CHP 12

According to most social psychologists, aggression is defined as
a. the intention to cause harm to or pain in another.
b. the infliction of harm or pain on another.
c. the intention to relieve frustration by harming another.
d. any action that results in physical or psychological pain in another.

a

According to the social-psychological definition of "aggression," which of the behaviors below is the best example of aggression?
a. Donald is not paying attention and runs over the neighbor’s bicycle as he backs out of the driveway.
b. Amanda asserts herself with her boss and makes a spirited argument for a raise.
c. A child throws a temper tantrum and tries to hit his father.
d. One basketball player fouls another when he is trying to shoot

c

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

a

________ aggression is an act that stems from feelings of anger, and that is aimed at inflicting pain.
a. Misplaced
b. Hostile
c. Instrumental
d. Malicious

b

________ aggression is an act in the service of a goal that does not involve the infliction of pain.
a. Misplaced
b. Hostile
c. Instrumental
d. Oblique

c

Hostile aggression differs from instrumental aggression in that instrumental aggression
a. often follows from anger or frustration.
b. is more destructive than hostile aggression.
c. is more likely to result in retaliation.
d. involves inflicting pain as a means to an end

d

Which of the following is the best example of instrumental aggression?
a. Scott has a quick temper and gets into fights at parties.
b. An assassin kills a leader to ensure the success of a coup.
c. Angry at her boyfriend, Liz destroys his stereo.
d. Karin runs over her neighbor’s cat.

b

Which of the following is an example of hostile rather than of instrumental aggression?
a. A farmer kills a pig for an Easter ham.
b. A teenager throws eggs at a homeless person.
c. A woman uses a fly swatter to kill a fly.
d. A soldier kills an enemy at war.

b

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
a. instrumental aggression.
b. hostile aggression.
c. assertiveness.
d. extreme prejudice

a

The goal of ________ aggression is to inflict pain; the goal of ________ aggression is to achieve some other outcome.
a. hostile; instrumental
b. hostile; functional
c. functional; instrumental
d. biological; evolutionary

a

According to the authors of your text, the same act may be considered aggression or not depending on whether
a. physical harm was actually done.
b. physical or psychological harm was done.
c. physical or psychological harm was intended.
d. the act was due to anger or was a means to an end

c

Mr. Jenkins was backing out of his driveway and accidentally hit his neighbor (whom he dislikes) as he was biking by. Why isn’t this act aggressive?
a. Because no psychological harm was done.
b. Because Mr. Jenkins wasn’t angry at the time.
c. The neighbor was defenseless.
d. It was unintentional.

d

Julie is really interested in Tom. She flirts with him at lunch a few times, and finally asks him out for a drink on Friday. According to the authors of your text, Julie’s behavior is
a. assertive.
b. aggressive.
c. masculine.
d. abnormal

a

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

c

Based on the evolutionary explanations for aggression presented in your text, who is most likely to be physically aggressive?
a. an Asian American
b. a woman
c. an African American
d. a man

d

Based on information presented in your text, what are the two evolutionary reasons why males are aggressive?
a. dominance and jealousy
b. hostility and instrumentality
c. jealousy and hostility
d. dominance and instrumentality

a

In a primitive tribe, Shantu fights with the other young men his age to impress the young ladies. As it turns out, several young women are attracted to him because he seems to be able to protect them and is rising in social status. In essence, Shantu’s aggression can be explained in evolutionary terms as a display of
a. jealousy.
b. dominance.
c. brutality.
d. fertility.

b

Shortly after Mary and Robert were married, he became somewhat aggressive to other men who showed an interest in his wife, and made claims like, "Anyone who lays a hand on my woman has to go through me first." Such claims and aggression are explained by evolutionary theory as
a. displays of dominance.
b. acts of power.
c. domestic violence.
d. sexual jealousy

d

Males tend to be more violent in their teens and twenties than later in life. Based on evolutionary theory (as discussed by the authors of your text), why would this be true?
a. They are having trouble finding their place in the world.
b. These are peak reproductive years.
c. They are starting puberty.
d. This is when antisocial personality disorder manifests

b

Researchers have found that testosterone levels are significantly higher in men ________, suggesting a ________ contribution to aggression in humans.
a. from abusive homes; biological
b. convicted of violent crimes; biological
c. from lower socioeconomic backgrounds; social
d. convicted of property crimes; biological

b

Evolutionary explanations for behavior are controversial for several reasons. Nonetheless, how true are the evolutionary explanations for aggression?
a. Experiments have been conducted, so they are proven facts.
b. The theory has been supported by substantial experimental research.
c. All the research is correlational, so they are speculations.
d. There is no data to support evolutionary explanations, so they have been disproven.

c

Biologist Zing Yang Kuo (1961) demonstrated that a cat that had been raised from birth with a rat in the same cage would attack neither that specific rat nor other rats. This research suggests that
a. conflict over scarce resources contributes to aggression.
b. aggression is a learned response.
c. aggressive behavior is not instinctive.
d. aggressive instincts can be modified through experience.

