Deck 13: Aggression

Question 1

Tim is a child with attention deficit disorder. According to research conducted by Frances Kuo, which of the following activities would be most helpful in helping Tim feel calmer and concentrate better?

A) walking around a green park
B) walking around a quiet neighborhood
C) walking around a bustling downtown area
D) walking on an indoor track

Answer 1

walking around a green park

Question 2

Doug Lowenstein, president of the Interactive Digital Software Association, stated, "There is absolutely no evidence, none, that playing a violent video game leads to aggressive behavior." Research by Anderson and Bushman and their colleagues suggests that Lowenstein is

A) correct.
B) correct where women are concerned but not where men are concerned.
C) incorrect because all video games increase aggression.
D) incorrect because many studies show that violent video games increase aggression.

Answer 2

incorrect because many studies show that violent video games increase aggression.

Question 3

Ralph killed his wife in order to collect on a large life insurance policy. This scenario is an example of ________ aggression.

A) hostile
B) instrumental
C) modern
D) functionalist

Answer 3

instrumental

Question 4

How does research on attributional processes help to explain the link between hot weather and aggression?

A) People are physiologically aroused by the heat, and the awareness that the heat is the cause of their arousal makes them angry.
B) People are physiologically aroused by the heat, and they misattribute this arousal to other more obvious triggers, such as an irritating romantic partner.
C) People are more likely to make dispositional attributions when they are hot.
D) People are more likely to make situational attributions when they are hot.

Question 5

Evidence that social rejection triggers a physical threat defense system, which includes the tendency to act aggressively, supports a(n) ________ explanation of aggression as a result of social rejection.

A) evolutionary
B) hostile
C) situational
D) cultural

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT among the explanations for income equality given in the textbook?

A) Powerful feelings of social rejection among those at the bottom in unequal societies may trigger violence.
B) Inequality undermines cohesiveness, trust, and goodwill among members of a neighborhood, state, or country.
C) Inequality throws males into more extreme competition for economic resources and access to mates.
D) People who are genetically more prone to violent behavior tend to be at the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum.

Question 7

Charlie frequently plays violent video games. Based on the research documented by Craig Anderson and his colleagues, which of the following is NOT likely to be true for Charlie?

A) Charlie is likely to become more aggressive.
B) Charlie is likely to have more aggressive thoughts.
C) Charlie is likely to behave in a more prosocial manner.
D) Charlie's blood pressure and heart rate are likely to increase.

Question 8

Which of the following hypotheses was proposed to help explain the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School?

A) The killers frequently played violent video games.
B) The killers felt rejected by the more popular students at school.
C) The killers were high in power and therefore had reduced inhibitions.
D) Both a and b are correct.

Question 9

Clara, a French citizen, is deciding whether to take a job in Ireland, a country with relatively low income inequality, or the United States, a country with relatively high income inequality. Clara feels strongly that she wants to live in a place where her children are less likely to be bullied. Which country might be a better choice for her in that regard?

A) the United States
B) Ireland
C) Neither country would be a good choice: her children would be likely to be bullied in both.
D) Either country would be a good choice: her children would not likely be bullied in either.

Question 10

About ________ percent of the television programs that children watch depict at least some violence.

A) 30
B) 50
C) 70
D) 90

Question 11

Aggression that is motivated by feelings of anger and hostility is called ________ aggression, whereas aggression that is motivated by a desire to gain status or to acquire wealth is called ________ aggression.

A) reactive; relational
B) instrumental; hostile
C) hostile; instrumental
D) relational; reactive

Question 12

In what month might you expect that major league baseball pitchers would be more likely to hit batters?

A) April
B) March
C) August
D) September

Question 13

Research has found that social rejection activates the same brain regions as those activated when people are

A) planning how to form new relationships.
B) experiencing physical pain.
C) frustrated at doing poorly on an exam.
D) socially accepted.

Question 14

Marcie is feeling as if her friends do not really like her, and she is imagining what her future would be like without any of her current friends. According to research on social rejection, how is Marcie likely to respond to someone who tries to cut in front of her in line at the cafeteria?

