This characterization of frustration through observable qualities of events and environmental characteristics allows the objective testing and description of its effects rather than relying on subjective self-reported experiences. John Dollard thought about frustration as an unexpected blockage of a goal that someone anticipated attaining. define frustration as an event instead of an affective state (Breuer and Elson, 2017). The group attempted to account for virtually all of human aggression with a few basic ideas in their book, Frustration and Aggression.ĭollard et al. The first to formulate the frustration-aggression hypothesis were the Yale University researchers John Dollard, Leonard Doob, Neal Miller, O. However, our aggression is not always expressed towards the legitimate target because it could be too dangerous and we risk punishment, or because this target is not available so we displace our aggressive response towards a less dangerous target or one who just happens to be present. When we express this aggression physically, verbally or by fantasizing we experience catharsis, and our emotional tension is reduced. When our drive to reach a goal is blocked by external factors we experience frustration which, in turn, creates an aggressive drive and this can lead to aggressive behavior. Frustration is any event or stimulus that prevents an individual from attaining a goal and it’s accompanying reinforcement quality (Dollard & Miller, 1939). The frustration-aggression hypothesis states that aggression is a result of frustration. Frustration is a feeling of tension that occurs when our efforts to reach a goal are blocked.Īccording to this theory, proposed by Dollard (1939) frustration often leads to aggression.It uses the concepts of catharsis (relieving emotional tension) and displacement (unconscious defense mechanism whereby the mind diverts emotions from their original source to a less threatening, dangerous or unacceptable one to avoid experiencing anxiety).When people are frustrated, they experience a drive to be aggressive towards the object of their frustration, but this is often impossible or inappropriate, so the source of their aggression is displaced on something or someone else.
The frustration-aggression hypothesis is based on the psychodynamic approach.
0 kommentar(er)
