Hostility as a function of the opportunity to counteraggress

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Reactivity Theory

Background:

• Insulting behavior can provoke hostility.
• Reactance theory suggests individuals react against perceived threats to freedom.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of the opportunity to retaliate on hostility following insult.
• To test predictions derived from reactance theory in a social psychology context.

Main Methods:

• College students were subjected to either insulting or neutral behavior by an experimenter.
• Participants were then randomly assigned to have or not have the opportunity to administer electric shock.
• Hostility levels toward the experimenter were measured before the shock opportunity.

Main Results:

• The opportunity to administer electric shock significantly reduced hostility in participants who had been insulted.
• This effect was observed despite hostility being measured prior to the actual opportunity to shock.
• Findings support the predictions of reactance theory regarding the reduction of negative affect.

Conclusions:

• The mere opportunity for retaliation can mitigate hostility stemming from perceived provocation.
• Revenge motivation, as predicted by reactance theory, can override immediate aggressive impulses.
• Implications for understanding conflict resolution and interpersonal aggression are discussed.