A) Marcie is more likely to be hostile to the person who cuts in front of her only if she knows the person, but not if the person is a stranger.
B) Marcie is more likely to respond passively, allowing the person to cut in front of her.
C) Marcie is more likely to respond in a friendly manner, seeking out a friendship with the person.
D) Marcie is more likely to be hostile toward the person who cuts in front of her.

Question 15

Research conducted by David Phillips (1986) found that suicide rates often rose substantially following media reports of someone committing suicide. When people imitate acts that they hear about in the media, this is a form of aggression called

A) relational aggression.
B) copycat violence.
C) instrumental aggression.
D) suicide baiting.

Question 16

Angela and her younger brother Bernie have a history of fighting. One day, Angela threatens Bernie in order to force him to give up a toy with which she wants to play. Then, Bernie gets so angry at her that he screams, "I hate you!" Angela is demonstrating ________ aggression, and Bernie is demonstrating ________ aggression.

A) hostile; hostile
B) instrumental; hostile
C) hostile; instrumental
D) instrumental; instrumental

Question 17

In one longitudinal study of children living in the Chicago area, children who watched more violent television were

A) more aggressive as children but not as adults.
B) more aggressive as adults, even when controlling for how aggressive they were as children.
C) less likely to be convicted of a crime fifteen years later.
D) more aggressive as adults, but this effect did not hold when controlling for social class.

Question 18

Anytown, U.S.A., is experiencing one of its hottest summers ever. For several weeks, the temperature has not dropped below ninety degrees Fahrenheit. These conditions should lead to a(n) ________ in ________ crimes.

A) increase; nonviolent
B) increase; violent
C) decrease; nonviolent
D) decrease; violent

Question 19

Which of the following best describes the relationship between income inequality and aggression?

A) Income inequality does not influence aggression.
B) Income inequality influences aggression in laboratory studies, but not in the real world.
C) States and countries with higher levels of income inequality have higher rates of aggression.
D) States and countries with higher levels of income inequality have lower rates of aggression.

Question 20

Hai is more likely to become aggressive as a result of watching violent television shows that depict

A) violence against "bad" people.
B) the negative impact of violence on people's lives.
C) violent protagonists who are difficult to identify with.
D) violence against "good" people.

Question 21

Tara is enraged after finding out that her boyfriend cheated on her. Based on research described in the textbook, which of the following strategies could help Tara reason calmly about the situation?

A) Tara could use her own name when reflecting on her feelings, as if she were someone else.
B) Tara could reflect on how her boyfriend lacks human nature, likening him to a computer or robot.
C) Tara could reflect on how her boyfriend lacks human uniqueness, likening him to an animal.
D) Tara could hit a punching bag while thinking about her boyfriend, to release her anger.

Question 22

Jeff is standing in line at a movie theater when someone cuts in front of him. Research indicates that Jeff is more likely to show signs of aggression toward the "cutter" if he

A) is standing in line alone as opposed to with a friend
B) is far away from the ticket counter as opposed to relatively close.
C) lives in a southern geographic region as opposed to a northern geographic region.
D) is in a good mood as opposed to a bad mood.

Question 23

Kendrick is angry after being insulted by a classmate. Which of the following behaviors is LEAST likely to reduce the chances that Kendrick will later behave aggressively toward his classmate?

A) hitting a punching bag while keeping the image of the insulting classmate in mind
B) hitting a punching bag while keeping the image of a different (noninsulting) classmate in mind
C) viewing his feelings of anger from a distance
D) imagining that the situation is part of a movie or novel

Question 24

The ________ region of the United States leads the nation in argument-related homicide rates.

A) northern
B) western
C) eastern
D) southern

Question 25

In the United States, stepchildren who are less than two years of age are one hundred times more likely to suffer abuse at the hands of stepparents than of biological parents. Evolutionary psychologists evoke the principle of ________ to explain this disturbing statistic.