d

A researcher (Eibl-Eibesfeldt, 1963) raised rats in isolation. When other rats were finally introduced into their cages, rats raised alone ________, suggesting that ________.
a. could not defend themselves; aggression is learned
b. used the same aggressive behaviors as other rats; aggression need not be learned
c. did not aggress against them; instrumental aggression does not exist in nonhumans
d. fled from the new rats; aggression must be learned

b

Researchers have found that humans kill members of their own kind at ________ rate ________.
a. the same; as bonobos
b. a lower; than bonobos
c. a higher; than chimpanzees
d. the same; as chimpanzees

d

How does female-dominated society lead bonobos to deal with conflict?
a. They diffuse tension by having sex.
b. There is aggressive conflict, but only among females.
c. There is aggressive conflict, but among both males and females in mixed sex combat.
d. They have a clear and unchallenged hierarchy with a female firmly in charge of the group

a

Based on research conducted with nonhuman animals, it is reasonable to conclude that aggression
a. is not inevitable, but instead an optional strategy.
b. may be instinctive; very few species are able to suppress aggressive urges.
c. is not instinctive, but rather solely a result of learned processes.
d. is instinctive in all species except humans

a

According to research presented by the authors of your text, humans’ two closest primate relatives (sharing 98 percent of DNA with humans) are the ________, known for their aggressive nature, and the ________, known for their peaceful nature.
a. bonobos; chimpanzees
b. pygmy chimps; bonobos
c. chimpanzees; bonobos
d. bonobos; pygmy chimps

c

The chimpanzee shares 98 percent of its DNA with humans, and can be described as
a. the only nonhuman species that commits murder.
b. the only nonhuman species that steals from members of its own group.
c. extremely peaceful.
d. led by a female hierarchy

a

Bonobos are a close primate relative to humans, sharing 98 percent of human DNA. Bonobos are particularly interesting to use when studying aggression because they are
a. highly aggressive primates who are known to brutally attack one another.
b. led by a male hierarchy.
c. very peaceful and led by a female hierarchy.
d. the only other animal with the hormone testosterone

c

The Pygmies of Central Africa and the Arapesh of New Guinea live in peace and harmony, while European history consists of one war after the other. Formerly peace-loving, the Iroquois became a fierce and aggressive Native American tribe in the seventeenth century. These examples illustrate that
a. in humans, innate behavioral patterns—including aggression—are infinitely malleable and modifiable.
b. frustration often contributes to aggression in otherwise peaceable societies.
c. there are strong regional differences in the endorsement of aggression as a solution to social problems.
d. humans, lacking inhibitory mechanisms, must rely on cultural norms to curb aggression.

a

According to your textbook, most social psychologists agree that aggression is a(n) ________ strategy.
a. inherited
b. uncontrollable
c. optional
d. inflexible

c

What, according to the social-psychological point of view, is inherited about aggression?
a. nothing; aggression is completely learned from one’s parents, peers, and culture
b. a tendency to respond to provocation against an aggressor, which can be overridden
c. fixed action patterns of responding to certain "trigger" cues
d. patterns of threat and attack in response to challenge

b

Most social psychologists regard aggressive behavior patterns as
a. infinitely modifiable and flexible.
b. completely due to culture, with no influence of biology.
c. inborn, but modifiable when threat is imminent.
d. expressing a limited range of responses to provocation

a

During the seventeenth century, when European fur traders arrived, the Iroquois changed from a peace-loving tribe to fierce enemies of their neighbors, the Hurons. This suggests that
a. there are consistent cultural norms driving the expression of aggression.
b. tribal inbreeding selects for aggressive behaviors.
c. economic and social competition can elicit aggression.
d. aggression is affected by innate propensities and learned inhibitory responses.

c

Amu lives in an isolated area and very close-knit community. The community hunts and farms together and must do so to survive. If Amu suddenly becomes aggressive toward other community members, how is he likely to be treated?
a. He’ll be rewarded with a larger share of food.
b. He will be elected to a leadership position in the community.
c. He will be shunned and perhaps even cast out of the community.
d. His behavior will be ignored and won’t attract any attention.

c

The Teduray of the Philippines believe that humans are violent by nature, so they work to be sure that their behavior does not harm others. However, when will they become aggressive?
a. When someone in the group commits adultery.
b. When they must protect themselves from outside groups.
c. When it is hunting season and they must compete with one another for scarce food.
d. When they have to compete to find a wife or husband.

b

Survey research by Nisbett (1993) has revealed that although southerners are no more likely than northerners to endorse aggression in general,
a. southerners are more prone to aggress in response to insults.
b. the availability of handguns in the South produces more homicides there.
c. the "culture of honor" in the North encourages alternatives to aggression.
d. southerners are less likely to endorse aggression at the service of self-protection.

a

Nisbett (1993) has conducted research pointing to regional differences in the propensity to aggress. Based on his findings, which of the men below would be more likely to beat up another man who called his wife "ugly"?
a. Jethro, who lives in New York City
b. Rocky, who is from Maine
c. Ted, who lives in Texas
d. Brian, who lives in rural Indiana

c

Assume that Kyle grew up in the South, where a "culture of honor" predominates. Based on research presented in the text, Kyle would be more likely than a northerner to behave aggressively when
a. he feels his life is threatened.
b. someone insults him.
c. he has been drinking.
d. he has won a contest.

b

According to Nisbett (1993), a(n) ________ is characteristic of regions where inhabitants evolved from herding societies, and thus ________.
a. culture of honor; aggression is relatively rare
b. culture of honor; some forms of aggression are more common
c. norm of "machismo"; aggression is more common and more lethal
d. ethos of cooperation; aggression has become evolutionarily maladaptive

b

A study presented in the text demonstrated that when participants were first "accidentally" bumped, then called a disrespectful name, northerners tended to react ________ southerners.
a. more aggressively than
b. more assertively than
c. as aggressively as
d. less aggressively than

d

Research shows that most cases of extreme violence in a family are perpetrated by _______.
a. men
b. women
c. children
d. the elderly

a

In romantic relationships, a study of nearly 500 first-year American college women reported that they were _______ likely to hit, slap, and throw objects as their boyfriends.
a. equally
b. less
c. more
d. not at all

a

Chris was aggressive with a romantic partner because of jealousy and because the partner wasn’t paying enough attention to Chris. According to the research presented in the text, Chris is
a. most likely male.
b. most likely female.
c. either male or female.
d. The answer cannot be determined from this information

c

Which of the following is false?
a. Across cultures, men have been found to be more aggressive than women in everyday life.
b. Gender differences exist in aggression, particularly in response to provocation (e.g., an insult).
c. When aggression is indirect (nonphysical), females may be as aggressive as males.
d. Females tend to feel more guilt and anxiety over aggressive behavior than males do.

