Taylor Aggression Paradigm Research Articles

Revisiting the Alcohol-Aggression Link: The Impact of Alcohol Consumption Patterns

Laboratory studies have repeatedly reported a link between alcohol and aggression, yet many rely on single-dose administration methods and overlook variations in alcohol consumption patterns. The present study investigates the effects of alcohol on aggressive behavior using a double-blind, placebo-controlled cumulative drinking administration approach that mirrors the natural drinking behaviors often observed in pubs within a laboratory setting. This study also pioneers the examination of how alcohol consumption patterns (light or heavy) moderate the relationship between precise Breath Alcohol Concentration (BrAC) levels and extreme aggressive behavior. Seventy-five light (N=38) and heavy (N=37) alcohol drinkers were randomly assigned to alcohol (N=33) or placebo (N=42) conditions. Participants drank four drinks successively. Taylor's aggression paradigm was completed twenty minutes after each drink. Multilevel modeling was applied to analyze the effects of precise BrAC and account for within-person variability. Alcohol showed a dose-dependent effect on aggression; as alcohol levels rose, so did aggression (p<.001). Alcohol consumption pattern moderated the effect of cumulative BrAC on aggression, such that the effect was more substantial for light as compared with individuals who drink heavily (p=.03). The current study highlights the moderating role of alcohol consumption pattern in the association between precise BrAC levels and extreme aggression, offering insights into individual differences in susceptibility to alcohol-induced aggression, and supporting the I3 meta-theory (Finkel, 2014). The Findings underscore the importance of investigating the interplay between acute and chronic alcohol use on behavior, challenging conventional thresholds for hazardous drinking classification. Implications for future studies, legislators, and policymakers are discussed.

Comparing behavioral measures of aggression in the laboratory: Taylor Aggression Paradigm versus Point-Subtraction Aggression Paradigm.

Aggression refers to a wide range of behaviors with lasting individual and societal consequences. Recurrent, unplanned aggressive behavior is the core diagnostic criterion for intermittent explosive disorder (IED). In this study, we compared two behavioral measures of aggression in the laboratory: the Taylor Aggression Paradigm (TAP) and the Point-Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (PSAP). This sample (n = 528) included community participants who met DSM-5 criteria for IED (n = 156), met DSM-5 criteria for a nonaggressive psychiatric disorder (n = 205), or did not meet DSM-5 criteria for any psychiatric disorder (n = 167). All participants completed the TAP, a single-session PSAP, and relevant self-report measures. MANOVA analyses demonstrated differences between IED participants and nonaggressive participants; however, these group differences were no longer significant for the PSAP after including demographic variables. Correlation analyses found that the TAP and PSAP were positively related to one another and the composite variables associated with aggressive behavior (i.e., history of aggression, impulsivity, and propensity to experience anger) and; dependent correlations revealed that past aggression and trait anger were more strongly related to the TAP. Differences in TAP and PSAP outcomes may be partially attributed to operationalizations of aggression and methods of aggression and provocation. Further, as aggressive and nonaggressive participants differed on the PSAP somewhat mirroring the TAP, our results add to growing evidence of the validity of a single-session PSAP; further research is needed to fully establish single-session PSAP as a laboratory aggression task compared to the multi-session PSAP.

The influence of the COMT Val158Met polymorphism on prefrontal TDCS effects on aggression

Increasing dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activity by anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) enhances cognitive control and might reduce aggression. The Val158Met polymorphism within the catechol-O-methyltransferase gene (rs4680) plays a pivotal role in prefrontal dopamine signaling, displaying associations with aggressive behavior, and potentially influencing the effects of tDCS. In a double-blind, sham-controlled study, we investigated the influence of rs4680 on tDCS effects on aggression. While undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging, 89 healthy male participants performed the Taylor aggression paradigm before and immediately after tDCS. Actively stimulated participants (n = 45) received anodal tDCS (1.5 mA) for 20 min targeting the right DLPFC. Carriers of the val-allele (val+; n = 46; active tDCS n = 23) were compared to met-allele homozygotes (val−; n = 43; active tDCS n = 22). Analysis revealed decreased aggressive behavior in the val− group following active tDCS (p < 0.001). The val+ group showed increased aggression during the second session (p < 0.001) with an even higher increase following active as compared to sham tDCS (p < 0.001). No effects of stimulation or rs4680 on brain activation were found. Our study provides evidence for opposite tDCS effects on aggressive behavior in val-carriers and val-noncarriers. By shedding light on genetic factors predicting tDCS responsivity, the study will help to pave the way toward individualized—and thus more effective—tDCS treatment options.

