Lieberman et al 1999

Hot Sauce

Exam-related Tips

• The “Introduction” further expands upon the information from the textbook– Example: Page 332 gives disadvantages of verbal measures of

aggression

• The “Method” contains both essential elements and non-essential elements– Example: Page 339 says subjects tasted hot sauce so knew it would be

painful for target

• The “Results” contains both essential elements and non-essential elements– Example: Page 343 says provocation (giving subject bad juice)

produced aggression (subject saying target should have more hot sauce)

• The “Discussion” provides information about problems with the study and why the study is important– Example: Page 345 gives two problems with the hot sauce measure of

aggression

Background• What is definition of aggression according to the article?

– Behavior intended to harm the individual

• Why did the article start with a definition of aggression?– Stating the definition allows better understand measurement, context, implications

• What are advantages of laboratory studies of aggression?– Can manipulate variables, can measure in safe and ethical fashion

• What is purpose of the article?– Developing a new measure of aggression that overcomes limitations of other procedures.

• How is aggression typically measured?– Verbal expressions such as evaluating the target

• What are the advantages of verbal expression of aggression?– Ethical advantage of eliminating physical harm

• What are disadvantages of verbal expression of aggression?– Depends upon participants belief that their verbal expressions will harm the target– Verbal measurements may not be assessing actual aggression

• How is physical aggression typically measured?– Through electric shocks

• What are disadvantages of using electric shocks?– Expensive, IRB problems, students know about Milgram study, confounds with cover story

Present Research• What is “hot sauce” technique?

– Participants choose amount of hot sauce allocated to participant

• What are essential features of the technique?– Initial provocation. Target is believed to be another participant in the study.– Knowing target did not like spicy foods. Believing target will have to consume it.

• (What are NOT essential parts of the Method section?– Cover story, Taste Preference Inventory, type of food, # subjects, Styrofoam cup, etc

• What are advantages of the technique?– Easily quantifiable, theoretically clear, ecologically valid

• How to determine validity of new technique?– Use technique in situation where prior research shows people are aggressive

• What two theories are tested?– Terror Management Theory (prime death & threatened world-view = aggression)– Cognitive-Experiential Self-theory (experiential mode = aggression)

• What were results?– TMT: More aggression when prime death & worldview-threatened– CEST: More aggression when experiential mode– Overall: Using hot sauce produced same results as prior research using other types of DVs

• What are the disadvantages of the technique?– A few targets refuse to consume the hot sauce. Some participants fill the entire cup.

Beyond the research

• Do you think the ‘hot sauce’ technique is valid/reliable/useful?

• Do you think the ‘hot sauce’ technique is better/worse than the other techniques?

• Can you think of other ways to measure aggression?