b

Who is most likely to be aggressive?
a. a female from Australia
b. a male from Korea
c. a male from Sweden
d. a female from the U.S

a

Suzanne is a master of relationship aggression. Her tools for being aggressive would include
a. spreading rumors.
b. punching.
c. stealing.
d. hitting.

a

Which of the following is out of place?
a. gossiping
b. shunning
c. slapping
d. backbiting

c

Based on the research presented in the text, if a group of 4-year-old girls wanted the play purse that another girl was given, what are they most likely to do?
a. Push her and take it.
b. Cry until she gives it to them.
c. Not play with her until she gives it to them.
d. Wait patiently for their turn to play with it.

c

Glen and Stacy are at a park with friends. Another couple begins taunting them and saying rude things. Based on research presented in this chapter regarding provocation, who is likely to behave aggressively?
a. Glen
b. Stacy
c. both
d. neither

c

Extrapolating from the research on relational aggression, which of the following would be the best thing a parent could teach a young girl?
a. Have a thick skin about what other people think, and work on developing a few good friends.
b. Practice running so you can be very fast.
c. Make sure that you always carry a cell phone.
d. Always keep your fists up to guard your face in a fight

a

________ theory posits that we learn to aggress by observing and imitating others.
a. Frustration-aggression
b. Direct reinforcement
c. Social-cognitive learning
d. Aggression spillover

c

A little girl watches a television cartoon in which a woman yanks a child by the hair and screams at her. After seeing the cartoon, the little girl acts out this same interaction with her doll. This is an example of
a. catharsis.
b. imagined aggression.
c. social-cognitive learning.
d. the frustration-aggression link.

c

Which of the following findings provides the soundest support for the assertion that we learn aggression by observing others and imitating them?
a. Aggressive children often have aggressive parents.
b. Alleged criminals often use the "CSI" defense.
c. Children who watch an adult assault a "Bobo" doll will imitate that behavior in the laboratory.
d. There is a high correlation between watching TV violence and aggressive behavior, and that correlation increases with age.

c

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

c

In Bandura’s famous "Bobo" doll study, he had some children watch a woman aggress against an inflated doll, while other children did not watch an aggressive act. Bandura found that the children who watched someone beat up the doll were later
a. just as likely as the control-group children to aggress against a similar doll.
b. less likely than control-group children to behave aggressively against a similar doll.
c. more likely than control-group children to behave aggressively against a similar doll.
d. likely to behave more aggressively in general.

c

Bushman and his colleagues (2007) found that the more respected a person or institution is, the greater their influence as a role model for aggression. They found this effect holds for
a. men but not women.
b. northerners and southerners.
c. nonreligious and religious people.
d. athletes and non-athletes.

c

Based on research presented in the text, who would likely have the highest salary on the professional hockey team?
a. Mark, who is very aggressive and who has spent the most time in the penalty box this year
b. Simon, who is somewhat aggressive but is considered to be a very nice guy
c. Alan, who is aggressive, but has scored the fewest goals on the team
d. John, who is not at all aggressive and is considered the nicest person on the team by the fans

a

A teacher at a preschool tries to show some rowdy children how to "play nice." She shows them a doll hitting her, and her hugging the doll in response. The teacher’s behavior is an example of
a. modeling nonaggressive behavior.
b. training good communication skills.
c. teaching the children how to solve problems more effectively.
d. building empathy in the children.

a

Research demonstrates that, when shown a model who responds to provocation in a restrained, pleasant manner, children
a. perceive the model as weak.
b. focus on the provocateur and ignore the model.
c. make fun of the model.
d. are less likely to respond with aggression when they themselves are provoked.

d

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

c

Well-controlled laboratory experiments and field studies (e.g., McDonald, Zanna, & Fong, 1996) have revealed that alcohol consumption contributes to aggression by
a. increasing testosterone.
b. reducing social inhibitions and restraints.
c. increasing hostility.
d. decreasing frustration tolerance.

b

Gary, a northern male who has a reputation for violence, has been drinking with his friends. Stan approaches Gary and insults his girlfriend. Gary and Stan get into a fistfight. Which of the following best explains why Gary and Stan began to fight? Research suggests that
a. northern males are more prone to react to insults with aggression.
b. alcohol is especially likely to interact with testosterone to increase aggression.
c. alcohol lowers our social inhibitions and allows us to act impulsively.
d. people from different parts of the country hold different expectations about the effects of alcohol

c

Research examining the "think-drink" effect gave some participants a nonalcoholic drink, some a weak alcohol drink, and some a strong alcohol drink to see how aggressive they would be. The participants were also told how much alcohol they were getting, but the researchers did not necessarily tell them the truth about the amount. What is(are) the independent variable(s)?
a. amount of aggression
b. amount of alcohol received
c. amount of alcohol they were told was in the drink
d. both the amount of alcohol they received and the amount of alcohol they were told was in the drink

d

Jeff is participating in a research study where he is given several drinks. He is told that the goal is to get his blood alcohol level to a point just shy of the legal driving limit. However, he is really only getting a nonalcoholic mixer and fruit juice. How will Jeff behave toward another participant who just insulted his favorite sports team and manage to spill a drink on Jeff’s shoes, and why?
a. Jeff will most likely behave aggressively because he expects to be disinhibited by alcohol.
b. Jeff will most likely not behave aggressively because he is not being affected physiologically by the alcohol.
c. Jeff will most likely behave aggressively because he is being physiologically aroused by the alcohol.
d. Jeff will most likely not behave aggressively because his cognitive processes will be slowed by the alcohol.