A quasi-experimental study in sibling dyads: differential provocation-aggression patterns in the interactive taylor aggression paradigm.

The Taylor Aggression Paradigm (TAP) is a well-established tool for assessing provocation-induced reactive aggression. We introduce an interactive version, the iTAP, with real-time opponents across 60 trials, including five simulated provocation trials in the middle. In this quasi-experimental study, we evaluate the effectiveness of the paradigm to investigate reactive aggression in interacting participants. The design allows us to employ the TAP in settings of high familiarity dyads, addressing an existing gap. Twenty-eight healthy same-sex adult sibling pairs (N = 56) competed against each other in the iTAP, exemplifying high familiarity through their social and emotional co-development, and mutual knowledge. Additionally, we explore naturally arising aggression types in terms of sibling pairs' reciprocal aggression trajectories across trials. Lastly, we investigate situational and personal variables influencing reactive aggression on the iTAP within high familiarity dyads. In line with non-interactive TAP versions, siblings employed a global "tit-for-tat" strategy in response to heightened provocation: Aggression increased during manipulated trials of increasing provocation, persisted during real interaction and declined in the final block, suggesting sibling co-regulation which was underscored by the convergence in within-pair aggression level. We found no gender differences in these dynamics but a trend for higher initial aggression levels within brother pairs and higher responsiveness to increased provocation in sister pairs. Overall aggression levels were related to situational variables including trial outcome (lost, won, and tie), Further, siblings' state anger correlated positively with aggression scores on the iTAP. Aggression was not reliably related to personal variables predicting aggression. We identified subgroups of sibling pairs with distinct provocation-aggression patterns related to differences in reported behavioral motivations and emotional states. The results highlight situational over personal variables in determining aggressive behavior on the task in this sample of healthy adults. While no direct link between sibling relationship quality and aggression was found, the overall behavior was likely influenced by the familiarity between siblings and the specific context of their relationship. The iTAP demonstrates promise as a tool for studying reciprocal aggressive behavior. The emergence of different interaction patterns underscores the ecological validity introduced by the interactive context, which complements the standard versions of the TAP.

Aggression by omission: Redefining and measuring an understudied construct.

Researchers of aggression have classically focused on what has been previously called active aggression-the deliberate infliction of harm through the direct application of deleterious consequences. However, the counterpart to this, what was originally called passive aggression, has gone understudied, and its definition has mutated beyond its original conceptualization. The present two studies (N's 196 and 220, respectively) attempted to examine passive aggression as originally defined-the deliberate withholding of behavior to ensure that a target is harmed-and renaming it aggression by omission (ABO), in contrast to aggression by commission (ABC). These studies found that both fit within a similar nomological network of antagonism, Sadism, and trait aggression. Study 2 additionally found that both were equally affected by provocation and were considered equally harmful. These findings encourage further research into ABO to capture this construct concretely, especially in the context of common paradigms (e.g., the Taylor Aggression Paradigm, Hot Sauce, Point-Subtraction Aggression Paradigm), and trait aggression scales, which typically measure ABC.

Effect of transcranial direct current stimulation over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on the aggressive behavior in methamphetamine addicts

Aggressive behavior of drug addicts threatens human security and social stability, and Methamphetamine (MA) addicts show especially aggressive behavior. Researches showed that the decreased activity of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is closely related to violence and aggression, and continuous transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on DLPFC can increase the activity of this position. So, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of tDCS on DLPFC for the aggressive behavior of MA addicts. Ninety MA addicts were recruited and randomly divided into anodal tDCS group, cathode tDCS group and sham tDCS group (current intensity was set as 2 mA, 2 mA and 0 mA, respectively). The tDCS intervention was conducted twice a day for five consecutive days. Taylor Aggression Paradigm (TAP) was used to measure the proactive aggressiveness and reactive aggressiveness of MA addicts at different time points (Pretest, Day 1, and Day 5). At the same time, we also recruited 30 healthy adult males as healthy controls, and measured their aggressiveness through TAP for comparative analysis. The results showed that the aggressiveness of MA addicts was significantly higher than that of healthy controls. The aggressiveness of MA addicts was effectively reduced by the anode intervention of tDCS on the left DLPFC, especially when they were subjected to high-intensity provocation, the 2-way interaction between time and tDCS group was statistically significant (F4,164 = 2.939, P = 0.022, ηp2 = 0.067). This study can provide a reference for how to correct the aggressive behavior of MA addicts.

