Intensity of attack, displacement and verbal aggression

One hundred-fifty male college students participated in a laboratory study of verbal aggression in which they competed against confederates (Cs) while assembling a formboard. The Ss or Cs verbally attacked one another while their opponent was assembling the formboard. Intense verbal attack by a C led to a higher outburst of aggression than did mild verbal attack or no prior attack by a C. Retaliatory verbal attack against a C who had previously attacked the S led to higher peak aggression than conditions in which the S was attacked by one C but displaced his attack to a second C.