a

Desdemona is having a bad day. As she runs to answer the phone, she bangs her knee on the coffee table. Cursing and limping, Desdemona grabs the phone and is rude to the person at the other end of the line. This is an example of
a. hostile aggression caused by pain.
b. instrumental aggression caused by pain.
c. a biochemical cause of hostile aggression.
d. the neural basis of aggression.

a

Which research findings below provide the soundest evidence that excessive heat causes greater aggression?
a. In cities all over the country, riots are more likely to occur on hot days than on cold days.
b. In Phoenix, drivers without air conditioning are more likely to honk at others than are drivers with air conditioning.
c. Compared to students who took a test in a normal temperature room, test-taking students in a ninety-degree room were more likely to express hostility toward a stranger.
d. Throughout the history of the World Series, more batters have been hit by pitched balls on hot days than on cool days.

c

Citizens are outraged at an unpopular government policy, and in many parts of the country they have taken to the streets to protest. Results of research on the "long, hot summer" would lead you to predict that in the ________ would be LEAST likely to fill the streets in protest.
a. winter, residents of Minneapolis, Minnesota
b. fall, residents of Houston, Texas
c. summer, residents of Chicago, Illinois
d. winter, residents of Atlanta, Georgia

a

Riots do occur more often on hot days than on cool days. The hotter the day in a number of cities, the more violent crimes occur. These results suggest that discomfort can lead to aggression. However, such results should be interpreted with caution because
a. representative samples were not secured by the researchers.
b. some third variable might account for the relation.
c. researchers only studied violent aggression.
d. researchers limited themselves to the United States.

b

One problem with using archival data (e.g., existing records of disturbances) to demonstrate that exposure to uncomfortable levels of heat causes people to behave aggressively is that
a. it is difficult to access such records.
b. by definition, people who participate in disturbances are not a random sample.
c. more people might simply be outside on a warm day than on a cold day.
d. such disturbances do not involve the kind of aggression of interest to social psychologists.

c

Researchers (Griffitt & Veitch, 1971) administered tests to students who were randomly assigned to take the test in a room with normal temperature or in a ninety-degree room. After completing the test, students were asked how aggressive they felt, and their hostility toward a stranger was measured. These researchers found that students in the ________ hostile to the stranger.
a. normal room felt more aggressive than those in the ninety-degree room, but both sets of students were equally
b. ninety-degree room felt more aggressive than those in the normal room, but both sets of students were equally
c. normal room felt less aggressive than those in the ninety-degree room, but were more
d. the ninety-degree room felt more aggressive than those in the normal room, and were more

d

Given what the text presents about temperature and levels of aggression, during which month would you expect to find the highest rate of violent crime in North America?
a. January
b. April
c. July
d. November

c

A prison guard has to transport (by bus) four prisoners convicted of violent crimes. Based on information from your text, who would be most likely to cause the guard problems and behave aggressively?
a. Rough Robbie, who has a row in the bus all to himself
b. Tough Tony, who is sitting right by the air conditioning vent
c. Bold Bob, who is squeezed next to the luggage and is next to the smelly bathroom
d. Gunshot George, who is sleepy

c

Which is NOT a reason that global warming may increase aggression?
a. As the environment gets hotter, aggression increases.
b. Global warming will exacerbate existing problems that influence aggression such as poverty and unstable social units.
c. As warming occurs, cognitive processing of ambiguous situations is impaired, resulting in increased aggression.
d. With global warming come increased occurrences of famine and drought, thereby endangering populations already struggling to survive.

c

________ occurs when a person is thwarted on the way to an expected goal or gratification.
a. Frustration
b. Depression
c. Aggression
d. Low self-esteem

a

Chip and Dale get into a bitter fight over who owes what for their large phone bill. Chip is frustrated that Dale won’t see his side of the argument. Which of the following will increase the odds that Chip will resort to physical aggression against Dale? Dale
a. pulls out his checkbook, but then refuses to write the check to Chip.
b. admits that he might have forgotten a few of his long-distance calls.
c. outweighs Chip by twenty-five pounds.
d. is the only legal tenant of the apartment

a

Frustration increases the probability of an aggressive response, but does not inevitably lead to such a response (e.g., Berkowitz, 1993). A number of situational factors work to accentuate frustration, further increasing the odds of aggression. For example, frustration is accentuated when we
a. are close to our intended goal.
b. expect the frustration.
c. perceive the frustrating act as unintentional.
d. perceive the frustrating act as random.

a

________ refers to the tendency to aggress when we perceive that our progress is thwarted.
a. Frustration-aggression theory
b. The catharsis hypothesis
c. The hydraulic model
d. The displacement effect

a

Two children, Jane and Joan, have been eyeing a new water pistol in the local toy store for months. Each is convinced that her parents will buy her the water pistol as soon as summer comes. Yesterday, Jane’s parents bought her the water pistol, which turned out to be the last one in the store. As soon as Joan found out, she had a temper tantrum and hit Jane in the stomach. ________ best explains Joan’s behavior.
a. Social exchange theory
b. Frustration-aggression theory
c. Social learning theory
d. The emotional consistency effect

b

attractive toys that were kept out of their reach. Based on research presented in the chapter, what is most likely to happen when they did allow the children to play with the toys? They found that these frustrated children were more likely to
a. play with the forbidden toys longer.
b. ignore the forbidden toys.
c. act aggressively with the toys.
d. aggress toward the adult experimenters.

