Which pair is traditionally associated with the frustration-aggression hypothesis?

• A. Festinger and Carlsmith
• B. John Dollard and Neal Miller
• C. Zimbardo and Milgram
• D. Watson and Skinner

Answer: (B)

Frustration occurs when progress toward a goal is blocked, which creates a motive to lash out or act aggressively. This idea was formalized by John Dollard and Neal Miller, who argued that blocking goal-directed behavior produces an aggressive drive that can be directed at the source of frustration or displaced onto a safer target. Their framing established the traditional link between frustration and aggression in social psychology, making this pair the standard association.

Other pairs are known for different ideas: cognitive dissonance (the discomfort from holding contradictory beliefs and actions) pertains to Festinger and Carlsmith; obedience and authority dynamics are central to Zimbardo and Milgram; and learning and behavior modification are tied to Watson and Skinner.