should spend a great deal of money on policing.
C.
It should swiftly punish all murderers with the death penalty.
D.
It should institute long jail sentences for convicted murderers.

Question 23

According to research, a gun in the home has often meant the difference between ___________ and ___________, or between suffering and suicide.
A.
a fight; a funeral
B.
non conflict; persuasion
C.
a fight; a conflict
D.
none of these choices

Question 24

Who among the following argued that there is an inborn aggressive drive?

A) Bandura
B) Berkowitz
C) Lorenz
D) Dollard

Question 25

Researchers have argued that the presence of guns can elicit violence because they serve as aggression cues. According to your text, what other reason is associated with increased violence when guns, as compared to other weapons, are present?
A.
People conform to the situational influences around them.
B.
Social learning theory dictates that observed violence leads to displayed violence.
C.
Guns put psychological distance between the aggressor and the victim.
D.
Guns are arousing, but only when the individuals are familiar with them.

Question 26

The act of deliberately hurting someone while driven by anger and performed as an end in itself defines

A) aggression.
B) hostile aggression.
C) instrumental aggression.
D) deliberate aggression.

Question 27

Celeste lives in Vancouver, and her friend Yannick lives in Seattle. Based on research regarding restrictions on handgun ownership, which person is more likely to be the victim of gun-related violence?
A.
Celeste
B.
Yannick
C.
Both are equally likely to be the victim of gun-related violence.
D.
Neither person as cities on the West Coast have less violence overall than cities on the East Coast.

Question 28

Behaviour intended at harming and hurting someone defines

A) persuasion.
B) conformity.
C) foot-in-the-door phenomenon.
D) aggression.

Question 29

Which of the following has been found to be an effect of modelling sexual violence in movies and television?
A.
Women are more likely to believe rape is a serious crime
B.
Men become more accepting of violence against women
C.
Women become more aggressive toward other women
D.
All of these choices

Question 30

Which of the following would be an example of aggression as defined in the text?

A) Sam accidentally slams the car door too quickly, and it hits Tim's knee.
B) Luisa urges her classmates not to vote for Marcy for dormitory senator, citing some rumours about Marcy's social life.
C) Carla, a dentist, delivers a shot of Novocain before pulling her patient's diseased tooth.
D) Joe's eagerness and enthusiasm result in his being promoted to sales manager in a very short time.

Question 31

Repeated exposure to fictional scenes of a man overpowering and arousing a woman
A.
create a catharsis experience for men.
B.
distort people's perceptions of how women actually respond to sexual coercion.
C.
decrease men's aggression against women.
D.
None of these choices

Question 32

Which of the following is not an example of aggression?

A) terrorism
B) a predator stalking its prey
C) assisted suicide
D) bar brawl

Question 33

Viewing sexually violent movies _____________ men to brutality and results in _____________ for rape victims.
A.
sensitizes; less aggression
B.
sensitizes; more sympathy
C.
desensitizes; less sympathy
D.
desensitizes; more sympathy

Question 34

The death penalty has not been shown to effectively deter homicide. One reason for this is that most murders are the result of

A) hormonal influences.
B) hostile aggression.
C) instrumental aggression.
D) a malfunctioning amygdala.

Question 35

One of the reasons that it is important to protest the showing of movies that depict women enjoying sexual coercion is
A.
the norm of group cohesiveness.
B.
subtle messages can be very persuasive.
C.
deprivation leads to frustration.
D.
the strong effect of differential sensibility.

Question 36

Which of the following is false?

A) Animals' social aggression and silent aggression seem to involve the same brain region.
B) Alcohol enhances violence by reducing people's self-awareness.
C) Low levels of serotonin are often found in the violence-prone.
D) "Hostile" aggression springs from emotions such as anger.

Question 37

Two groups of research participants are shown the same very violent film. Group A is very disturbed by the film. Group B is not disturbed by the film. What is the most likely explanation for the difference?
A.
Group A has seen fewer violent films than Group B.
B.
Group A is in a large, dark room.
C.
Group B is experiencing parapraxis.
D.
There is no explanation.

Question 38

Instinctive behaviour is behaviour that is

A) survival-oriented and common to most members of a species.
B) innate, unlearned, and shown by all members of a species.
C) reflexive and automatic but easily overcome by learning.
D) the way members of a species ought to behave.

Question 39

Laboratory experiments confirm that exposure to violent pornography
A.
increases punitive behaviour toward women.
B.
increases punitive behaviour toward both men and women.
C.
increases men's sympathy toward female victimization.
D.
none of these choices.

Question 40

Cold, calculated mob murders should be classified as

A) genetically based.
B) hostile aggression.
C) instrumental aggression.
D) silent aggression.

Question 41

A study of Ontario rapists, child molesters, and non-sexual offenders found that
A.
non-sexual offenders used pornography more than rapists and child molesters, and they used it as an outlet to release their sexual tensions.
B.
rapists and child molesters used pornography much more than men who were not sexual offenders.
C.
pornography was not used widely in these populations, only serial killers show excessive rates of pornographic exposure.
D.
pornography is used widely regardless of the type of criminal you are.