c

According to the relationship between frustration and aggression, who is most likely to get into an argument with someone who cuts in line ahead of him or her?
a. Tim, who has been waiting two hours to buy concert tickets and still has at least an hour to wait
b. Barbara, who is the next in line at the grocery store check-out counter
c. Hector, who is last in line for movie tickets
d. Alicia, who only has one item at the drug store

b

You are about to leave on vacation and your brother is driving you to the airport. Unfortunately, you get to the airport too late and you find out that your flight has already left. Under which of the following conditions are you most likely to feel aggressive toward your brother and want to scream at him?
a. You missed your flight by two minutes.
b. You missed your flight by an hour.
c. Your flight has been delayed.
d. Your brother forgot to put your luggage in the car.

a

Kristi has been very frustrated in her search for the perfect apartment that costs next to nothing. According to frustration-aggression theory, what would most likely increase the likelihood that Kristi’s frustration will lead to aggressive behavior?
a. Kristi finally admits that her expectations were unrealistic.
b. Kristi realizes that the Apartment Finders are doing the best they can.
c. The perfect apartment burned down the day after she put down a deposit.
d. The delay is frustrating, but not unexpected; students are already back in town

c

Kevin is told that if he works for five days at a telemarketing job, he can expect to earn $100 a day on commission alone. When he gets his paycheck at the end of the week, it comes to only about $80 per day. He’s very upset even when he finds out that his coworkers all made only about $60 each per day. This is an example of
a. catharsis.
b. unfulfilled expectations leading to frustration.
c. instrumental aggression.
d. dispositional frustration.

b

In which of the following situations is frustration LEAST likely to result in aggression?
a. Your friend sprained her ankle, and cannot help you move, as promised.
b. A telemarketer interrupts your dinner to sell you a magazine subscription.
c. A woman grabs you and says "Hey, slow down," as you rush to catch your train.
d. The parking lot is full, and a driver pulls around you to take the parking place for which you’ve been waiting.

a

In a classic experiment (Barker, Dembo, & Lewin, 1941) researchers prevented children from playing with attractive toys. Once the children gained access to the toys, they behaved destructively, smashing the toys and throwing them against the wall. These results demonstrate the power of ________ to increase aggression.
a. absolute deprivation
b. frustration
c. social learning
d. aggressive stimuli

b

________ refers to the perception that you (or your group) have less than you were led to expect, or less than similar others have.
a. Frustration
b. Absolute deprivation
c. Relative deprivation
d. Aspirational deprivation

c

In explaining the race riots of 1967 and 1968, Reverend Jesse Jackson noted that the riots occurred "in the middle of rising expectations and the increased, though inadequate, social spending." His analysis best reflects ________ as a source of aggression.
a. thwarted expectations
b. discrimination and direct provocation
c. catharsis
d. the discomfort caused by the "long, hot summer"

a

Interviews of former concentration camp inmates provide anecdotal evidence for the role of relative deprivation in strengthening the link between frustration and aggression. Because of relative deprivation, when rebellions occurred in the camps, prisoners who ________ were more likely to participate.
a. had no resources and were lowest in the prisoner hierarchy
b. had been given some, but not all, privileges
c. had been imprisoned for a longer time
d. had nothing left to lose

b

Which of the following is FALSE?
a. The closer a person is to his or her goal, the more likely frustration is to foster aggression.
b. The more unexpected the frustration, the more likely it is to lead to aggression.
c. The size, strength, and ability to retaliate of the person responsible for the frustration influence whether not frustration will tend to lead to aggression.
d. A frustration that has an excuse or justification is no more likely to lead to aggression than no frustration at all; only unjustified frustrations lead to aggression.

d

As Dale is walking by Andy, he trips over Andy’s foot, falls to the ground, and hits his face on the side of a table as he is falling. Dale will be most likely to reciprocate by acting violently toward Andy if
a. Andy intentionally tripped him.
b. Andy unintentionally tripped him.
c. Andy’s cat just died.
d. Dale knows that Andy grew up in abusive household.

a

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

a

Recall an experiment in which participants were insulted either before or after they learned that the offender was upset due to a low grade. Participants were more likely to retaliate when the situation was explained to them after the insult. These results support the idea that provocation is less likely to result in an aggressive response when
a. we can empathize with those who provoke us.
b. those who provoke us apologize before we are provoked.
c. those who provoke us have an excuse for their behavior.
d. we learn of mitigating circumstance ahead of time.

d

Based on information from your text, under which circumstance are you LEAST likely to reciprocate aggression?
a. Your coworker yells at you for being late.
b. Your roommate writes you a nasty note calling you a slob.
c. Your friend insults you after telling you that he failed his calculus exam.
d. Your coworker tells you to work faster—then you find out his dog died that morning

c

According to information from your text, it would be easiest to "turn the other cheek" and not reciprocate aggression if you
a. took the insult personally.
b. know it was not intentional.
c. know the other person purposely hurt you.
d. find out mitigating circumstances after being insulted

b

John and Sam get into a fistfight in the middle of a gun shop. The presence of the guns would be an example of
a. aggressive stimuli.
b. modeling.
c. agitating stimuli.
d. provocative objects

a

Which of the following is the best example of an aggressive stimulus?
a. a gun rack in the rear window of a pickup truck
b. extreme heat
c. loud, unpredictable noise
d. an insult

a

Research on the effects of aggressive stimuli shows that
a. the mere presence of guns is enough to trigger aggressive behavior.
b. the presence of guns increases the probability of aggressive behavior in the presence of a frustration or anger.
c. people only aggress in the presence of an aggressive stimulus.
d. aggressive behavior triggers an aversion to aggressive stimuli.

