Citation

Perrin-Wallqvist R, Eriksson L, Norlander T. Soc. Behav. Pers. 2001; 29(6): 547-556.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, New Zealand, Society for Personality Research)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The object of the present study was to see whether there are tendencies towards reactive arson, measured as a relation between frustration, intoxication and a disposition to start fires. One hundred individuals, 50 men and 50 women, participated. All were students and they were randomly assigned to each of five experimental groups, namely a Control Group, a Placebo Group, a Frustration Group, an Alcohol Group and an Alcohol + Frustration Group. A projective test was devised which required the participant to complete a short story where the content involved a person who had suffered humiliation and persecution and who was fingering a box of matches in his/her pocket. Results indicated that frustration increases the probability of starting fires, but, in this study, alcohol did not increase the degree of relation to fire. Results also suggest that there are strong cognitive barriers in a population of university students against fantasizing about starting fires.