Exposure to modeled aggression teaches aggression rather than cathartically draining it.

Evidence

The theory in vogue at the time contended that exposure to modeled aggression is cathartic, allegedly reducing aggression by draining aggressive impulses. The modeling experiments demonstrated otherwise. Children who had observed the modeled aggression readily adopted the unique verbal and physical aggressive style of behavior, as illustrated in Figure 3.1. Some of the children also improvised on the novel modeled aggression. For example, in creative improvisation one of the girls pummeled Bobo with a doll as well as with the mallet! In contrast, children who had no exposure to the televised modeling never exhibited the novel forms of aggression. — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 731 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

In a peripherally relevant study, Loew (1967) showed that participants trained to speak aggressive verbs during a learning task delivered more extreme electric shocks to a peer. While these results seem to disconfirm the notion of catharsis in the expression of hostility, the target of hostility in Loew’s study was explicitly not an ethnic outgroup member, and the aggressive verbs were explicitly not ethnophaulisms. Nevertheless, these results suggest that intergroup hostility is exacerbated, and not cathartically ameliorated, by the use of antilocutions. More generally, “releasing” aggression has been shown to increase, not to decrease, subsequent aggression (Bushman, 2002). — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 1276 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Expressing aggression increases rather than relieves subsequent aggression. — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice: Fifty Years…, 1276; Viewing modeled aggression teaches novel aggressive behaviors rather than draining aggressive impulses; Aggression is learned through observation rather than inborn — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement: How People Do Harm…, 726 (+6 more)

Broader Connections

• Viewing modeled aggression teaches novel aggressive behaviors rather than draining aggressive impulses #corroborates (0.97)
• Watching aggression increases rather than cathartically releases it #corroborates (0.97) — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 731
• Expressing aggression increases rather than relieves subsequent aggression. #corroborates (0.96) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 1276