Deck 10: Aggression

Question 1

Which of the following is true regarding female physical aggression in relationships?

A) Females tend to be more physically violent in relationships than males.
B) The damage done by female acts of physical violence is less severe than that committed by men.
C) Female physical violence in relationships often is motivated by self-defense.
D) all of the above

Answer 1

all of the above

Question 2

What is the main reason that humans probably do not have a "death instinct" as Freud postulated?

A) Human beings don't kill themselves in large numbers.
B) Human beings don't kill other people in most societies.
C) A drive toward death would not have survived natural selection.
D) All of Freud's theories have been proven wrong by empirical research.

Answer 2

A drive toward death would not have survived natural selection.

Question 3

Michael spreads vicious slander about his boss in the hope that his boss will be fired and Michael will be chosen to replace him. This is an example of

A) instrumental aggression.
B) emotional aggression.
C) assertive aggression.
D) direct aggression.

Answer 3

instrumental aggression.

Question 4

A member of a gang goes into a liquor store and insults and threatens the store owner so that he will start to pay the gang regular "protection" money. This type of aggression may be classified as

A) indirect and instrumental.
B) indirect and emotional.
C) direct and instrumental.
D) direct and emotional.

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT an example of direct aggression?

A) engaging in malicious gossip
B) kicking someone in anger
C) verbally threatening another person
D) shoving someone out of your way

Question 6

Freud proposed that one major source of aggression was

A) an instinctive desire to kill others who look different.
B) a death instinct that is redirected toward others.
C) displacing our frustration at high-status individuals toward low-status individuals.
D) neurotic anxiety.

Question 7

An individual finds out he lost his job. The next day, he storms into the office where he used to work and shoots some of his coworkers because he was "just so angry at all of them." This action would be classified as

A) indirect aggression.
B) assertive aggression.
C) emotional aggression.
D) instrumental aggression.

Question 8

According to the Bureau of Statistics, the percentage of murders committed by men and women suggests that

A) the percentage of murders committed by women is increasing.
B) the percentage of murders committed by women is decreasing.
C) men and women each commit approximately half of all murders.
D) women do not commit murder.

Question 9

An indirect expression of aggression away from the source of your anger is called

A) displacement.
B) catharsis.
C) indirect aggression.
D) emotional aggression.

Question 10

Which of the following actions is an example of aggression?

A) teasing someone as a joke
B) being very angry at someone
C) physically attacking someone
D) all of the above

Question 11

The theory that aggression is an automatic response to any blocking of goal-directed behavior is

A) the cathartic-aggression hypothesis.
B) the indirect-aggression hypothesis.
C) the frustration-aggression hypothesis.
D) the excitation-transfer theory.

Question 12

Studies of homicides committed by men versus women across the past four decades indicate that as sex-role norms have changed over the years

A) men and women now commit an equal number of homicides.
B) men continue to commit the vast majority of homicides.
C) women continue to commit the vast majority of homicides.
D) women now commit a larger percentage of homicides than they used to.

Question 13

__________________________________is behavior intended to injure another person.

A) Assertiveness
B) Deviance
C) Aggression
D) Anger

Question 14

Different studies of aggression have yielded conflicting results regarding the issue of whether men or women are more aggressive. Which of the following statements best clarifies this issue?

A) Men are more likely to be instrumentally aggressive, but women are more likely to be emotionally aggressive.
B) Men used to be much more aggressive than women, but in current society, women are just as aggressive as men.
C) Women are more aggressive than men, but the effects are almost always milder.
D) Men commit more acts of direct aggression than women, but women commit more acts of indirect aggression than men.

Question 15

Why is it unlikely that aggression is a goal in itself?

A) Aggression carries the risk of injury or retaliation.
B) Humans are programmed to be blindly aggressive.
C) Aggression does not serve any adaptive goals.
D) Aggression is never a useful strategy.

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT true of aggression?