b

Berkowitz and Le Page (1967) primed aggressive tendencies by doing which of these?
a. turning irritating music up louder
b. leaving a gun in the room
c. setting the temperature in the room to ninety degrees
d. painting the walls a dark color

b

Berkowitz and Le Page (1967) purposely angered the participants. Then they were left in a room with either a gun lying around or a badminton racket. Later, the participants were given the chance to administer electric shocks (not really) to a fellow college student. What was the independent variable of this research?
a. degree of shocks given to the student
b. participants’ level of testosterone
c. getting insulted by a confederate
d. type of object in the room

d

Researchers (Archer & McDaniel, 1995) asked teenagers from the United States and ten other countries to read stories about an interpersonal conflict situation, and to predict the outcome. The data demonstrated that ________ were more likely than others to anticipate a violent outcome that was described by the researchers as "lethal, gun-laden, and merciless."
a. American participants
b. frustrated participants
c. participants who had just watched a violent film
d. participants from third-world countries

a

John and Eric have a major disagreement over a woman they both like. In which location is this disagreement LEAST likely to erupt into a physical fight?
a. at a bar
b. at a crowded rock concert
c. at a ski lodge
d. at a gun show

c

According to research presented in the text, _______ of all rapes or attempted rapes occur between people who know each other.
a. 15%
b. 35%
c. 50%
d. 85%

d

Rape may occur as a result of having sex
a. as a result of physical force.
b. as a result of incapacitation.
c. as a result of both physical force and incapacitation.
d. as a result of catharsis.

c

In a survey of high school students, nearly half of the students surveyed believed that when a woman says "No" to a sexual advance, she doesn’t really mean it. These findings provide support for the power of ________ to influence attitudes toward sexual aggression.
a. violent pornography
b. sexual scripts
c. spontaneous romance
d. sex roles

b

It’s the male’s role to persist in his sexual advances, and the woman’s role to set limits." The preceding statement is an example of a sexual
a. myth.
b. heuristic.
c. misunderstanding.
d. script.

d

Mike knows he is supposed to pick up Laura for their date, buy dinner and drinks, and try to get her to have sex with him. Laura knows she is supposed to eat very little at dinner, not pay for anything, and resist all of Mike’s sexual advances. Mike’s and Laura’s behavior demonstrates that they both understand the current _______ in their culture.
a. sexual scripts
b. frustrations
c. provocations
d. aggressive stimuli

a

Most of the experimental evidence regarding violent media demonstrates that watching violence increases the frequency of which of the following?
a. aggressive behavior
b. aggressive behavior and angry emotions
c. aggressive behavior and hostile thoughts
d. aggressive behavior, angry emotions, and hostile thoughts

d

In an early experiment regarding the effects of violent media (Liebert & Baron, 1972), one group of young children watched an extremely violent episode of a police show. Another group watched an exciting, but not violent show. What were the results of this experiment?
a. The children who watched the police show were more aggressive with playmates.
b. The children who watched the non-violent show were more aggressive with playmates.
c. Both groups were equally aggressive with playmates.
d. Both groups were equally aggressive with their parents.

a

Violent video games seem to have a stronger influence on behavior because of which of the following?
a. Games have more flashing lights and sounds than television shows.
b. Games reward violence.
c. Children spend more time playing video games than watching other media.
d. Children can play games on their computers and not just the television

b

Research on the effects of violent media, including video games, on aggression demonstrates that the effects of such games on aggression are
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 longitudinal relationship has been demonstrated

d

According to research presented in the chapter, what do exposure to media violence and guns have in common in terms of aggression?
a. Both prime aggressive tendencies.
b. Both are used by females more often than males.
c. Both require practice to use effectively.
d. Both demonstrate status to others in the group.

a

Researchers measured the physiological arousal of heavy TV viewers and light TV viewers when they came into the lab to watch a violent boxing match. Results of their study reveal that
a. exposure to violence increases arousal.
b. heavy TV viewers seem desensitized to violence.
c. mindless viewing of violence leads to decreased arousal.
d. light TV viewers quickly habituate to violence

b

A steady diet of violent television fare can encourage aggression in children who are consequently ________ respond aggressively in real life.
a. primed to
b. encouraged by their parents to
c. frustrated and therefore motivated to
d. rewarded when they

a

Jim watches a heavy dose of violent TV cop shows. According to research presented in the text, what is one likely outcome of this behavior? Jim will
a. feel indifferent when he hears a violent argument between his neighbors.
b. become more aware of his own violent behavior and try to stop it.
c. be less likely to recognize his own feelings of aggression.
d become more upset when he sees aggression that is not fictionalized

a

Social-psychological research has revealed that viewers of a great deal of television come to view the world as a dangerous and hostile place. If Terry is one such person, what is he likely to think when he watches a violent cops-and-robbers show?
a. "If they can do it, so can I."
b. "So that’s how it’s done."
c. "I guess it’s the urge to aggress that I’m feeling."
d. "I had better get him before he gets me!"

d

Teresa watches a lot of TV every day. Based on research presented in your text, how is Teresa most likely to view the world?
a. It is a safe place.
b. She probably lives in a fantasy world.
c. She views the world accurately.
d. She probably is overly fearful of being attacked

d

Two experiments in England found that after playing a violent video game, people were numb to the feelings of others and less likely to help them. In these experiments, those negative feelings and behavior were directed toward
a. the elderly.
b. alternative lifestyles.
c. immigrants.
d. women.

