Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 11, 2026
09:12
The Resident-intruder Paradigm: A Standardized Test for Aggression, Violence and Social Stress
Published on: July 4, 2013
73.0K
The effects of environmental resource and security on aggressive behavior
Henry Kin Shing Ng1, Tak Sang Chow2
1Department of Psychology, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
Aggressive Behavior
|November 19, 2016
Summary
Environmental factors like resource availability and security influence aggressive behavior. High resources increase aggression in insecure settings but decrease it when security is high, showing aggression
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Environmental Psychology
- Social Behavior
Background:
- Environmental exposure impacts aggressive behavior.
- Previous research lacked focus on specific environmental elements influencing aggression.
- Environmental perception research suggests resource and security are key factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of environmental resource and security levels in altering aggression.
- To examine the interaction effect of resource and security on aggression.
- To understand how environmental constraints shape the adaptive value of aggression.
Main Methods:
- Three experiments were conducted exposing participants to environments varying in resource (High/Low) and security (High/Low) levels.
- Environments were presented via visual priming (Experiments 1-2) and first-person gameplay (Experiment 3).
- Aggression was measured using noise blast delivery (Experiment 1) and unpleasant picture delivery (Experiments 2-3) to strangers.
Main Results:
- A consistent interaction effect between resource and security levels on aggression was observed.
- High resource levels correlated with increased aggression in insecure environments.
- High resource levels correlated with decreased aggression in secure environments.
Conclusions:
- The adaptive value of aggression is contingent upon environmental constraints, specifically resource and security levels.
- Adverse environmental conditions can significantly impact aggression.
- Environmental factors play a crucial role in shaping social behavior and aggression.
Related Concept Videos
01:47Aggression
30.5K
Humans engage in aggression when they seek to cause harm or pain to another person. Aggression takes two forms depending on one’s motives: hostile or instrumental. Hostile aggression is motivated by feelings of anger with intent to cause pain; a fight in a bar with a stranger is an example of hostile aggression. In contrast, instrumental aggression is motivated by achieving a goal and does not necessarily involve intent to cause pain (Berkowitz, 1993); a contract killer who murders for...
30.5K
01:28Causes of Social Behavior III: Biological and Environmental Influences
399
Social behavior is a complex phenomenon that arises from the interaction between biological predispositions and environmental influences. This intricate interplay shapes how individuals think, feel, and act in various social contexts. Understanding these mechanisms requires insights from psychology, neuroscience, genetics, and evolutionary theory.Environmental Influences on Social BehaviorEnvironmental factors, including temperature, odors, and visual stimuli, play a crucial role in shaping...
399
01:21Secondary Motives: Affiliation Motivation and Aggression Motivation
869
Affiliation motivation is the intrinsic desire to connect with others and belong to a social group, which plays a crucial role in forming and maintaining personal relationships. This type of motivation is essential for psychological well-being, as it provides individuals with a sense of community and support. An example of this is a student who joins a study group in order to feel a sense of connection. People with high affiliation motivation actively seek social approval, take satisfaction in...
869
02:04Bullying
8.9K
A modern form of aggression is bullying. As you learn in your study of child development, socializing and playing with other children is beneficial for children’s psychological development. However, as you may have experienced as a child, not all play behavior has positive outcomes. Some children are aggressive and want to play roughly. Other children are selfish and do not want to share toys. One form of negative social interactions among children that has become a national concern is...
8.9K
01:24Antisocial Personality Disorder
991
Antisocial personality disorder is a chronic mental health condition characterized by persistent patterns of disregard for the rights and well-being of others. Individuals with antisocial personality disorder exhibit behaviors that include deceitfulness, impulsivity, irresponsibility, aggression, and a profound lack of empathy. These traits often manifest early in life and persist into adulthood, leading to significant personal, social, and legal consequences.
Behavioral Characteristics and...
Behavioral Characteristics and...
991
01:30Impact of Individuals on Individuals
467
Human behavior is intricately shaped by social influences that arise from interactions with others in diverse contexts. These influences not only mold beliefs and attitudes but also drive the regulation of behaviors through both direct communication and observational learning. The study of these processes falls within the domain of social psychology, which seeks to understand how individuals are affected by and affect those around them.Mechanisms of Social InfluenceDirect social influence...
467