A) It is always associated with anger.
B) It is purposeful.
C) It is behavior.
D) Its purpose is to hurt another person.

Question 17

Your textbook discusses how aggression may serve all of the following functions EXCEPT

A) understanding ourselves and others.
B) gaining material and social rewards.
C) gaining or maintaining social status.
D) protecting oneself.

Question 18

Dawn orders some other children off of the playground because she feels it's her turn on the swing. Dawn's behavior may be described as

A) aggressive.
B) assertive.
C) indirect.
D) affiliative.

Question 19

If aggression is defined as including both physical violence and indirect actions such as verbal insults and social rejection,

A) there is no sex difference in aggression.
B) men commit the vast majority of aggressive acts.
C) women commit the vast majority of aggressive acts.
D) men do not commit aggression.

Question 20

Josue has had a terrible day. He failed an exam, missed lunch, and his girlfriend dumped him. He comes home, walks into the back yard and yells at the top of his lungs about how awful his life is in order to release pent-up emotions. Josue's behavior is an example of

A) direct aggression.
B) displacement.
C) emotional aggression.
D) catharsis.

Question 21

Which of the following statements best describes the reformulated frustration-aggression hypothesis?

A) Frustration is only linked to instrumental aggression.
B) Frustration is only linked to indirect aggression.
C) Frustration only leads to aggression for people who are naturally aggressive.
D) Frustration is only linked to emotional aggression.

Question 22

The tendency for weapons, such as guns, to enhance aggressive thoughts, feelings, and actions is known as the

A) weapons effect.
B) excitation-transfer effect.
C) anger-displacement effect.
D) hostility effect.

Question 23

You ask your professor if you may take an exam a day late. She nicely says no, and reminds you that on the syllabus it says that exams must be taken on the assigned day. You're frustrated, but you know she's right. According to the reformulated frustration-aggression hypothesis, how will you react?

A) You will react aggressively because the professor has frustrated you.
B) You will displace your aggression towards the professor onto your friends.
C) You will not react aggressively because you have no negative feelings towards the professor.
D) You will react with instrumental aggression.

Question 24

The idea that any form of internal arousal can enhance aggressive activity is associated with the

A) excitation-transfer theory.
B) reformulated frustration-aggression hypothesis.
C) frustration-aggression hypothesis.
D) arousal-frustration hypothesis.

Question 25

Which of the following is NOT discussed in your textbook as a possible reason for the connection between increased temperature and aggression?

A) There are more people out on warm days.
B) Fewer people overall, but more criminals, tend to be out on warm days.
C) Heat in itself fuels aggressive feelings.
D) People tend to stay home when the weather is very cold.

Question 26

The weapons effect is most closely tied to the

A) original frustration-aggression hypothesis.
B) reformulated frustration-aggression hypothesis.
C) cognitive neoassociationist theory.
D) two-factor theory.

Question 27

Fred is very competitive and has been very successful in business, though he has had a number of conflicts with people who work for him. Which of the following statements about Fred is most likely to be FALSE?

A) He is at an increased risk for heart disease.
B) He has a Type B personality.
C) He is prone to physiological arousal when he is angry.
D) He gets annoyed when he is running late.

Question 28

Research studies have found that Type A bus drivers, as compared to Type B bus drivers,

A) drove more aggressively and got into more accidents.
B) drove more slowly.
C) got more tickets but generally drove more safely.
D) drove more aggressively but had fewer accidents.

Question 29

The concept of relative deprivation states that

A) people who feel they are less well off economically than others around them tend to commit more aggressive acts.
B) people with fewer relatives tend to commit more aggressive acts.
C) people who are deprived of attention tend to commit more aggressive acts.
D) people who are deprived of what they once had tend to commit fewer aggressive acts.

Question 30

Which of the following is NOT a valid criticism with the original frustration-aggression hypothesis?

