[Social Psychology: The effects of aggression in women (in two different age categories) in either a hot room condition or in a cool condition]

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible.

DECLARATION

I, [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

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ABSTRACT

The aim of this dissertation is to find out the effects of aggression in women (in two different age categories) in either a hot room condition or in a cool condition. Aggression measures include violent crime, spouse abuse, horn-honking, and delivery of electric shock. Analysis levels include age group, seasonal, monthly, and daily variations in aggression, and concomitant temperature-aggression effects in field and laboratory settings. Field studies clearly show that heat increases aggression. Laboratory studies show inconsistencies, possibly because of several artifacts. Specific models have not been adequately tested, but the excitation transfer/misattribution and cognitive neo-association approaches appear most promising, whereas the negative affect escape appears the least viable. Suggestions for future work are made.

Table of Contents

ABSTRACT1

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION3

Background3

Organizational Scheme3

Basic Issues4

Is There a Nonartifactual Temperature-Aggression Relation?4

What is the Shape of the Temperature-Aggression Relation?4

CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW6

Theories Relating Temperature and Aggression6

Negative Affect Escape Model6

Simple Negative Affect Model7

Excitation Transfer/Misattrlbution of Arousal Model7

Cognitive Neo-association Model8

Physiological- Thermoregulatory Model8

What changes in aggression should be expected in cold because of these contradictory neurotransmitter effects?9

A Note on Arousal9

Studies of Temperature-Aggression Hypothesis10

Age group Effects10

Studies With No Controls for Socioeconomic Factors11

Studies With Controls/or Socioeconomic Factors12

Summary13

CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY15

Time Period Effects15

Effects of Hot Years and Seasons16

Effects of Hot Months17

Effects of Hot Days27

Summary32

CHAPTER IV: FINDINGS & DISCUSSION34

Concomitant Temperature34

Concomitant Aggression in the Lab35

Naturalistic Aggression40

Attraction, Affect, and Thought42

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSIONS46

Basic Issues46

Future Work48

REFERENCES50

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

Background

For thousands of years, people have associated weather and human behaviors. For example, in Shakespeare's King Lear, the title character's madness is accompanied by violent storms. Often, more specific causal linkages have been proposed, as are demonstrated by the epigraphs.

The most common weather-behavior linkage is that between uncomfortably hot temperatures and violent or aggressive behavior. Our language is replete with imagery that reflects this linkage. Tempers "flare" when we fight; we get "hot under the collar" when frustrated; or we "do a slow bum" when angered. The basic temperature-aggression hypothesis is that the propensity for aggression increases at uncomfortably hot temperatures and that this propensity often overrides more rational considerations.

Consider first what is meant by aggression. Many types of aggression have been identified in human and nonhuman research. A partial listing includes the following types: predatory, pain elicited, defensive, offensive, and instrumental. Different factors are involved in these different types, and probably differ somewhat between species. The temperature-aggression hypothesis applies primarily to those aggressive acts that are characterized by two motivational ...