Laboratory assessment of aggression: The Taylor Aggression Paradigm in adults with and without a disorder of impulsive aggression

IntroductionThe modified Taylor Aggression Paradigm (TAP) has been used to study impulsive aggression in experimental designs and has been relatively successful in addressing critiques of aggression paradigms; however, little has been done to examine the potential of using the TAP as a direct measure of aggression. This study aimed to explore the psychometric properties of the TAP behavioral indexes as measures of aggression. MethodsA community sample of 962 adults were divided into three groups based on diagnostic assessments: Intermittent Explosive Disorder; Non-Aggressive Psychiatric Disorder; or healthy controls. Participants then completed the TAP and self-report measures to assess construct validity. A subset of 47 participants completed a second TAP within one year to assess reliability. TAP indexes were based on number of “extreme” shocks selected (high shock index), average shock levels selected (mean shock index), and shocks levels selected without provocation (unprovoked aggression). ResultsOverall, TAP indexes were consistent and reliable. IED participants had the highest high shock and mean shock indexes of all groups (X2 = 49.93, p < 0.001). High shock index was related to trait aggression (β = 0.184, p < 0.001) after including covariates; mean shock index had a trending association with trait anger (β = 0.102, p = 0.059). ConclusionTAP behavioral indexes demonstrated promising psychometrics as a measure of aggression. High shock index appears to be more strongly associated with aggressive behavior; mean shock index may better measure general hostile responding. Future research might include comparisons specifically with impulse control disorders.

A Laboratory Test of Alcohol-Related Intimate Partner Aggression: Expectancies Are Not to Blame

Background: The role of alcohol expectancies and evaluations (i.e., perceived outcomes of drinking and whether these outcomes are desirable) in alcohol-related intimate partner aggression (IPA) has been debated, with some researchers arguing that expectancies fully account for the alcohol-IPA relationship and others suggesting they play a minimal if any role in alcohol-related IPA. In the current study, we examine the impact of expectancies and evaluations on alcohol-related IPA observed in the lab, in order to clarify what impact, if any, alcohol expectancies have on alcohol-related IPA. Consistent with findings from laboratory studies examining general aggression, we expected that individuals who were intoxicated would display greater IPA than individuals who were sober, but that alcohol expectancies and evaluations would be unrelated to in vivo IPA. Method: Participants were 69 dating couples (total N = 138), randomly assigned to consume either an alcohol or placebo beverage. IPA was measured with an in vivo aggression task based on the Taylor Aggression Paradigm. Results: As expected, alcohol intoxication predicted in vivo IPA following provocation (p < .03), whereas alcohol expectancies and evaluations were not related to IPA. Conclusions: These findings provide further support that alcohol expectancies and evaluations play little if any role in alcohol-related IPA. Rather, intoxication likely increases risk for IPA through its physiological effects on perception and thought. Further, treatments targeting alcohol use, rather than beliefs about outcomes of drinking, may have a greater impact on alcohol-related IPA.

The Relation Between the Power of Prefrontal Gamma in Rest-state EEG Under Normal Sleep and Reactive Aggression Behaviour After Sleep Deprivation.

Whether sleep deprivation affects aggressive behaviour is still under debate. The present study examined the influence of individual differences in reactive aggressive behaviour after sleep deprivation and preliminarily explored an electrophysiological marker to identify individuals with more aggressive behaviour after sleep deprivation. Thirty participants performed the Taylor Aggression Paradigm task under two sleep conditions: normal sleep (NS, one night of regular sleep) and total sleep deprivation (SD, 30h of wakefulness), and 5-minute resting-state electroencephalogram (EEG) acquisition was completed under the NS condition. The results found that although sleep deprivation did not have significant effects on aggressive behaviour in the overall analysis, the participants can be classified as an increased group (n = 16) and a no-increased group (n = 14) by different changes in the two sleep conditions (SD-NS). In addition, prefrontal gamma (γ) power was significantly lower in the increased group than in the no-increased group, which may reflect the difference in ability on inhibition. Furthermore, more critical is that γ power was significantly negatively correlated with change in the reactive aggressive behaviour. These results indicate that the effect of SD on reactive aggression varies between individuals, and prefrontal γ power may be an effective electrophysiological marker for identifying people at risk of aggressive behaviour after SD.

Social Interaction With an Anonymous Opponent Requires Increased Involvement of the Theory of Mind Neural System: An fMRI Study.

An anonymous interaction might facilitate provoking behavior and modify the engagement of theory of mind (TOM) brain mechanisms. However, the effect of anonymity when processing unfair behavior of an opponent remains largely unknown. The current functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study applied the Taylor aggression paradigm, introducing an anonymous opponent to this task. Thirty-nine healthy right-handed subjects were included in the statistical analysis (13 males/26 females, mean age 24.5 ± 3.6 years). A player winning the reaction-time game could subtract money from the opponent during the task. Participants behaved similarly to both introduced and anonymous opponents. However, when an anonymous opponent (when compared to the introduced opponent) subtracted money, the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) demonstrated an increased BOLD signal and increased functional connectivity with the left IFG. Further, increased functional connectivity between the right IFG, the right temporal parietal junction and precuneus was observed during the perception of high provocation (subtracting a large amount of money) from the anonymous compared to the introduced opponent. We speculate that the neural changes may underlie different inferences about the opponents’ mental states. The idea that this reorganization of the TOM network reflects the attempt to understand the opponent by “completing” socially relevant details requires further investigation.

How does emotion shape aggressive behavior of violent offenders? An explanation based on emotion regulation theory

<p id=C2>Emotion is considered to be an important factor affecting aggressive behavior. According to emotion regulation theory, distressed people hope to improve their moods, and the motivation to use aggression to improve mood will increase aggressive behavior. In other words, the expectation of emotions is an important factor in the generation of aggressive behavior. Previous theories and studies mostly focused on the role of negative emotions such as anger in aggressive behavior. Recently, some researchers believe that positive affect plays an equally important role in aggression. Also, negative and positive affect are orthogonal, they should be studied separately. In addition, according to the purpose of aggression, it is often divided into premeditated/ proactive aggression and impulsive/reactive aggression, the mechanism between the two subtypes may exist differences. Finally, most of the previous studies used college students as participants, and the external validity is limited. The present study based on emotion regulation theory, selected violent offenders as participants to explore the role of negative/positive affect in proactive and reactive aggression with 2 studies. <break/>In study 1, we recruited 88 violent offenders for a scenario-based experiment. Participants were randomly divided into a reactive aggression group (<italic>n</italic> = 46) and a proactive aggression group (<italic>n</italic> = 42) in the adapted reaction time competition paradigm (Taylor Aggression Paradigm). Participants finished the first stage to manipulate types of aggression. Participants were told to compete with another participant (a fake participant) in racing the speed of reactions. In the reactive aggression group, participants lost the game and received negative feedback from their rivals; in the proactive aggression group, participants won the game and received positive feedback from their rivals. Then, they completed the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and the questionnaire of emotion regulation motive. Finally, they finished the second stage in which they could send noises to their rivals, which can be considered as an aggressive indicator. Model 4 of Process in SPSS 23.0 was used to test the mediating role of emotion regulation motive between negative/positive affect and aggression. Participants finished PANAS after the second stage for study 2. Repeated measures ANOVA and regression analysis were used to test the change of emotion before and after aggression. <break/>Study 1 showed that the motivation to improve mood played a mediating role between negative emotion and proactive/reactive aggression, but the effect was not significant for positive emotion. Study 2 showed that positive emotions would increase after proactive and reactive aggression; reactive aggression could reduce negative emotions, while proactive aggression could increase negative emotions. <break/>The following conclusions can be obtained from the two experiments: (1) In a negative emotional state, violent offenders hope to improve their mood by conducting aggressive behavior. (2) Proactive and reactive aggression can increase the positive emotions of violent offenders, indicating that aggression can produce pleasure. (3) Reactive aggression can reduce negative emotions; proactive aggression can increase the negative emotions of violent criminals. The present study illustrates the relationship between emotion, especially positive emotion, and aggressive behavior in violent offenders. Aggression can produce pleasure, but it may also increase negative emotions, which in turn increases aggressive behavior, forming a feedback loop, which reflects the non-adaptive of aggressive behavior from the perspective of emotion. In practice, especially in prison, we should help individuals to learn a reasonable way to regulate their emotions, such as mindfulness.

Psychobiological Correlates of Aggression in Female Adolescents with Borderline Personality Disorder

Introduction: Aggressive behavior in reaction to threats, frustration, or provocation is prevalent in borderline personality disorder (BPD). This study investigated aggressive behavior and its biological correlates in adolescents with BPD. Methods: Twenty-one female adolescents with a DSM-IV BPD diagnosis and 25 sex- and age-matched healthy controls participated in the Taylor Aggression Paradigm (TAP), a laboratory-based experiment measuring aggressive behavior in the interpersonal context. Heart rate was measured and saliva samples were taken throughout the experiment. Results: Multilevel mixed-effects linear regression analyses revealed no significant group difference in aggressive behavior induced by the TAP. Additionally, the two groups did not differ in cortisol, testosterone, and heart rate responses to the aggression induction. The BPD group showed a significant cortisol increase in the time preceding the start of the TAP in contrast to the healthy control group, in whom a significant heart rate increase from baseline to the first block of the TAP was observed. Discussion: There was no evidence, either at the phenomenological or the biological level, of increased task-induced aggression in adolescents with BPD. The results may indicate that adolescents with BPD experienced fearful stress in anticipation of the experimental task in contrast to healthy controls who showed an adaptive response of the autonomic nervous system necessary to deal with the upcoming demand.

Proactive vs. Reactive Aggression Within Two Modified Versions of the Taylor Aggression Paradigm.

The Taylor Aggression Paradigm (TAP) has been widely used to measure reactive aggression following provocation during competitive interactions. Besides being reactive, aggression can be goal-directed (proactive aggression). Our study presents a novel paradigm to investigate proactive aggression during competitive interactions. Sixty-seven healthy participants competed in two modified versions of the TAP against an ostensible opponent while skin conductance responses (SCRs) were recorded. During the proactive TAP (pTAP), only the participant could interfere with the ostensible opponent’s performance by blurring the screen. In the reactive TAP (rTAP), the opponent repeatedly provoked the participant by blurring the screen of the participant, impeding their chance to win. In both versions, the blurriness levels chosen by the participant served as a measure of aggression (unprovoked in the pTAP and provoked in the rTAP). In the pTAP, trial-by-trial mixed model analyses revealed higher aggression with higher self-reported selfishness. SCRs decreased with increasing proactive aggression. An interaction effect between gender and proactive aggression for the SCRs revealed increased SCRs at higher aggression levels in females, but lower SCRs at higher aggression levels in males. In the rTAP, SCRs were not associated with reactive aggression but aggression increased with increasing provocation and especially after losing against the opponent when provoked. While males showed higher aggression levels than females when unprovoked, reactive aggression increased more strongly in females with higher provocation. Mean levels of aggression in both tasks showed a high positive correlation. Our results highlight that, despite being intercorrelated and both motivated by selfishness, proactive and reactive aggression are differentially influenced by gender and physiological arousal. Proactive aggression is related to lower physiological arousal, especially in males, with females showing the opposite association. Reactive aggressive behavior is a result of individual responses to provocation, to which females seem to be more sensitive.

Associations Between Psychopathic Traits and Laboratory-Based Aggression: Moderating Effects of Provocation and Distraction.

