II.  Theoretical perspectives

A. Freud: we are driven by Thanatos, death instinct. society needs to sublimate aggressive impulses in useful ways--sports, theatre, art.  According to catharsis theory, this sublimation will reduce aggressive tendencies.

Lorenz: cichlids w/ no aggressive outlet (other cichlid males) will eventually attack other species.

substantial evidence against catharsis:
(1) Patterson, high school football players one week before and after season--more hostility and aggression after.
(2) Russell, observing violent sports
increases fan violence.
(3) Geen et al: confederate angers subject, subject gives shock to confed as part
of learning task or does not have the opportunity to apply shock, then second task and another opportunity to shock for all subjects. More aggression in group that already shocked confed! field studies too.

Why doesn't it work? Remember dissonance
theory, justification of cruelty, blaming the victim. e.g., Kahn: med tech makes insulting comments about subjects, subjects allowed to vent to tech's employer or not. venting grp had more hostility and dislike for
tech. --Far more evidence for dissonance theory than catharsis theory here.
 
 
 

B. sociobiological theory: aggression is a innate survival skill, selected via evolution. e.g., Old world monkeys: strongest, most aggressive males have dominant position, access to females, food.  Similarly for humans: aggression expressed through dominance behaviors--assertiveness, competitiveness, etc. increase reproductive success.

two objections:
(1) cultural diversity in aggressiveness (e.g., Arapesh vs. Yanomano, Leakey's archeological research);
(2) the theory overlooks survival advantages of altruism and cooperation in humans and other species (Hrdy, the reproductive success of male primates who nurture offspring with a monogamous mate rather than try to inseminate a harem).
 
 

C. interactionist theory: aggression is an innate capacity, but the expression of aggression depends on social context and past experience. e.g., cultural diversity in incidence of aggression, Iroquois, Nisbett's
work of the Southern culture of honor.