A) diffusion of responsibility
B) inclusive fitness
C) natural selection
D) differential parental investment

Question 26

It is ninety-five degrees outside and Sheila is sweating profusely and out of breath. When she arrives home from work and sees that her husband has not taken out the trash, she becomes frustrated and angry-more so than she usually would in this situation. Sheila is likely to behave more aggressively toward her husband if she ________ the influence of the heat on her feelings of arousal and ________ the influence of her husband's behavior on her feelings of arousal.

A) overestimates; underestimates
B) underestimates; overestimates
C) overestimates; overestimates
D) underestimates; underestimates

Question 27

________ is more common among women compared with men.

A) Relational aggression
B) Instrumental violence
C) Hostile violence
D) Physical aggression

Question 28

Peggy Reeves Sanday's research indicates that rape-prone cultures

A) are located in southern regions.
B) are sexually repressed.
C) tend to value men and women similarly.
D) tend to exhibit high levels of many types of violence.

Question 29

According to Richard Nisbett and Dov Cohen, cultures of honor are defined by concerns over one's reputation for

A) toughness and machismo.
B) communication and reconciliation.
C) pacifism and turning the other cheek.
D) being a law-abiding citizen.

Question 30

Kyle, an American citizen, is watching a news story about non-U.S. citizens who are being detained for security reasons. Research suggests that Kyle may be more likely to dehumanize the detainees if he is

A) sitting next to a friend.
B) sitting next to a stranger.
C) alone.
D) standing rather than sitting.

Question 31

Jason and Patrick both participated in an experiment where they were insulted, and their responses were recorded. After being insulted, Jason was more likely to be angry and upset, whereas Patrick was more likely to be amused. According to research on cultures of honor, Jason is more likely to have grown up in a ________ U.S. state, and Patrick is more likely to have grown up in a ________ U.S. state.

A) northern; southern
B) eastern; western
C) southern; northern
D) western; eastern

Question 32

Which of the following statements is NOT among the evidence described by Richard Nisbett and Dov Cohen that a culture of honor exists in the southern United States?

A) Southerners are more likely than northerners to respond with aggression when their honor is slighted.
B) Southerners are more likely than northerners to endorse pro-rape statements.
C) Southerners became angrier than northerners when insulted in a laboratory study.
D) There are more argument-related murders in the southern United States than in the northern United States.

Question 33

Peggy Reeves Sanday investigated the connection between sexual attitudes and the prevalence of rape in the cultures that she studied. Which of the following statements best summarizes her findings?

A) Sexually repressed cultures had more incidents of rape overall.
B) Cultures with taboos against premarital sex had more incidents of rape.
C) Sexually repressed cultures had more incidents of rape among young people.
D) There was no connection between sexual repression and the prevalence of rape.

Question 34

Research that has examined the penalty records of professional football and professional hockey teams found that teams that wore ________ uniforms were penalized more often for aggressive play.

A) red
B) black
C) brown
D) yellow

Question 35

Which of the following is NOT one of the characteristics of rape-prone cultures, as described in research by Peggy Reeves Sanday?

A) Rape is used as an act of war against enemy women.
B) Rape is portrayed in movies, television, or other cultural products.
C) Rape is part of a ritual act, such as a rite of passage to adulthood.
D) Rape is used as a threat against women to keep them subservient.

Question 36

Nick Haslam and Steve Loughnan (2014) have distinguished between two forms of dehumanization. Denial of human ________ occurs when targets are viewed as animals or savages, whereas denial of human ________occurs when targets are viewed as inanimate entities, such as computers or robots.

A) nature; uniqueness
B) uniqueness; nature
C) superiority; goodness
D) goodness; superiority

Question 37

Recall that Leonard Berkowitz and his colleagues asked pairs of men to work on a series of problems. The men were instructed to deliver shocks to their partners when their performances needed improvement. Some participants were induced to experience anger during the task, whereas others were not. In addition, some participants saw neutral objects next to the machine, some participants saw a gun next to the machine, and some saw no objects. Results showed that

A) the presence of guns had no effect on aggression, regardless of participants' anger levels.
B) angry participants were more aggressive in the no-object and neutral-object conditions than they were in the gun condition.
C) participants in the gun condition were more aggressive than those in the no-object and neutral-object conditions, regardless of their anger levels.
D) participants in the gun condition were more aggressive than those in the no-object and neutral-object conditions only if they were angry.

