Describe and evaluate one social psychological theory of aggression? Essay

Deindividualisation is when someone loses their sense of identity and engages themselves in immoral things. The theory of deindividualisation suggests that when an individual is involved in a crowd they act like the crowd i.e. such as football hooligans. Just as the saying goes you are what you wear or eat can be applied here i.e. you are upon what your crowd or peers are upon.  Le Bon proposed that there were a number of factors that lead an individual to become psychologically transformed in a crowd. One being remaining anonymous in the crowd i.e. when you’re around a lot of people you are unlikely to be spotted. Zimbardo however argued with Le Bon saying that deindividualisation is a result of reduced responsibility, increased arousal, sensory overload and altered consciousness. Research study into deindivialistion – Zimbardo prison experiment  Aim:  To investigate whether situational or dispositional factors are what make us aggressive.  Procedure: 24 emotionally stable men were recruited There were 2 groups one was guards and the other one was prisoners.  Ã‚  Zimbardo changed the identity of prisoners by giving them numbers, and being referred to by numbers.  Zimbardo also changed the identity of guards by making them wear military clothes. They carried whistles, handcuffs etc†¦ Findings:  Ã‚  Even though the environment was artificial guards and prisoners still obeyed and reacted brutal.  Situational rather than dispositional because they were normal caring men.  AO2 – Evaluation of Zimbardo et al study  Ã‚  High ecological validity due to the fact that the environment and the behaviour were realistic. Even though the set up was artificial, the aggression or a loss of identity was rather bizarre even though all men knew it’s a fake set up.  Study showed high extremes of aggression and behaviour when identity is lost. Negative  Unethical because extreme harm either verbal or physical was afflicted.  Sample was unrepresantable because it only included men.  AO1  Research into Deindiviualistion – Diener et al – trick or treat experiment.  Aim:  to investigate whether children steal, when in groups or individually. Procedure:  Ã‚  27 women were asked to give 1000 sweets to children during Halloween night  Ã‚  Some of the children were on their own while others were in groups.  Ã‚  The women would open the door and pretend that a phone call came and instruct strictly for the children to only take one sweet each  Ã‚  A hidden observer saw whether they obeyed. Findings:  children were more likely to steal in a group when they are left anonymous.  AO2 – Evaluation of experiment  Positive  High ecological validity because experiment was done in a real environment and a large sample was used.  Negative  Only children were used, would adults do the same?  Study only showed stealing little minor stuff such as sweets, would it be same for instance in bank robbery?