Question 42

Research on neural, genetic, and biochemical influences on aggression suggest that

A) aggression is inevitable in some individuals.
B) violent behaviour is biologically programmed into human nature.
C) biological influences predispose some people more than others to react aggressively to conflict.
D) none of these choices.

Question 43

Check and Malamuth reported that students who read erotic rape stories and were then debriefed about the study's true purpose were
A.
more accepting of the "women enjoy rape" myth than other participants.
B.
less accepting of the "women enjoy rape" myth than other participants.
C.
more likely to overestimate the occurrence of rape in society than other participants.
D.
more likely to underestimate the occurrence of rape in society than other participants.

Question 44

Studies of hormonal influences on aggression indicate that

A) hormonal influences are as strong in humans as they are in lower animals.
B) after age 25, testosterone and rates of violent crime decrease together.
C) variations in testosterone seem to have no effect on behaviour within the normal range of teen boys and adult men.
D) All of these choices

Question 45

Men who sexually coerce women often combine ___________ with ___________.
A.
sexual fantasies; shyness.
B.
sexual fantasies; hostile masculinity.
C.
sexual promiscuity; shyness.
D.
sexual promiscuity; hostile masculinity.

Question 46

Raine and his colleagues found that

A) the occipital area was 25% less active than normal in nonabused murderers and 45% smaller in the antisocial men.
B) the parietal area was 2% less active than normal in nonabused murderers and 45% smaller in the antisocial men.
C) the prefrontal cortex was 14% less active than normal in nonabused murderers and 15% smaller in the antisocial men.
D) All of the above

Question 47

Sexually aggressive men typically
A.
are sexually promiscuous.
B.
exhibit hostility toward women.
C.
desire dominance.
D.
all of these choices

Question 48

Which theory is most susceptible to the criticism of trying to explain aggression by naming it?

A) instrumental aggression theory
B) instinct theory
C) frustration-aggression theory
D) social-learning theory

Question 49

As an alternative to strict censorship of pornography portraying sexual violence, many psychologists favour
A.
federal registration of all those producing and distributing pornographic materials.
B.
a heavy tax on the sale and distribution of pornographic materials.
C.
media awareness training designed to promote critical viewing skills.
D.
more adequate control of who is allowed to purchase pornographic materials.

Question 50

Your friend Regina tells you that geese must have a flocking instinct because she often sees geese in flocks. Regina is doing something that social psychologists have done with the problem of aggression. Regina is

A) mistaking habitat for ecology.
B) observing an adaptation-level phenomenon.
C) experiencing relative deprivation.
D) trying to explain observed behaviour by naming it.

Question 51

Watching violence on television gives people a harmless opportunity to vent their aggression." This statement is most clearly consistent with the ________________ hypothesis.
A.
sensitization
B.
catharsis
C.
frustration-aggression
D.
social learning

Question 52

In contrast to Freud's view of aggression, Lorenz argued that

A) aggression is innate.
B) aggression can be adaptive rather than self-destructive.
C) aggression is biologically influenced but is not instinctive.
D) aggression is socially learned.

Question 53

Research by the National Television Violence Survey found that ___________ programs contained physically compelling action that threatens to hurt or kill, or actual hurting or killing.
A.
4 in 10
B.
6 in 10
C.
8 in 10
D.
9 in 10

Question 54

Alcohol enhances aggressiveness by reducing

A) testosterone levels.
B) self-awareness.
C) activity in the amygdala.
D) All of the these choices

Question 55

The lead story on the evening news was about the riot that day in the city where Lynn lives. According to the catharsis hypothesis, after watching the footage of the riot, Lynn will likely feel
A.
the calmness that comes after emotional release.
B.
angrily aroused.
C.
either A or B, depending on how much she has had to drink.
D.
none of these choices.

Question 56

A person punching a wall after losing a game of checkers is an example of

A) regression.
B) displacement.
C) relative deprivation.
D) the weapons effect.

Question 57

Experimental evidence on the effects of viewing television violence leads to the conclusion that
A.
an aggressive predisposition in children causes a preference for TV violence.
B.
viewing TV violence increases violence.
C.
viewing TV violence causes increased serotonin levels in adolescent boys.
D.
viewing prime-time TV violence, but not cartoon violence, increases violence.

Question 58

Abnormal brains can contribute to __________ aggressive behaviour.

A) abnormally
B) normally
C) hostile
D) None of the above

Question 59

The conclusion of researchers on the relationship between violence in television and real-life aggressive behaviour is best stated as the following:
A.
Television is a cause of social violence but only in the long-term.
B.
Television is not correlated with social violence.
C.
Television is a controllable cause of social violence.
D.
Television violence and social aggression are correlated but are not causally linked.

Question 60

Laboratory studies have found that ___________ people's serotonin levels ____________ their responsiveness to aversive events and willingness to deliver electric shocks.

A) increasing; increases
B) increasing; decreases
C) decreasing; increases
D) decreasing; decreases

Question 61

Television violence can affect social behaviour in all but which of the following ways?
A.
Viewing violence produces a catharsis or release of aggressive energy.
B.
Viewing violence produces arousal in viewers.
C.
Viewing violence produces disinhibition in viewers.
D.
Media portrayals of violence evoke imitation.

