We Only Want to Hurt the Ones We Love

Hypothesis
I believe that people are more likely to exhibit higher outward signs of aggressive behavior when the aggression is focused at someone they are familiar with as opposed to when it is directed at a stranger. For the purpose of this study familiarity is defined as having had several contacts with the other person in which dialogue was exchanged.

Method
I plan to use a combination of previous personal observations, archival research and a small study of my own. I am going to walk through Wal-Mart, where I am sure to run into people I know as well as people I have never had contact with. While walking through Wal-Mart I will cause frustration in random people by stopping directly in front of them, blocking their path or stepping directly in front of whatever they seem to be looking at. I will not apologize for my actions. I will then gage their reaction on a 1-5 scale, rating for how big a reaction I receive. Once I have achieved a reaction from them, I will apologize and give a brief explanation of what I was doing, hopefully this will negate the frustration they have felt and lessen their feelings of aggression. Then I will ask them questions to gage if what they felt was simply frustration or if they were starting to have aggressive feelings. The reaction they display will correlate to their aggression level and if they are familiar with me or not.


Literature Review
Based on studies previously done relating to aggression towards familiar objects it has actually been shown that creating some level of familiarity with the aggressor will lessen the amount of aggression directed at their target. However, I believe that in general people are more likely to act on their aggression if they are familiar with their target. This is not to say that they feel more aggression towards familiar targets but that they are more likely to act out their feelings on them.


References
Ohbuchi, K., Ohno, T., & Mukai, H. (1993). Empathy and Aggression: Effects of Self-Disclosure and Fearful Appeal. Journal of Social Psychology, 133(2), 243-253. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

Duncan, L., & Owen-Smith, A. (2006). Powerlessness and the Use of Indirect Aggression in Friendships. Sex Roles, 55(7/8), 493-502. doi:10.1007/s11199-006-9103-2.