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This research gives evidence that outgroup aggression feels good/rewarding. I’d tend to think this is hard-wired biologically. You’re right that it could concei

This research gives evidence that outgroup aggression feels good/rewarding. I’d tend to think this is hard-wired biologically. You’re right that it could conceivably be trained, but that’s not what it felt like for me as a young male in college. While many people (myself included) could anecdotally say that aggression to an outgroup can feel good, it’s the job of science to look for the hard evidence in the brain. This quote from the researchers seemed key: > “This finding helps to balance the narrative about the psychological processes that underlie aggression against outgroup members, which typically emphasizes negative emotional states such as anger and fear,” Chester said.

PragmaticPulp 4y ago
> This research gives evidence that outgroup aggression feels good/rewarding. I’d tend to think this is hard-wired biologically. This research gives evidence that rival college competition is fun to male college students. The point I was trying to make is that this is a specifically narrow finding with confounding factors (mirrors the structure of sports programs, which are significant social activities at many colleges). The study authors stretched the narrow funding into a very general finding, which is heavy editorializing. This stretching gets a free pass from many because it feels truthy, but it’s not great science.
- wanderingstan 4y ago
  Ah, you think the social aspects confound the in/out group distinctions. But what other grouping would have been better? E.g. People from opposite sides of ethnic conflicts, members of bowling clubs vs non-members?
- dahart 4y ago
  > This research gives evidence that rival college competition is fun to male college students That’s not accurate. The research is based a-priori on knowing that competition is fun, and is asking the question “which specific parts of the brain are making it fun?” The abstract concludes: “Both before and after outgroup exclusion, aggression towards outgroup members was positively associated with activity in the ventral striatum during decisions about how aggressive to be towards their outgroup opponent. Aggression towards outgroup members was also linked to greater post-exclusion activity in the rostral and dorsal medial prefrontal cortexduring provocation from their outgroup opponent. These altered patterns of brain activity suggest that frontostriatal mechanisms may play a significant role in motivating aggression towards outgroup members.”

PragmaticPulp 4y ago

> This research gives evidence that outgroup aggression feels good/rewarding. I’d tend to think this is hard-wired biologically. This research gives evidence that rival college competition is fun to male college students. The point I was trying to make is that this is a specifically narrow finding with confounding factors (mirrors the structure of sports programs, which are significant social activities at many colleges). The study authors stretched the narrow funding into a very general finding, which is heavy editorializing. This stretching gets a free pass from many because it feels truthy, but it’s not great science.

wanderingstan 4y ago
Ah, you think the social aspects confound the in/out group distinctions. But what other grouping would have been better? E.g. People from opposite sides of ethnic conflicts, members of bowling clubs vs non-members?
dahart 4y ago
> This research gives evidence that rival college competition is fun to male college students That’s not accurate. The research is based a-priori on knowing that competition is fun, and is asking the question “which specific parts of the brain are making it fun?” The abstract concludes: “Both before and after outgroup exclusion, aggression towards outgroup members was positively associated with activity in the ventral striatum during decisions about how aggressive to be towards their outgroup opponent. Aggression towards outgroup members was also linked to greater post-exclusion activity in the rostral and dorsal medial prefrontal cortexduring provocation from their outgroup opponent. These altered patterns of brain activity suggest that frontostriatal mechanisms may play a significant role in motivating aggression towards outgroup members.”