A) Some aggressive acts do not result from any particular frustration.
B) Frustration never leads to aggression.
C) Frustration doesn't always lead to aggression.
D) Instrumental acts of aggression rarely involve frustration.

Question 31

Marcy comes back from her six mile run and is annoyed to find that her husband Takeshi left the milk out on the counter. According to the excitation-transfer theory of aggression, how is Marcy likely to react when she sees Takeshi?

A) She will react to Takeshi normally.
B) She will be sexually attracted to Takeshi because she is physiologically aroused.
C) She will feel as though she loves Takeshi even more than usual.
D) She will act aggressively towards Takeshi because she is physiologically aroused.

Question 32

Your town's council has decided to display a new sculpture downtown that consists of a large number of guns attached together. You oppose such a plan, saying that, according to research on , the sculpture might increase aggressive behavior downtown.

A) catharsis aggression theory
B) excitation transfer theory
C) the weapons effect
D) the frustration-aggression hypothesis

Question 33

Two people are given the opportunity to administer shocks to other participants in an experiment. One is placed in a room where the temperature is 95 degrees, and the other is placed in a room where the temperature is 70 degrees. Which person is likely to administer more shocks?

A) the person in the 70 degree room, because colder temperatures are linked to aggression
B) the person in the 70 degree room, because he or she would be more focused on the task
C) the person in the 95 degree room, because higher temperatures are linked to aggression
D) neither, because temperature is unrelated to aggression.

Question 34

In support of the cognitive-neoassociation theory, participants in the Pedersen et al. (2000) study transferred their hostility from an obnoxious experimenter to a research assistant

A) when they were annoyed by the obnoxious experimenter.
B) when the research assistant made some annoying mistakes.
C) when they failed an anagram task.
D) when the research assistant was nicer than the experimenter.

Question 35

The theory that emphasizes situational cues, negative feelings, and memories as stored in interconnected networks as inputs toward either fight or flight responses is known as the

A) excitation-transfer theory.
B) negative network theory.
C) arousal feedback theory.
D) cognitive-neoassociation theory.

Question 36

Hovland and Sears' (1940) study of the correlation between the price of cotton and the number of lynchings in the American South from 1882-1930 showed

A) that farmers in the South were particularly prone to aggression during that time period.
B) that as the level of poverty increased, lynchings decreased.
C) that there was no relationship between poverty and aggression.
D) that poverty was related to higher levels of aggression.

Question 37

The study by Berkowitz where "supervisors" had to put their hand in either painfully cold ice water or room temperature water showed that

A) the part of the brain the senses "wetness" and "dryness" is directly related to aggression.
B) pain usually leads to lower levels of aggression towards others.
C) pain is unrelated to aggressive behavior.
D) pain can lead to aggression towards others.

Question 38

In a test of the excitation-transfer theory, women in the Cantor et al. (1978) study who were annoyed by another woman and then shown an erotic film were

A) sexually attracted to the woman who annoyed them.
B) aggressive towards the woman who annoyed them.
C) less aggressive later than those shown a non-erotic film.
D) sexually aroused but not aggressive.

Question 39

Which of the following statements is FALSE regarding Berkowitz's reformulation of the frustration-aggression hypothesis?

A) frustration is only linked to emotional aggression
B) frustration causes aggression only when that frustration generates negative feelings
C) frustration causes indirect aggression but not direct aggression
D) any event that leads to unpleasant feelings can lead to aggression

Question 40

One of the main differences between the original frustration-aggression hypothesis and the reformulated hypothesis is that

A) according to the newer version, only frustration can lead to aggression.
B) according to the newer version, frustration never leads to aggression.
C) according to the newer version, many types of unpleasant conditions can lead to aggression.
D) according to the newer version, frustration always leads to aggression.

Question 41

Wendy has a Type A personality. According to your book, which of the following job situations is Wendy most likely to choose for herself?

A) owner of a bed-and-breakfast in a rural town
B) salesperson in a small art gallery
C) park ranger who usually doesn't have much to do
D) emergency room physician

Question 42

Which of the following statements is true about psychopaths and psychopathy?

