Yoram Jaffe

Aggression and its Escalation

Physical aggression, its escalation, and felt responsibility for it, were compared in group and individual action of Israeli natives and of European Russian, Caucasian, and Georgian new immigrants to Israel. The experimental paradigm was a modified Buss aggression machine paradigm for measuring physical aggression. Generally, aggression was greater and escalated faster, and felt responsibility was lower, in groups than in individuals. Georgians were the most aggressive and European Russians were the least so. Diffusion of responsibility and its disinhibitory role in collective action was the major explanation. The ethnic differences were seen as reflecting the influence of sociocultural training in aggression (Georgians) versus that of a history of severe punishment for aggression (European Russians).

Behavior and Cognitive Therapy in the Treatment of Vaginismus: A Case Study

Theoretical basis for a combined behavioral-cognitive approach to sexual dysfunctions may be found in the work of Masters and Johnson (1970). However, the treatment methods employed by them as well as by behavior therapists have included primarily behavioral procedures. This is particularly the case in the treatment of vaginismus, where behavior therapists have made an exclusive use of Wolpes (1958) systematic desensitization method (see reports by Fuchs et al., 1975; Haslam, 1965; Husted, 1975). This case study presents a self-control approach that combines cognitive procedures such as rational restructuring (Ellis, 1962) with behavioral procedures such as self-control desensitization (Goldfried, 1971) in the treatment of vaginismus.

CULTURAL GENERALITY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SEX AND AGGRESSION

The present research reports a successful replication of aggression-facilitating effects of exposure to sexual stimulation reported by investigators in the U. S. In demonstrating that also for 29 Israeli when sexually aroused subjects behaved more aggressively than when nonaroused, the results support the notion that the positive relationship observed between sexuality and aggression is a cross-cultural phenomenon.

THE COLLEGE SELF-EXPRESSION SCALE: ISRAELI DATA

The Hebrew translation of the College Self-expression Scale was administered to 137 females and to 47 males, all Israeli students. Data were similar to previously reported American data with respect to normative scores, lack of sex differences and positive relationship with age. Further, length of stay in Israel correlated positively with assertiveness while ethnic background did not.

Dimensions of assertiveness: factors underlying the college self-expression scale.

A total of 447 Israeli students, both males and females, from four educational institutions were administered the College Self-expression Scale, a measure of assertiveness. The obtained responses were factor analyzed using the principal axis solution and the varimax rotation method. The results showed four main factors which included 43 of the 50 items of the original scale. These factors were identified as the willingness to take risks in interpersonal interactions, the ability to communicate feelings, setting rules and rectifying injustices, and the presence or absence of a tendency to invoke a self-punitive attitude. The findings were interpreted as adding support to the validity of the scale as a measure of assertiveness.

Sexual Stimulation: Effects on Prosocial Behavior

20 unprovoked male subjects were exposed to sexual stimulation via two different modalities and their choices of aggressive vs prosocial behavior were compared with those of 20 unprovoked subjects exposed to two different types of control materials. A modification of the Buss aggression machine was used for this purpose. While all groups strongly preferred the prosocial response alternative (indication of correct response as feedback for incorrect responses) over the aggressive one (administration of electric shock as punishment for incorrect responses), sexually aroused subjects made fewer aggressive and more prosocial choices than nonaroused subjects. This finding is clearly consistent with the theoretical proposition that general arousal will facilitate the dominant or prepotent response of the response alternatives available to the subject.