Stimulus qualities of the target of aggression: A further study.

Abstract

EACH OF 90 MALE SS WAS 1ST DELIBERATELY PROVOKED BY E'S ACCOMPLICE, THEN WATCHED EITHER (1) JUSTIFIED FILM AGGRESSION, (2) LESS JUSTIFIED FILM AGGRESSION, OR (3) AN EXCITING BUT NONAGGRESSIVE TRACK RACE. HE WAS THEN GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADMINISTER ELECTRIC SHOCKS TO THE ACCOMPLICE, AFTER LEARNING THE ACCOMPLICE'S NAME WAS EITHER "KIRK" OR "BOB." FOR THE MEN SEEING THE AGGRESSIVE FILM, THE NAME "KIRK" ASSOCIATED THE ACCOMPLICE WITH THE VICTIM OF THE WITNESSED VIOLENCE. EVEN THOUGH THE AVAILABLE TARGET'S NAME WAS INTRODUCED AFTER THE FILM WAS SEEN, THE TARGET WAS ATTACKED MORE OFTEN WHEN INHIBITIONS AGAINST AGGRESSION WERE WEAKEST AND THE TARGET'S NAME ASSOCIATED HIM WITH THE VICTIM OF THE MOVIE AGGRESSION. AS IN OTHER EXPERIMENTS, THE TARGET'S CUE VALUE FOR AGGRESSION DETERMINED THE MAGNITUDE OF AGGRESSION DIRECTED AGAINST HIM. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved)