Knives as Aggression-Eliciting Stimuli

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to explore the cue value of the object “knife” in displaced aggression. Three kinds of knives were used: (1) a switchblade knife (high aggressive cue value), (2) a carving knife (high or low aggressive cue value), and (3) a table knife (low aggressive cue value). It was expected that frustration in the presence of highly aggressive cues (the switchblade knife and possibly the carving knife) would lead to more intense aggression than frustration in the presence of low-aggressive cues (the table knife and the no-object control conditions). Because of differences in roles and social learning males and females would react differently. 64 male and female university students were either frustrated or not frustrated in the presence of either a switchblade knife, carving knife, table knife or no object and then given an opportunity to evaluate an innocent peer on a 12-adjective bipolar scale. Ss were also asked to complete Zuckerman's (1960) Multiple Affect Attitude Check List (MAACL). Data indicated that for frustrated males the table knife elicited the most negative evaluations, while for frustrated females none of the “knife” conditions elicited more negative evaluations than the no-object control condition. The MAACL mood data indicated a significant increase in hostility with a nearly significant increase in anxiety and depression for frustrated males in the presence of a switchblade knife. Results were discussed in terms of their importance for understanding aggressive behavior.