The hypothesis was tested that interference with a goal-oriented activity close to the goal leads to stronger aggressive responses than does interference with a goal-oriented activity far from the goal. One group of fourth-grade Ss attempting to score 100 on a pinball machine task was interfered with by a “tilt” light after scoring 90 points (close to the goal), another group was interfered with by the “tilt” light after scoring 20 points (far from the goal), while an uninterfered-with group served as a control. The hypothesis was not supported. The interfered-with Ss became more self punishing, as measured by the Rosenzweig P-F Study, than the control group.
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