A) Psychopathy is sometimes called antisocial personality disorder or sociopathy.
B) Psychopaths are usually indifferent to the pain of others.
C) Psychopaths are much more likely than non-psychopaths to be motivated by personal gain.
D) all of the above

Question 43

People with a high sense of_________________tend to find it easy to "put themselves in others' shoes" and thus tend to be less aggressive.

A) psychopathy
B) empathy
C) sociopathy
D) communality

Question 44

In Bandura's famous "Bobo Doll" experiments, children

A) were afraid of the Bobo Doll due to associations with violence.
B) who watched a model get rewarded for punching the Bobo Doll imitated the behavior of the model and punched the doll.
C) who watched a model get punished for punching the Bobo Doll imitated the behavior of the model and punched the doll.
D) only punched the Bobo Doll if they were offered a reward for doing so.

Question 45

When children observe modeled violence, which of the following types of learning can occur?

A) children can learn new techniques of aggression
B) children can learn rules about whether aggression is likely to be rewarded
C) children can learn to get used to punishment
D) both A and B

Question 46

Which of the following is NOT an example of the use of aggression to gain material and/or social rewards?

A) a bully taking other children's lunch money
B) a mugger beating up a tourist to steal his wallet
C) a girl slapping her boyfriend after she had a frustrating day
D) gang members who use aggression to control their drug territory

Question 47

Abbey and colleagues (1996) concluded that alcohol intoxication might lead to date rape because of alcohol myopia, which is

A) a lack of ability to focus on things in the present.
B) a state of extreme sexual arousal caused by alcohol.
C) an inability to control one's actions.
D) a narrow focus on whatever goal seems most important.

Question 48

A researcher wants to know if exercise decreases depression. Dozens of studies that test this relationship have been conducted, so the researcher wants to combine them all to investigate the issue. The best methodology to use in this situation is

A) meta-analysis.
B) experience sampling.
C) archival studies.
D) a field experiment.

Question 49

Sandra goes to a party and drinks too much beer. Sandra is intoxicated when a woman she does not like begins to make rude comments to her. Given Sandra's intoxicated state, what is her reaction likely to be?

A) She is more likely to react aggressively towards the woman making rude comments.
B) She is more likely to ignore the rude comments since alcohol is relaxing.
C) She is more likely to try to renew her friendship with the woman since alcohol increases positive mood.
D) She is more likely to laugh at the woman because alcohol enhances one's sense of humor.

Question 50

Which of the following is an explanation offered in your book for why Al Capone, who many regarded as a kind man, engaged in numerous acts of aggression?

A) He was actually a very aggressive person.
B) He engaged in aggression to reap material rewards.
C) He had a Type A personality and was under continuous stress.
D) He was often around weapons, and this triggered his aggression.

Question 51

According to research on the cycle of aggression and frustration, which of the following is an example of the steps leading from aggression to frustration?

A) Aggression leads to alienation of authorities, which leads to rejection or job loss, and then to frustration.
B) Aggression leads to rejection, which leads to fighting with friends, and then to frustration.
C) Aggression leads to failure at school, which leads to poor grades, and then to frustration.
D) Aggression leads to the alienation of friends, which leads to frustration.

Question 52

Jason grows up watching extremely violent television shows and is always praised by his father for fighting with other children and "standing up for himself." According to social learning theory, how is Jason likely to deal with his frustration later in life?

A) Jason will avoid situations which might provoke aggression.
B) Jason will talk out his frustrations instead of acting aggressively.
C) Jason will respond to frustration with aggressive behavior.
D) Jason will display reactance against his father's approach and respond to frustration with empathy.

Question 53

Findings of a positive correlation, particularly for boys, between watching aggressive television and acting aggressively towards other children suggest that

A) acting aggressively causes children to watch violent television.
B) watching violent television causes children to act aggressively.
C) children who watch violent television are more likely to act aggressively.
D) there is no conclusive relationship between watching violent television and acting aggressively.