Question 62

Which of the following statements about aggression is true?

A) Animals of many species can be bred for aggressiveness.
B) A fearless, impulsive, temper-prone child is at risk for violent behaviour in adolescence.
C) Identical twins are more likely than fraternal twins to agree on whether they have violent tempers.
D) All of these choices

Question 63

Eron and Huesmann found that violence viewing among 875 eight-year-olds correlated with aggressiveness even after statistically pulling out several obvious possible third factors. Moreover, when they restudied these individuals as 19 years olds they discovered that viewing violence at age 8 ___________ predicted aggressiveness at age 19, but that aggressiveness at age 8 __________ predict viewing violence at age 19.
A.
modestly; did not
B.
highly; did not
C.
did not; did
D.
highly; did

Question 64

Imagine that researchers have come up with a new substance called sumense, which decreases people's self-awareness and reduces their ability to consider the consequences of their actions. What effect do you expect sumense would have on adolescents' aggression?

A) There is no reason to believe it would have any effect.
B) Sumense would likely enhance aggression.
C) Sumense would likely decrease aggression.
D) Sumense would decrease aggressiveness of young males.

Question 65

According to research, viewing _______ portrayals is indeed associated with _______ behaviour.
A.
antisocial; antisocial
B.
antisocial; social
C.
social; antisocial
D.
none of these choices

Question 66

Which of the following best describes the relation between aggressive behaviour and testosterone?

A) Testosterone facilitates aggressiveness and aggressiveness boosts testosterone levels.
B) Testosterone facilitates aggressiveness only.
C) Aggressiveness boosts testosterone levels only.
D) There is no relation between aggressiveness and testosterone.

Question 67

According to research,
A.
pornography is cause of social violence.
B.
television is a cause of social violence.
C.
Both A and B.
D.
None of these choices.

Question 68

Research on alcohol and aggression has indicated that

A) violent people are both more likely to drink and more likely to become aggressive when intoxicated.
B) people who have been drinking commit about half of all violent crimes.
C) in experiments, intoxicated people administer stronger shocks.
D) all of these choices.

Question 69

Which of the following is not a reason why viewing television violence affects behaviour?
A.
it allows for emotional release
B.
it produces arousal
C.
it disinhibits behaviour
D.
it evokes imitation

Question 70

MacDonald and colleagues found that _________ people administer stronger shocks and feel angrier when thinking back on relationships.

A) intoxicated
B) fearless
C) impulsive
D) temperose

Question 71

Positive, constructive, helpful social behaviour; the opposite of antisocial behaviour defines
A.
altruism.
B.
prosocial behaviour.
C.
persuasion.
D.
conformity.

Question 72

Jessie's car had a flat tire in the rain. After she managed to fix it, she arrived home late only to have a parking spot just in front of her apartment taken by a faster driver. Entering her home, she kicks her pet cat, who is waiting at the door. Jessie's behaviour is perhaps most easily explained in terms of

A) frustration-aggression theory.
B) the adaptation-level phenomenon.
C) Murphy's law.
D) social learning theory.

Question 73

According to research,
A.
television's fictional world also mould our conceptions of the real world.
B.
television may affect our behaviour but it does not affect our thinking.
C.
television affect our behaviour but not our attitudes.
D.
Both B and C

Question 74

Instinct theories of aggression would have the most difficulty accounting for

A) silent and social aggression in animals.
B) wide variations in aggressiveness from culture to culture.
C) biochemical influences on aggression.
D) unprovoked outbursts of aggression.

Question 75

Which of the following is not a way in which television influences our thinking?
A.
social scripts
B.
altered perceptions
C.
cognitive priming
D.
sensitization

Question 76

Compared to prisoners convicted of non-violent crimes, those convicted of unprovoked violent crimes tend to

A) be first-borns.
B) have authoritarian attitudes.
C) be older.
D) have higher testosterone levels.

Question 77

Fourteen-year-old Kevin frequently watches violent television programs. This will most likely lead him to
A.
experience more distress at the sight of teens fighting on the streets.
B.
underestimate the actual frequency of violent crimes in the world.
C.
become more interested in resolving the conflict between two of his personal friends.
D.
become more fearful of being criminally assaulted.

Question 78

People in your class fit into one of two groups. The "Blues" are often depressed. The "Reds" are never depressed. The two groups are otherwise the same. You would expect that

A) the Blues have lower serotonin and are more likely to act aggressively.
B) the Reds have higher serotonin and are more likely to act aggressively.
C) the Blues have higher serotonin and are less likely to act aggressively.
D) the Reds have lower serotonin and are less likely to act aggressively.

Question 79

One of the dangers of viewing television violence is that it may provide us with ____________ on how to act in new situations or when we are uncertain.
A.
deindividuation
B.
social scripts
C.
catharsis
D.
diffusion of responsibility

Question 80

Which of the following has not been shown to be a biochemical influence on aggression?

A) alcohol
B) the amygdala
C) testosterone
D) serotonin