c

When children were randomly assigned to watch either a violent film or an exciting film about bicycle racing and then played floor hockey (Josephson, 1987), children who
a. were aggressive to begin with and watched the violent film were the most aggressive.
b. had never been aggressive became the most aggressive after watching the violent film.
c. watched the violent film used verbal aggression, but not physical aggression.
d. watched the bicycle race became frustrated and actually behaved more aggressively

a

Which of the following conclusions is best supported by the results of correlational research demonstrating the connection between viewing television violence and subsequent acts of aggression?
a. Some children or teens may imitate televised violence, but the effect disappears in adulthood.
b. Some people—adults as well as youths—are influenced to imitate televised acts of violence.
c. While there is a correlation between viewing TV violence and aggression, it can be fully explained by more aggressive people being more likely to watch violent TV.
d. While there is a correlation between viewing TV violence and aggression, it can be fully explained by family income, education, and neighborhood violence

b

Longitudinal studies of violence and aggression have shown that exposure to violence in media or video games has the strongest relationship in children who
a. already are predisposed to violence.
b. are female.
c. have physical limitations.
d. come from single-parent households

a

Which of the following is NOT a viable explanation for why watching violence on television is correlated with aggressive behavior, according to social-psychological research?
a. Television makes the world seem a more dangerous and hostile place.
b. Television encourages the catharsis of aggressive impulses.
c. Television teaches new ways to aggress and inspires imitation.
d. Television desensitizes people to violence.

b

Social-psychological research has revealed that viewers often learn the particulars of how to aggress when they watch violent television. If Andy is one such person, what is he likely to think when he watches a violent cops-and-robbers show?
a. "If they can do it, so can I."
b. "So that’s how it’s done."
c. "I guess it’s the urge to aggress that I’m feeling."
d. "Big deal. What’s on PBS?"

b

Social-psychological research has revealed that exposure to televised violence might weaken viewers’ inhibitions about using violence in their own lives. If Peter is one such person, what is he likely to think when he watches a violent cops-and-robbers show?
a. "If they can get away with it, so can I."
b. "So that’s how it’s done."
c. "I guess it’s the urge to aggress that I’m feeling."
d. "Big deal. What’s on PBS?"

a

Which of the following is FALSE?
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

a

Which of the following is true about whether or not punishing aggression reduced aggressive behavior?
a. Punishing aggressive behavior reduces its frequency.
b. Using aggression to punish aggressive behavior models aggression and may inspire imitation.
c. The mere threat of severe punishment for aggressive behavior reduces its frequency.
d. Punishing aggressive behavior has no effect on its occurrence.

b

Which of the following parent-child interactions is most likely to reduce the child’s aggressive behavior?
a. Molly’s father says, "I’ll spank you if you hit your baby brother again!"
b. Jimmy’s mother says, "If you pinch your sister again, you will get a five-minute time-out in the corner."
c. Sadie’s mother says, "If I get another call from the teacher about you bullying the other kids, you will lose all TV privileges for the next month!"
d. Tommy’s father says, "I’ll kick you if you kick the dog again!"

b

Capital punishment has served as a(n) ________ deterrent to those who consider commission of such crimes. This is evidenced by the ________ in the rate of capital crimes when the death penalty is enforced.
a. excellent; decrease
b. poor; decrease
c. excellent; increase
d. poor; lack of change

d

Results of laboratory experiments with adults (e.g., Bower & Hilgard, 1981) suggest that the one reason why threats of punishment do not seem to deter violent crime in the "real world" is that in the criminal justice system, punishment is
a. seldom severe enough.
b. seldom swift or certain.
c. excessively harsh.
d. seldom administered fairly.

b

According to social-psychological research (e.g., Bower & Hilgard, 1981), what are the "ideal conditions" for punishment to be an effective deterrent to violence? Punishment must be
a. prompt and severe.
b. prompt and certain.
c. severe and certain.
d. fair and certain

b

Based on what your text reports, which of the following conditions of punishment is most likely to deter violent criminals?
a. Punishment is fair.
b. Punishment is severe.
c. Punishment is prompt and severe.
d. Punishment is prompt and certain

d

Lee is thinking about murdering someone who has wronged him. According to information from your text, under what circumstances would Lee be least likely to commit the crime?
a. Lee knows there is a small chance he would get caught.
b. The death penalty is one punishment for the crime.
c. Lee knows that punishment will be fair.
d. Lee knows that punishment is certain and prompt.

d

Opponents of the death penalty for certain violent crimes might use social-psychological data to argue that one reason why the threat of capital punishment doesn’t serve as an effective deterrent to violence is that
a. the odds are low that a violent criminal will be promptly apprehended, tried, and convicted.
b. the threat of death by lethal injection is not severe enough to deter violent criminals.
c. many capital cases are plea-bargained to save the states money.
d the vast majority of violent crimes are crimes of passion.

a

Proponents of the death penalty might use social-psychological data to assert that it can become an effective deterrent if
a. the criminal justice system becomes more "color blind."
b. it were more selectively applied.
c. law enforcement could work more efficiently and promptly.
d. it were more broadly applied.

c

The idea of venting one’s frustrations and anger by aggressing in harmless ways is an oversimplification of ________ theory of catharsis.
a. Sigmund Freud’s
b. Kurt Lewin’s
c. Elliot Aronson’s
d. Brad Bushman’s

a

Researchers studied crime statistics both before and after the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976. These researchers found that the return to capital punishment
a. had no effect on single homicides, but reduced multiple homicides.
b. had no effect on homicides.
c. was actually accompanied by a rise in homicide rates.
d. reduced homicides resulting from instrumental aggression, but had no effect on homicides resulting from hostile aggression.