Question 54

The meta-analysis by Wood et al. (1991) examining the effect of watching aggressive films on the behavior of children showed that

A) control subjects were more aggressive than experimental subjects in some studies.
B) higher aggression was found in subjects exposed to aggressive media in some studies.
C) more of the positive aggression effects were large in some studies.
D) all of the above

Question 55

Which is an example of a person-situation interaction?

A) little Sally has a tendency to break her dolls and other toys
B) Rosa acts aggressively in a game only when images of weapons are present in the room
C) pain tends to increase aggressive behavior
D) none of these

Question 56

Fourteen-year-old Michael Carneal shot eight of his classmates in Paducah, Kentucky, shortly after watching the movie Basketball Diaries, in which Leonardo DiCaprio committed a similar act of violence. This is an example of

A) catharsis aggression theory.
B) the social learning of violence.
C) excitation transfer theory.
D) the frustration-aggression hypothesis.

Question 57

The social learning theory of aggression states that aggression

A) is heavily influenced by culture.
B) is the result of a genetic tendency to be aggressive.
C) is caused by the way that one perceives the comments and actions of others.
D) is learned by being rewarded for aggressiveness.

Question 58

Which of the following increases aggressive behavior?

A) watching a violent film
B) playing a violent video game
C) being exposed to violent pornography
D) all of the above

Question 59

In the Berkowitz and LePage (1967) study of the weapons effect, in which condition did participants deliver the largest number of shocks to other subjects?

A) when they were rewarded and there were no weapons present
B) when they were annoyed and there were no weapons present
C) when they were rewarded and there were weapons present
D) when they were annoyed and there were weapons present

Question 60

An individual who is characterized by a lack of empathy for others, a grandiose sense of self- worth, and a lack of sensitivity to punishment is known as a

A) psychopath.
B) frustrated aggressor.
C) schizophrenic.
D) xenophobe.

Question 61

The evolutionary principle that the gender that contributes more resources to the upbringing and care of offspring will be more careful in selecting a mate is known as

A) sexual selection.
B) resource allocation.
C) biparental care.
D) differential parental investment.

Question 62

The findings that males commit the vast majority of same-sex homicides across cultures and across different time periods supports predictions made by the

A) phenomenological perspective on aggression.
B) social learning explanation of aggression.
C) frustration-aggression perspective on aggression.
D) sexual selection explanation of aggression.

Question 63

The sex that is more selective in choosing mates tends also to

A) be more aggressive in competition with other members of the same sex.
B) be more focused on social status and hierarchy.
C) try harder to attract potential mates.
D) invest more heavily in the offspring.

Question 64

Why are men much more likely than women to engage in violent confrontations as a result of trivial altercations?

A) Women are not capable of violence.
B) Women do not compete with other women for mates.
C) Males are unable to control their aggressive impulses as well as women.
D) Males are more concerned with their dominance status.

Question 65

Studies on aggressiveness and self-esteem suggest that

A) people with low self-esteem are not aggressive.
B) people with high self-esteem and are comfortable with themselves are aggressive.
C) people with high self-esteem and are respected by others are aggressive
D) people with high self-esteem and a sense that people don't give them enough respect are most aggressive.

Question 66

Dr. Jones wants to increase aggressive tendencies in her experimental participants. Which of the following substances could she use to increase aggressive tendencies?

A) progesterone
B) oxytocin
C) testosterone
D) dopamine

Question 67

In the study by Dabbs and Morris (1990), what was the explanation for why higher testosterone was linked to aggression only among men of low socioeconomic status?

A) Men with low socioeconomic status did not have good role models.
B) Men with low socioeconomic status are more susceptible to the culture of honor.
C) Men with low socioeconomic status are less able to control their aggressive impulses.
D) Men with low socioeconomic status do not have non-violent ways to achieve status.

