User:Lea.duguay/sandbox

Justification factor

Jody C. Dill and Craig.A Anderson (1995) wanted to add to the prediction of Berkowitz’(1989) model and to focus on the effects of justification on aggression. The experiment consisted of three groups of subjects (justified frustration, unjustified frustration and control) and a confederate who were instructed by the experimenter to fold a bird-shaped origami and who were later asked to perform it by themselves in a timely manner. For the three groups, the experimenter stated that they will present the instructions just once and then start the timer. In the experimentation, the experimenter intentionally gave instructions rapidly, so the subject would have difficulty to follow. At a predetermined fold, the confederate would interrupt the experimenter and ask them to slow down the pace.

Firstly, for the unjustified group, the condition was that achievement of the goal is prevented in a ‘’truly unjustified manner. The experimenter’s response was: “I would like to hurry and get this over with. My girlfriend/boyfriend is coming soon to pick me up after this and I do not want to make him/her wait.” For the justified condition the experimenter rather said: “My supervisor has scheduled someone else in this room very shortly and has pressured me to do this as quickly as I can.” Lastly, the experimenter in the control group responded, “Oh, O.K...I did not realize that I was going too fast. Let me backup a little and go more slowly’’.

Following the experiment, the subjects were then given questionnaires on their levels of aggression as well as questionnaires about the quality of the research staff. They were told that these questionnaires would determine whether the research staff would receive financial aid, or verbal reprimands and a reduction in financial awards. The questions presented on the questionnaires were designed to reflect the research staff's ability and likeability.

Dill and Anderson found that participants in the unjustified frustration group rated the research staff to have less ability and likeability, while knowing this would affect their financial situation as graduate students which can be interpreted as a form of aggression. The justified frustration group rated the staff as less likeable and having less ability than the control group, but more than that of the unjustified frustration group. These results support the hypothesis that frustration can lead to aggression. This study presents data concerning behavioral aggression and frustration level.