Question 38

Clayton grew up in a so-called culture of honor. Research conducted by Richard Nisbett, Dov Cohen, and their colleagues suggests that, relative to someone who did not grow up in this kind of culture, Clayton is more likely to act aggressively

A) after strenuous exercise.
B) after playing a violent video game.
C) when someone calls his girlfriend ugly.
D) when he is drunk.

Question 39

Richard Nisbett and Dov Cohen studied regional differences in aggression. Their research indicates that

A) compared with northern men, southern men are more sensitive to insults.
B) higher homicide rates in the South are due to more lenient gun control laws.
C) conflict is less prevalent among southerners than among northerners because social norms in the South emphasize friendliness and politeness.
D) homicide is less common in the South than in the North.

Question 40

Richard Nisbett and Dov Cohen believe that a culture of honor developed in the southern United States because the North was founded by ________ settlers, who were ________, but the South was founded by ________ settlers, who were ________, and thus had to become tough and willing to protect their property from raids.

A) Scottish and Irish; farmers; English, Dutch, and German; herders
B) English, Dutch, and German; herders; Scottish and Irish; farmers
C) English, Dutch, and German; farmers; Scottish and Irish; herders
D) Scottish and Irish; herders; English, Dutch, and German; farmers

Question 41

Research conducted by Phil Tetlock and colleagues (1981) has shown that ________ reasoning can lead to more effective peacemaking between groups in conflict.

A) emotion-based
B) complex
C) logic-based
D) circular

Question 42

Gossip, forming alliances, and excluding others are all examples of ________ aggression.

A) hostile
B) relational
C) gender-based
D) physical

Question 43

During World War II, propaganda posters were distributed in the United States likening the enemies of America to rats and other animals. This is an example of

A) relational aggression.
B) dehumanization.
C) hostile violence.
D) reactive devaluation.

Question 44

Which of the following statements about forgiveness and reconciliation is most accurate, based on the research described in the textbook?

A) Reconciliation behaviors such as confessions, apologies, and signs of remorse often trigger forgiveness.
B) Reconciliation behaviors are only seen in humans.
C) Divorced spouses fare better if they end all communication with one another.
D) Both a and b are correct.

Question 45

Lee Ross and his colleagues found that people tended to ________ the extremity of attitudes held by people on the opposing side of an issue about which they felt strongly.

A) underestimate
B) devalue
C) overestimate
D) accurately guess

Question 46

Drawing on research described in the textbook, evaluate the claim that playing violent video games leads to aggression.

Question 47

In a study conducted in the 1980s during the height of student protests against apartheid in South Africa, students rated highly a plan to divest university funds from South African companies when the plan was presented in the abstract. However, when the same plan was actually proposed by the university administration, students rated it lower because they saw the university administration as "the other side." This is an example of

A) reactive devaluation.
B) conflict negotiation.
C) dehumanization.
D) power-based negotiations.

Question 48

How does the United States compare to other countries in degree of income inequality? How might this difference help to explain the high rates of violence in the United States?

Question 49

When groups in conflict are able to communicate, they are more likely to

A) become more aggressive if differences are not resolved.
B) reconcile and return to more peaceful relations.
C) overestimate the extremity of each other's attitudes.
D) dehumanize each other.

Question 50

Jacob is a member of a student group on campus that is angry with university administrators for raising tuition for students. Jacob first thinks that freezing tuition for a year would be a reasonable solution, but when the administration makes this same suggestion, Jacob is upset and wants them to reduce tuition by 2 percent. This is an example of

A) miscommunication.
B) conflict negotiation.
C) reactive devaluation.
D) simplistic reasoning.