There are two distinct combinations of psychopathic traits (primary and secondary) that have been proposed to be a function of unique cognitive-affective deficits. This study sought to use theories of psychopathy to understand the factors that exacerbate (i.e., provocation) and attenuate (i.e., distraction) aggression in individuals high in psychopathic traits in a controlled laboratory task. Male undergraduates, who scored across the range of primary and secondary psychopathic traits, completed the Taylor Aggression Paradigm (TAP; Taylor, 1967) under conditions of low and high provocation. Participants were also randomly assigned to either a distraction condition, in which they completed a distracting concurrent task, or a control condition, in which no such task was completed. Inconsistent with our prediction, results showed that regardless of condition, primary psychopathic traits were positively related to laboratory aggression. Consistent with our hypothesis, a positive association between secondary psychopathic traits and laboratory physical aggression was observed following high provocation among nondistracted participants; this association was significantly reduced among distracted participants. These results clarify the factors that contribute to aggression for individuals high in psychopathic traits and may provide directions for future intervention development.

The influence of relationship closeness and desire for forgiveness on interpersonal forgiveness

This study aimed to investigate the moderating effect of the desire for forgiveness on the association between relationship closeness and interpersonal forgiveness using event-related potentials (ERPs). We recruited forty student participants (20 males and 20 females) to complete the modified Taylor Aggression Paradigm (TAP), which was used to induce the offensive experience and record the victim's level of reactive aggression toward the offenders. Results indicated that for the internal intention of forgiveness behavior, when the desire for forgiveness was not expressed, participants were more forgiving of close offenders than strangers; when the desire for forgiveness was expressed, the internal intention of forgiveness behavior for strangers was similar to that for close offenders. Regarding the external performance of forgiveness behavior, whether the offender expressed the desire for forgiveness or not, participants exhibited more external performance of forgiveness behaviors toward the close offenders than the strangers. Furthermore, the decision-related negativity (DRN)—a negative component associated with aggressiveness—was larger when participants were considering the punishment of strangers when no desire for forgiveness was expressed. There was no significant difference when the desire for forgiveness was expressed. Moreover, the feedback-related negativity (FRN)—a negative component reflecting the evaluation of the valence of an outcome—was larger when participants lost a trial against strangers when no desire for forgiveness was expressed. No such difference was observed in both opponents when the desire for forgiveness was expressed. These findings confirmed that the desire for forgiveness moderated the association between relationship closeness and interpersonal forgiveness.

Distress and retaliatory aggression in response to witnessing intergroup exclusion are greater on higher levels of collective narcissism.

The negative consequences of personal exclusion have been demonstrated by multiple studies. Less is known about the consequences of witnessing one's own group being excluded by other groups, although studies suggest exclusion can be experienced vicariously and negatively affects members of the excluded group. Results of the present lab‐based experiment (N = 153) indicate, in line with our predictions, that witnessing intergroup exclusion (a national majority excluded by a minority, manipulated by an adapted intergroup Cyberball paradigm) produced a sense of personal exclusion. It also increased self‐reported distress and behavioral aggression measured in the Taylor Aggression Paradigm), especially among participants high on collective narcissism: a belief that the exaggerated greatness of the in‐group is not sufficiently appreciated by others. Contrary to expectations, a short mindful decentration intervention (instructing participants to observe thoughts and emotions as transient mental products without engaging with them) delivered while participants were witnessing intergroup exclusion (vs. inclusion) produced changes in heart rate variability reactivity indicative of emotional arousal, especially among collective narcissists. We concluded that collective narcissism is associated with distress in the face of intergroup exclusion, aggressive retaliation, and in consequence, it is a risk‐factor predisposing group members to stress‐related health and psychosocial problems. Furthermore, a mindful decentration, despite being an effective strategy to reduce maladaptive stress in most people, may be counterproductive in addressing high collective narcissists' responses to threat to the in‐group's image.

Aggressive behaviors in highly sadistic and highly impulsive individuals

Sadism is tightly linked with aggressive behaviors against others, akin to impulsivity. However, whether the aggressive behaviors predicted by sadism and impulsivity differ remains unknown. In this work, self-reported scales were used in Study 1 (N = 1183, 579 males) with correlation analyses, while Studies 2 and 3 utilized the Taylor aggression paradigm and compared reactive/proactive aggression across three groups of individuals: those with highly sadistic traits but an average level of impulsivity (N = 30, 15 males), those with high impulsivity but an average level of sadism (N = 30, 15 males), and those with both low sadism and low impulsivity (i.e., control group; N = 30, 15 males). Results showed that sadism was more strongly correlated with proactive aggression than was impulsivity and that impulsivity was more strongly related to reactive aggression than was sadism. Furthermore, provocation led to more reactive aggression in highly impulsive individuals than in the control group, and highly sadistic individuals showed more proactive aggression than did the control group. The dominance analysis revealed that impulsivity drives reactive aggression over and above sadism, but proactive aggression is mainly driven by sadism. Hence, sadistic and impulsive traits are relatively associated with different types of aggression.

