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Paragraph
4
Refer to this version of the passage to answer the questions that follow.
Aggression
1 Aggressive behavior is any behavior that is intended to cause injury, pain, suffering, damage,
or destruction. While aggressive behavior is often thought of as purely physical, verbal attacks
such as screaming and shouting or llittingyanchhumiliatingrcomments aimed at causing harm
and suffering can also be a type of aggression. What is key to the definition of aggression is that
whenever harm is inflicted, be it physical or verbal, itis intentional.
2 Questions about the causes of aggression have long been of concern to both social and
biological scientists. Theories about the causes of aggression cover a broad spectrum, ranging
from those with biological or instinctive emphases to those that portray aggression as a learned
behavior.
3 Numerous theories are based on the idea that aggression is an inherent and natural human
instinct. EJ Aggression has been explained as an instinct that is directed externally toward
others in a process called displacement, and it has been noted that aggressive impulses that
are not channeled toward a specific person or group may be expressed indirectly through
socially acceptable activities such as sports and competition in a process called catharsis.
Biological, or instinctive, theories of aggression have also been put forth by ethologists, who
study the behavior of animals in their natural environments. Ed A number of ethologists have,
based upon their observations of animals, supported the view that aggression is an innate
instinct common to humans. [3]
4 Two different SGHEGISNGRERGUGIM exist among those who view aggression as instinct. One
group holds the view that aggression can build up spontaneously, with or without outside
provocation, and violent behavior will thus result, perhaps as a result of little or no provocation.
Another suggests that aggression is indeed an instinctive response but that, rather than
occurring spontaneously and without provocation, itis a direct response to provocation from an
outside source,
5 In contrast to instinct theories, social learning theories view aggression as 4 learned
behavior. This approach focuses on the effect that role models and reinforcement of behavior
have on the acquisition of aggressive behavior. Research has shown that aggressive behavior
can be learned through a combination of modeling and positive reinforcement of the agaressive
behavior and that children are influenced by the combined forces of observing aggressive
behavior in parents, peers, or fictional role models and of noting either positive reinforcement
for the agaressive behavior or, minimally, a lack of negative reinforcement for the behavior, While
research has provided evidence that the behavior of a live model is more influential than tt of
a fictional model, fictional models of aggressive behavior such as those seen in movies and on
television, do still have an impact on behavior. {EJ On-screen deaths or acts of violent behavior
in certain television programs or movies can be counted in the tens, or hundreds, or even
thousands; while some have argued that this sort of fictional violence does not idianiGIOnifSett
cause violence and may even have a beneficial cathartic effect, studies have shown correlations
between viewing of violence and incidences of aggressive behavior in both childhood and
adolescence. [IJ Studies have also shown that itis not just the modeling of aggressive behavior
in either its real-life or fictional form that correlates with increased acts of violence in youths; a
(@iiliga) factor in increasing aggressive behaviors is the reinforcement of the behavior. IE If the
aggressive role model is rewarded rather than punished for violent behavior, that behavior is
more likely to be seen as positive and is thus more likely to be imitated. IE
READINGQuestions
1. Which of the following is NOT defined as
aggressive behavior?
@ Inflicting pain accidentally
® Making insulting remarks
© Destroying property
® Trying unsuccessfully to injure someone
2. The author mentions belittiing and
humiliating comments in paragraph 1 in
order to
® demonstrate how serious the problem of
aggression is
© clarify the difference between intentional
and unintentional aggression
© provide examples of verbal aggression
© illustrate the nature of physical
aggression
3. The word intentional in paragraph 1 is,
closest in meaning to
© deliberate
® estimated
© forbidden
© intermittent
4. Which of the sentences below expresses
the essential information in the highlighted
sentence in paragraph 2? Incorrect choices.
change the meaning in important ways or
leave out essential information,
@ Biological theories of aggression
emphasize its instinctive nature.
® Theories that consider aggression
biological are more accepted than
those that consider it learned.
© Various theories about aggression
attribute it to either natural or learned
causes.
® Various theories try to compare the idea
that aggression is biological with the
idea that itis learned.