Question 51

Two processes that tend to increase conflict between groups are ________ and ________.

A) communication; reactive devaluation
B) reactive devaluation; complex reasoning
C) dehumanization; reactive devaluation
D) complex reasoning; dehumanization

Question 52

Explain the connection between social rejection and aggression from an evolutionary perspective.

Question 53

Research suggests that parents are more likely to talk about emotions with girls than with boys, which may cultivate greater empathy in women. This supports the ________ theory that men are ________ into being more physically aggressive.

A) cultural; forced
B) evolutionary; socialized
C) cultural; socialized
D) emotion-based; nurtured

Question 54

The evolutionary perspective holds that stepchildren are more likely to suffer abuse at the hands of stepparents than of biological parents because

A) relationships with stepchildren are not as emotionally reinforcing as relationships with biological offspring.
B) stepparents must allocate more resources to stepchildren than to biological offspring.
C) stepchildren do not enhance stepparents' inclusive fitness.
D) relationships with stepchildren do not follow the norm of reciprocity.

Question 55

Which of the following is NOT listed in the textbook as one of the common outcomes of group conflict?

A) Group members dehumanize those with whom they are in conflict.
B) The parties in conflict consider their strife as a fight between good and evil.
C) Group members see those on their own side as more moral than those in the other group.
D) Group members are quick to view conflicts in practical terms (e.g., a territorial dispute)

Question 56

In Spike Lee's film Do the Right Thing, a race riot occurs on a very hot day. Describe how research on heat and aggression can help to explain why the race riot may have been more likely to occur on that particular day.

Question 57

Distinguish between hostile and instrumental aggression and provide one example for each.

Question 58

The idea that we primarily look out for ourselves, our offspring, and our close relatives to ensure that our genes will be passed on is referred to as

A) survival of the fittest.
B) evolutionary theory.
C) genetic fitness.
D) inclusive fitness.

Question 59

One explanation for gender differences in aggression, held by ________ theorists, is that throughout history, men were more likely to be hunters and protectors and had to be physically aggressive. In contrast, the idea that men are socialized into roles that prioritize physical aggression is held by ________ theorists.

A) cultural; social
B) evolutionary; cultural
C) cultural; evolutionary
D) historical; cultural

Question 60

How do approaches focused on restorative justice differ from traditional criminal justice approaches?

A) Offenders are encouraged to take responsibility for their crimes, make reparations, and engage in a respectful dialogue with victims.
B) Offenders are punished for their crimes in direct proportion to the suffering or damage that they caused.
C) Offenders and victims are separated and denied any opportunity to communicate.
D) Victims are given the power to determine the appropriate punishment for offenders.

Question 61

Define the concepts of dehumanization and reactive devaluation and provide a real-world example of how each of these processes can increase group conflict.

Question 62

Describe two characteristics of rape-prone cultures.

Question 63

Explain the concept of inclusive fitness and discuss how this concept may help to account for the higher incidence of aggression against stepchildren than against biological children.

Question 64

Define culture of honor and describe its influence on aggression.

Question 65

Distinguish between the role of understanding others' emotions and responding emotionally to the suffering of others when it comes to explaining the behavior of psychopaths.

Question 66

Describe how the phenomenon of copycat violence can be applied to understanding suicide.

Question 67

Avshalom Caspi, Terrie Moffitt, and their colleagues (2002) conducted a study assessing childhood mistreatment, length of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene (with short length indicating a defective form), and violent crime conviction by age twenty-six among males. What did this study find regarding the contributions of environmental and genetic factors to aggression?

Question 68

Drawing on research described in the textbook, describe three recommendations you could give to group leaders who are trying to promote peace between two groups with a history of conflict.

Question 69

Compare and contrast the evolutionary and the cultural theoretical approaches to explaining gender differences in aggression.

Question 70

Describe how you might design an anger management intervention based on research on the cognitive control of anger. What types of strategies would you promote, and which ones would you discourage?