Measurement Invariance and Item Response Theory Analysis of the Taylor Aggression Paradigm.

The Taylor Aggression Paradigm (TAP) is a widely used laboratory aggression task, yet item response theory analyses of this task are nonexistent. To estimate these aspects of the TAP, we combined data from nine laboratory studies that employed the 25-trial version of the TAP (combined N = 1,856). One- and four-factor solutions for the TAP data exhibited evidence of measurement invariance across gender (men vs. women) and experimental provocation (negative vs. positive social feedback), as well as negligible instances of differential item functioning. As such, psychometric properties of the TAP were invariant across binary representations of gender and experimental provocation. Furthermore, trials following low and high provocation were the least informative and those following moderate provocation were the most informative. Scoring approaches to the TAP may benefit from giving greater weight to trials following moderate provocation. Overall, we find great utility in applying item response theory approaches to behavioral laboratory tasks.

Self-Distancing as a Strategy to Regulate Affect and Aggressive Behavior in Athletes: An Experimental Approach to Explore Emotion Regulation in the Laboratory.

Self-regulation, especially the regulation of emotion, is an important component of athletic performance. In our study, we tested the effect of a self-distancing strategy on athletes’ performance in an aggression-inducing experimental task in the laboratory. To this end, we modified an established paradigm of interpersonal provocation [Taylor Aggression Paradigm (TAP)], which has the potential to complement field studies in order to increase our understanding of effective emotion regulation of athletes in critical situations in competitions. In our experimental setting, we first tested the applicability of the self-distancing perspective and the athletes’ ability to dynamically adapt besides the self-distanced perspective a self-immersed perspective to provocation in the TAP. Secondly, we investigated how this altered perspective modulated regulatory abilities of negative affectivity, anger, and aggression. The experiment consisted of two conditions in which the participant adopted either a self-immersed or a self-distanced perspective. Forty athletes (female: 23; male: 17) from different team (n = 27) and individual sports (n = 13) with a mean age of 23.83 years (SD = 3.41) competed individually in a reaction-time task against a (fictitious) opponent. Results show that athletes are equally able to adopt both perspectives. In addition, within-person analyses indicate that self-distancing decreased aggressive behavior and negative affect compared to the self-immersed perspective. Our results suggest that self-distancing modulates different levels of athletes’ experience (i.e., affect and anger) and behavior. Furthermore, this demonstrates the feasibility of testing self-regulation of emotion in athletes in a laboratory setting and allows for further application in research in sports and exercise psychology.

Alcohol, trait anger, and psychological flexibility: A laboratory investigation of intimate partner violence perpetration

The I3 Model is a meta-theoretical framework that posits intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration is the product of three interactive factors: instigators, impellors, and inhibitors. The present study examined the effects of trait anger (an impellor), psychological flexibility (a disimpellor), and alcohol intoxication (a disinhibitor) on IPV perpetration. Participants were 249 heavy drinkers (41% female) who had perpetrated IPV toward their current partner in the past year. Participants completed self-report measures of trait anger and psychological flexibility, were randomly assigned to consume an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage, and then engaged in the Taylor Aggression Paradigm (Taylor, 1967) ostensibly against their current partner. Analyses detected a small-to-medium effect for two separate two-way interactions. First, a significant Beverage x Psychological Flexibility interaction was detected. Consistent with the I3 Model, explication analyses revealed that alcohol intoxication predicted higher levels of IPV perpetration in those who reported low, but not high, psychological flexibility (i.e., low disimpellance). Second, although the Beverage x Trait Anger interaction was non-significant, explication analyses revealed that alcohol intoxication predicted higher levels of IPV perpetration among those who reported low, but not high, trait anger (i.e., low impellance). These results have several potential treatment implications among alcohol-consuming clients.