Note on the Psychopathology of Genius

Summary

Twenty male Ss earned money by pulling a knob. Ss also could avoid or escape an aversive tone by pressing a button (a nonaggressive response) or by hitting a padded cushion (aggressive response). Control group Ss worked alone during two 90-minute sessions of an extinction condition in which knob pulling was no longer rewarded after 20 had been earned. Experimental group Ss, who worked alone only during the first session of extinction, were paired with an aggressive model in the second session. Experimental group Ss showed higher magnitudes of punching when the aggressive model was present than when he was absent. Control group Ss showed a reduction in high-magnitude punches across extinction conditions. It was concluded that the mere presence of a nonrewarded aggressive model was sufficient to evoke imitative aggression.