Question

Two colleagues are having an argument at work. Sally calls Larry a liar in an email. In response, Larry calls Sally a name that would not be broadcast on the Disney channel. When she reads Larry's nasty email, she walks down to his office and throws her coffee in his face. This is an example of how ___ can lead to heightened aggressive responses over time.

a. frustration-aggression hypothesis
b. drive theory
c. cultures of honor
d. exposure to media violence
e. provocation

Answer 1

The scenario where Sally attacks Larry after a series of provocations exemplifies how provocation can lead to increased aggressive behavior, as supported by workplace violence research and the frustration-aggression hypothesis.

Explanation:

Provocation:

The behavior depicted in the scenario is an example of how provocation can lead to heightened aggressive responses over time. Provocation here refers to the act of Sally calling Larry a liar, and Larry responding harshly, which eventually escalates to physical aggression from Sally. This sequence of events aligns with studies suggesting that aggressive responses can escalate in the workplace due to factors such as feeling unfairly treated or through negative interactions with coworkers.

Research by Greenberg & Barling (1999) has shown that characteristics of both individuals and workplace dynamics can predict instances of workplace violence. This can include a history of aggression, feelings of unjust treatment, and alcohol consumption. Moreover, the frustration-aggression theory posited by Dollard et al. (1939) indicates that aggression arises when individuals are impeded from reaching their goals, which could apply to the workplace conflict detailed in the question.