Question 1

Which of the following is the best example of hostile aggression?

Accepted Answer

A)  Bernie is angry at his mother and screams at her, "I hate you!" 
B)  Angela threatens her younger brother to force him to give up a toy which belongs to her. 
C)  A lineman sacks a quarterback to put him out of the game. 
D)  An angry driver loses control and runs his car into a ditch.

Question 2

Which of the following is false?

Accepted Answer

A)  Watching television violence can strengthen people's learned inhibitions against violent behavior. 
B)  Watching television violence can prime feelings of anger and make people likely to misattribute feelings of mild irritation as intense anger. 
C)  Watching television makes people think that the world is a dangerous and hostile place. 
D)  Watching television violence reduces people's sympathy for the victims of violence.

Question 3

Andrea asks her friends to spread a nasty rumor about her opponent for the office of class president to attempt to damage his reputation in the days before the election. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  instrumental aggression. 
B)  hostile aggression. 
C)  assertiveness. 
D)  extreme prejudice.

Question 4

According to evolutionary theory, some psychologists argue that men are programmed to be aggressive. What is their explanation for this claim?

Accepted Answer

A)  Men are stronger than women, thus more aggressive. 
B)  Men are socialized to be more aggressive. 
C)  Aggression may help men perpetuate their genes. 
D)  Acts of aggression and violence are attractive to many women.

Question 5

Because violence is of concern to social psychologists and the public, a great deal of research has focused on the effects of exposure to televised violence on both children and adults. Many studies have found support for social-learning theory explanations for the effects of violent television. What are four reasons why television violence contributes to aggressive behavior in children and adults?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Because violence is of concern to social...

Question 6

Teresa punches a pillow every time she feels aggression building up toward her younger brother, and this makes her feel relieved and more relaxed. Such an outcome supports the notion of

Accepted Answer

A)  aggressive stimuli. 
B)  catharsis. 
C)  avoidance coping. 
D)  dehumanization.

Question 7

A person with which trait would you warn a friend about dating because it is characteristic of sexually aggressive males?

Accepted Answer

A)  narcissistic 
B)  extraverted 
C)  depressed 
D)  loner

Question 8

A preschool teacher encourages an angry child to "use your words" to express anger at another child. In essence, the teacher is encouraging ________, which reduces aggression.

Accepted Answer

A)  catharsis 
B)  passivity 
C)  empathy 
D)  communication

Question 9

Based on social learning theory, what is one reason why parents who were abused as children are more likely to abuse their own children in turn?

Accepted Answer

A)  Aggression is inherited. 
B)  They are usually uneducated. 
C)  They learned that violence is acceptable. 
D)  They are pressured by the grandparents to use an iron fist.

Question 10

Some people argue that aggression is innate rather than learned. Describe research evidence that genetics are not the whole story behind animal aggression.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Some people argue that aggression is innate...

Question 11

Which statement below most accurately reflects the relationship between alcohol and aggression?

Accepted Answer

A)  Alcohol makes all people more aggressive. 
B)  People who are prone to violence are most likely to be high alcohol consumers. 
C)  Alcohol interferes with our ability to attribute ambiguous behavior to situations. 
D)  Alcohol will not make violence-prone people more likely to aggress if they are in a situation where violence is condemned.

Question 12

Research on the effects of violent videogames on aggression demonstrates that the effects of such games on aggression are

Accepted Answer

A)  much less than the comparable effects of aggressive television, since the game itself gives children an outlet. 
B)  significant, but only for those children who were shown to be more prone to violence beforehand. 
C)  significant, but the effects are due to the correlation of aggression with income. 
D)  significant, and a causal as well as a correlational relationship has been demonstrated.

Question 13

One determinant of whether we will respond aggressively when provoked is whether

Accepted Answer

A)  we perceive the provocation as intentional. 
B)  there are mitigating circumstances known at the time of the aggression but not at the time of the frustration. 
C)  provocation was accompanied by forewarning. 
D)  provocation takes the form of a threat.

Question 14

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

A)  dissonance reduction processes. 
B)  the anchoring/adjustment heuristic. 
C)  the frustration-aggression effect. 
D)  social learning theory.

Question 15

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

A)  demonstrated an increase in physiological arousal after they complained. 
B)  expressed even more dislike for and hostility toward the technician. 
C)  demonstrated a decrease in physiological arousal. 
D)  agreed to do a favor for the technician.

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