b

________ reflects the idea that if people can "aggress" in harmless ways, built-up aggressive energies will diminish, reducing the odds of further aggressive behavior.
a. Social learning
b. Displacement
c. Catharsis
d. Fantasy inhibition

c

Little Neil is frustrated and is threatening to throttle his baby sister. His mother intervenes, and suggests that Neil "get over it" by taking a dozen eggs and smashing them against the tree in the front yard. Neil’s mother appears to be a proponent of ________ as a means of reducing aggression.
a. displacement
b. catharsis
c. projection
d. frustration-aggression theory

b

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
a. aggressive stimuli.
b. catharsis.
c. avoidance coping.
d. dehumanization.

b

Research by Patterson (1974) found that high school football players were more competitive and aggressive in _____ than ______ weeks; thereby contracting the predictions of the supporters of catharsis.
a. earlier; later
b. later; earlier
c. weeks when they played rivals; non-rival
d. non-rival weeks; rivalry

b

A sports psychologist observed the behavior of fans during an especially violent hockey game. He found that as the game progressed, spectators became more belligerent and hostile, not less. These findings present a direct challenge to the assumption that ________ reduces aggression.
a. vicariously discharging aggressive impulses
b. engaging in direct aggression
c. fantasizing to discharge aggressive impulses
d. modeling cooperative behaviors

a

A sports psychologist observed the behavior of fans during an especially violent hockey game. Contrary to predictions based on the notion of catharsis, Russell found that the belligerence and hostility of the spectators
a. increased when their team was losing.
b. increased throughout the hockey game.
c. decreased when their team was winning.
d. remained constant throughout the game.

b

Researchers conducted an experiment in which male participants were angered by a confederate. Angry participants then either recorded the confederate’s errors or shocked him every time he made an error. Finally, all participants were given the opportunity to shock the confederate. These researchers found that contrary to ________, those participants who ________ later delivered stronger and more frequent shocks to the confederate.
a. frustration-aggression theory predictions; were not angered
b the catharsis hypothesis; had previously delivered shocks
c. cognitive dissonance predictions; had not previously delivered shocks
d. the catharsis hypothesis; had previously recorded errors

b

Based on research on the idea of catharsis, what is the bottom line—does catharsis work to reduce aggression?
a. Yes, it is the most effective means of reducing aggression.
b. Yes, it can reduce aggression.
c. No, it does not reduce aggression in children, only adults.
d. No, it actually makes people more aggressive

d

Based on the research presented in your text on aggression, what advice would you give to Tim, who just found out he didn’t make the baseball team and is angry?
a. Watch a violent movie to help relieve aggressive feelings.
b. Try to relax and restrain urges to be aggressive.
c. Play a violent game of rugby to vent.
d. Go to the gym and hit a punching bag for an hour

b

________ theory can be used to explain why participants will derogate victims after they have done those victims physical or psychological harm.
a. Cognitive dissonance
b. Self-affirmation
c. Social learning
d. Psychoanalytic

a

According to cognitive dissonance theorists, when people attempt to vent their aggressive impulses by harming another person, they are more likely to engage in later acts of aggression because
a. arousal caused by dissonance is misinterpreted as frustration.
b. dissonance is reduced by derogating the victim, increasing the odds of later aggression.
c. frustration is mistaken for dissonance.
d. "blowing off steam" increases the arousal caused by dissonance, yielding more aggression

b

You woke up late and are far behind at work. When you reach the end of your rope, you treat your secretary with hostility and disrespect. This mistreatment causes you to experience dissonance, which you are most likely to reduce by
a. apologizing to the secretary and bringing him back flowers from your lunch break.
b. thinking about all the irresponsible or inept things he’s ever done.
c. revising your self-concept, resigning yourself to acting capriciously mean.
d. engaging in self-verification by "confessing" your bad behavior to a colleague.

b

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
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.

b

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
a. dissonance reduction processes.
b. the anchoring/adjustment heuristic.
c. the frustration-aggression effect.
d. social learning theory.

a

Anger control through "active enabling" might involve which of the following?
a. pounding on pillows to let off steam
b. taking a deep breath and counting to ten
c. watching a boxing match
d. playing a "target practice" video game

b

Ed is steaming mad and ready to punch the next person he sees. According to the authors of your text, what is the first, best thing he should do to help him resolve his anger effectively?
a. Vent his feelings by punching a pillow.
b. Vent by derogating someone.
c. Take a deep breath and count to ten.
d. Keep it in and stew about it.

c

The authors of your text suggest that openly and rationally discussing something that has made you angry with close friends can lead to
a. greater conflict in the relationship.
b. a stronger friendship.
c. a good chance that the friendship will end soon.
d. an outburst of aggression.

b

According to Pennebaker (1990), talking about our angry feelings and their sources can be physically and psychologically beneficial because
a. "opening up" and venting our feelings enhances mutual understanding.
b. such self-disclosures often result in insights and increased self-awareness.
c. such self-disclosures often yield apologies from the offending party.
d. "opening up" and venting reduce our aggressive impulses.

b

A researcher (Pennebaker, 1990) asked people who had experienced a traumatic event to describe the event and how they experienced it. Six months later, he found that these people
a. were less likely to let their frustration lead to aggression.
b. were healthier.
c. made internal attributions for the traumatic event.
d. made external attributions for the traumatic event.

b