Question 68

Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding differences in violence between the North and South?

A) Homicide rates are higher in the South relative to the North.
B) Southerners approve of violence more than Northerners.
C) Northern states are less likely to have legal "retreat rules" regarding the use of deadly force in a conflict situation.
D) Southerners are more likely than Northerners to condone violence as a response to an insult.

Question 69

A tendency to notice threats and to interpret other people's behavior as intended to one harm is called

A) hostile instrumentality.
B) self-serving bias.
C) defensive attributional style.
D) threat monitoring.

Question 70

Which of the following statements about status-linked aggressiveness, testosterone, and male competition for mates is FALSE?

A) Men who are more committed to their partners have higher testosterone levels.
B) In other species, male aggressiveness increases just before the mating season.
C) Men are most aggressive in their late teens and twenties when their testosterone levels are highest.
D) Married men have lower testosterone levels than unmarried men.

Question 71

The Cohen et al. (1996) study in which participants were insulted by an individual working at a filing cabinet revealed that

A) Southern participants reacted with greater anger but Northern participants reacted with greater amusement.
B) frustrated participants reacted with greater anger than non-frustrated participants.
C) participants with higher testosterone reacted with greater anger than participants with lower testosterone.
D) participants reacted with greater anger when the room was hot than when it was a comfortable temperature.

Question 72

The theory that those who reside in the southern and western United States are socialized into a set of societal norms whose central idea is that people should be ready to defend their reputation with violent retaliation is called

A) the culture of honor hypothesis.
B) the saving face hypothesis.
C) the sexual selection hypothesis.
D) the medieval code hypothesis.

Question 73

Results from both animal and human research indicated similar effects of high testosterone levels. Based on these findings, hens given testosterone should tend to

A) grow hair on their body like roosters.
B) act like roosters, crow more, and gain social status.
C) attempt to mate with other hens.
D) begin acting self-destructively

Question 74

Among the pipefish seahorse, the male carries the young and invests many more resources in their care than does the female, who invests almost nothing. According to differential parental investment theory, which of the following is probably also true of the pipefish seahorse?

A) The female is more choosy when selecting a mate.
B) The female is more aggressive than the male.
C) The male is more aggressive than the female.
D) Both the male and female seahorse are choosy and aggressive.

Question 75

Four men are insulted by someone. Consistent with the culture of honor hypothesis, which of the men would you suspect is most likely to respond to the insult with violent retaliation?

A) Pierre, who was raised in Montreal, Canada
B) Sam, who was raised in Boston, Massachusetts
C) Bob, who was raised in Atlanta, Georgia
D) Ray, who was raised in Providence, Rhode Island

Question 76

Exposure to violent video games

A) increases aggressive behavior.
B) reduces normal physiological arousal to real violence.
C) desensitizes viewers to other people's suffering.
D) all of the above

Question 77

Research on the relationship between viewing violent pornography and violent behavior has shown that pornography

A) clearly causes violent behavior.
B) may be related to violence, and there is cause for concern.
C) only has violent effects on angry men.
D) is not at all related to violence.

Question 78

In the study of moviegoers by Black and Bevan (1992), those who chose to watch an aggressive film

A) were more aggressive people to begin with.
B) had decreased aggressive tendencies.
C) were generally Type B personalities.
D) all of the above

Question 79

According to the theory of_________________, characteristics that assist animals in attracting mates or competing for mates with those of their own sex are favored and passed on to offspring.

A) biparental care
B) natural selection
C) sexual selection
D) selection pressure

Question 80

Which of the following is FALSE regarding the connection between testosterone and aggression?

A) Testosterone is not associated with aggression in children.
B) Prisoners with higher testosterone committed more violent crimes than prisoners with lower testosterone.
C) Males with higher testosterone have more trouble with the law.
D) Delinquents have higher levels of testosterone than non-delinquents.