Frustration–aggression hypothesis

The frustration-aggression hypothesis states that the experience of frustration increases the likelihood of aggressive behavior.

It assumes that a frustration may be followed by aggression (not must ). In other words, at a request refusal can be a mood, followed by a verbal or physical assault. The strength of the aggression is proportional to the strength of the frustration in the rule. This increases the closer is the desired goal, and the greater the expected happiness. Is weakened the frustration - and the subsequent aggression - if the polluter is big and strong, or if the frustration of accidentally happened.

Classic experiment by Barker, Dembo, and Lewin

1941, Roger Barker, Tamara Dembo and Kurt Lewin following experiment: children were led into a room full of attractive toys. The control group was allowed to play with it immediately, the experimental group was initially held by a wireframe of it. These children could see the toy, but only after a long wait to play with it. Many of these children destroyed the toy and threw it against the wall, stomped around on them, etc.

At the frustration-aggression hypothesis of Dollard and Miller

This thesis by John S. Dollard (1900-1980) and Neal E. Miller emphasizes that aggression principle occur as frustration episodes. The aggression strength depends on

Critical to see is the theoretical clarification neediness of the terms " aggression ", " frustration ", the lack of consideration of the various forms of frustration and especially the fact that aggression can be clear by Bekräftigungslernen than frustrations explain.

Miller extended the frustration-aggression hypothesis later to the concept of aggression displacement, which describes a shift of aggression goal after inhibition of the original aggression.

According to the current state of research in psychology, there is no necessary link between frustration and aggression. It is possible that frustration can lead to other behaviors as aggression.

For frustration regression hypothesis by Barker, among others

This hypothesis provides a central frustration effect, regression to the center, that h.ontogenetisch earlier, " immature " stages, which are characterized as infantilere patterns of thinking, feeling and behavior and are associated with a higher degree of feeling of security.

The Konstruktivitätsgrad gaming behavior of children decreases, for example, after the withdrawal of attractive toy considerably from. The behavior shows qualitative characteristics of earlier stages of development of the children.

Here is where criticism of learning theory side, particularly through studies of instrumental Reaffirm regressive behavior.

For frustration fixation hypothesis by Maier

According to this hypothesis the behaviors occurring under conditions of frustration can be fixed or retained even when they have become meaningless. It was established by experiments with rats unsolvable situations. The fixation behavior is perceived by Wolpe as a trained anxiety -reducing reaction.

Recent studies frustration consequences be understood as a product of selective affirmations ( Adelman et al ) = The response is amplified, which frees the organism from the frustrating situation.

For frustration fixation hypothesis of Berkowitz (1974 )

Leonard Berkowitz distinguishes between instrumental and impulsive aggression. His development of the frustration-aggression hypothesis is a cognitive- neoassoziationistische approach. He lays down the following modifying assumptions:

• Frustration does not lead directly to a need to add another organism damage, but this process is mediated by the emotional state of anger.
• In addition to the frustration of other forms of aversive stimulation negative effects and thus can trigger aggression.
• The occurrence of negative emotions and willingness to aggressive actions occur in parallel, not sequential.

On the controversy between the hypotheses

The controversy between on the one hand, the hypotheses put the aggression, regression and fixation as frustration effects in the foreground, and on the other hand, learning theory assumptions is not yet decided. This is especially true for the transfer of these primary human psychological approaches to the behavior of animals, ie on behavioral observations.

Critics of the frustration -aggression hypothesis have, inter alia, then, that here also the attribution of causality ( phenomenal causality) play a role. Usually leads frustration only, and even then not always, aggression, if their origin will not be attributed to the self or impersonal causes, but to another person.

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