Stimulus-Word Changes in Picture-Frustration Situations

Abstract

The present study inquires into the influence of certain stimulus-word changes upon responses to picture-frustration situations. The question raised deals with the suitability of picture-frustration instruments in psychological research. METHOD From a total of 97 students in two undergraduate psychology classes, 60 were selected to participate. Those taking part were students who had scored high, either extrapunitively or impunitively, on the Rosenzweig Picture-Frustration Test, Form B, Adult Revision (Rosenzweig, 1947). At one class meeting rhe Rosenzweig P-F test was administered to the 97 students and from this group were chosen 30 Ss who had received the highest extrapunitive (E) scores, and 30 Ss who had received the highest impunitive (M) scores. Students who scored high intrapunitively were not involved. Four absences occurred at subsequent meetings when experimental data were collected, reducing the research group to 56 Ss. - In order to assess the influence of stimulus-word changes upon aggressive behavior of these selected Ss, three original sets of 24 picture-frustration cartoons were drawn. The sets were graphically identical and differed only in the words being addressed to the figure depicted as being thwarted. In Set N the words were judged to be essentially neutral, i.e., neither extrapunitive nor impunitive; in Set E the words were extrapunitive in character; and in Set M they were impunitive. Extrapunitive Ss were assigned at random to one of three picture-frusuation conditions described below. Similarly, impunitive Ss were assigned randomly to one of the following conditions. In Condition N Ss responded to P-F situations containing neutral words. In Condition E Ss responded to P-F situations containing extrapunitive words, and in Condition M Ss responded to P-F situations containing impunitive words.