5. According to paragraph 3, displacement is,
@ internally directed aggression
© a modeled type of aggression
© aggression that is unintentional
© aggression that is directed outward
6. It can be inferred from paragraph 3 that
catharsis
@ is a positive process
©® involves channeling aggression
internally
© is studied by ethologists
© should be negatively reinforced
7. An ethologist would be most likely to study
@ learned catharsis in a certain species of
monkey
© the evolution of a certain type of fish
© the bone structure of a certain type of
dinosaur
© the manner in which a certain male tion
fights other male lions
8. Look at the four squares [lll] that indicate
where the following sentence can be added
to paragraph 3.
One may, for example, release
aggression by joining a football team
or a debate team or even a cooking
competition.
Click on a square [Ill] to add the sentence
to the passage.
9. The phrase schools of thought in paragraph
4s closest in meaning to
@ institutions of higher learning
® lessons to improve behavior
© methods of instruction
© sets of shared beliefs
10. It is NOT mentioned in paragraph 4 that
some believe that instinctive aggression
may occur
® without being provoked
@® in order to cause provocation
© in response to minor provocation
© in response to strong provocation
11. The word it in paragraph 4 refers to
® aggression
© an instinctive response
© provocation
© a direct response
READING DIAGNOSTIC PRE-TEST
512. The author begins paragraph 5 with the
expression In contrast to instinct theories in
order to
@® introduce the instinct theories that will
be presented in paragraph 5
© indicate that paragraph 5 will present
two contrasting theories
© contrast instinctive theories of
aggression with biological theories of
aggression
© provide a transition to the idea that will
be presented in paragraph 5
13. Which of the sentences below expresses
the essential information in the highlighted
sentence in paragraph 5? Incorrect choices
change the meaning in important ways or
leave out essential information.
@ Research on aggression has shown that
the best way to combat aggression
is to model appropriate behavior and
positively reinforce non-aggressive
behavior.
© Children learn to behave aggressively by
witnessing aggressive behavior that is
rewarded or is at least not punished.
© When aggressive behavior is combined
with modeling, it takes positive
reinforcement to disrupt this type of
behavior.
© Children will mode! aggressive behavior
even in circumstances when the
aggressive behavior is negatively
reinforced.
14, The word that in paragraph 5 refers to
@ research
© evidence
© the behavior
© alive model
READING
15, What is stated in paragraph 5 about the
modeling of aggressive behavior?
@® Fictional models are as likely to cause
aggressive behavior as are live
models.
©® Little correlation has been found
between viewing of agaressive
behavior on television and acting
aggressively.
© Aggression in works of fiction may
cause aggressive behavior.
® Aggression in society has an effect on
the type of violence in movies and on
television.
46. The phrase in and of itself in paragraph 5 is
closest in meaning to
© internally
@® single-handedly
© genuinely
© semi-privately
17. The word critical in paragraph 5 could best
be replaced by
® negative
© considerate
© crucial
© studied
18. Look at the four squares [Il] that indicate
where the following sentence can be added
to paragraph 5,
Thus, it is more common for a youth
to imitate aggressors who have been
rewarded than those who have been
punished.
Click on a square [ll] to add the sentence
to the passage19,
20.
[Turn to the chart on page 544, and circle the numbers of the que
Directions: Select the appropriate sentences from the answer choices, and match them
to the theories to which they relate. TWO of the answer choices will not be
used. This question is worth 3 points.
theories attributing .
aggression to instinct |
theories attributing .
aggression to learned
behaviors
Answer Choices (choose 4 to complete the chart):
(1) Aggression occurs in response to rewards for aggressive behavior.
(2) Aggression occurs without outside provocation.
(8) Aggression occurs in order to provoke confrontations.
(4) Aggression occurs in response to observed behavior.
(5) Aggression occurs in response to negative reinforcement of aggressive behavior.
(6) Aggression occurs as a natural response to provocation.
Directions: An introductory sentence or a brief summary of the passage is provided
below. Complete the summary by selecting the FOUR answer choices that
express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not
belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented
in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 4
points.
The passage discusses causes of aggression.
Answer Choices (choose 4 to complete the chart)
(1) Aggression may be learned behavior that occurs in order to model aggression from
others.
2) Aggression may be instinctive behavior that occurs without provocation.
(3) Aggression may be learned behavior that occurs in response to observed behavior.
(4) Aggression may be instinctive behavior that occurs in order to provoke others.
(6) Aggression may be learned behavior that occurs in response to rewards for
aggressive behavior.
(6) Aggression may be instinctive behavior that occurs in response to provocation,
ions that you mi
READING DIAGNOSTIC PRE-TEST
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