Pro and Anti Social Behaviour

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Pro- and Anti-Social Behaviour

a) Nature and causes of aggression

Use for:

a) Outline two psychological theories of aggression (12 marks)

b) Evaluate two theories of aggression that you outlined in part a) in terms of relevant research studies (12 marks)

a) Outline and evaluate two psychological theories of aggression (24 marks)

Aggression is an example of anti-social behaviour. It has been defined as 'any form of behaviour directed towards the goal of harming or injuring another living being who is motivated to avoid such harm'.

Social Psychological theories of aggression

These explain aggression as a result of social interactions

Social Learning Theory (SLT)

One of the most influential theories of aggression is the Social Learning theory put forward by Bandura (1973).

The nature of the theory suggests human aggression is learned either through direct experience or by observing aggressive behaviour in other people i.e. indirect experience.

Bandura produced two assumptions in relation to the social learning theory.

He stated that if a child acts aggressively against another child and as a result gets what they want, their aggressive behaviour has been