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Impulsiveness, attitude to authority, and gender
1Institute for Social Research, School of Social Studies, University of South Australia, Adelaide.
Psychological Reports
|August 1, 1992
Summary
Impulsiveness and attitudes toward authority differ between sexes in Australian teens. Boys showed a significant negative correlation between impulsiveness and authority attitudes, unlike girls.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Adolescent Psychology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Understanding adolescent behavior is crucial for educational and social development.
- Attitudes toward authority can influence academic performance and social adjustment.
- Impulsiveness is a key personality trait with potential behavioral correlates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between impulsiveness and attitudes toward institutional authority.
- To explore potential sex differences in this relationship among adolescents.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study design was employed.
- Participants included 48 boys and 57 girls (mean age approx. 14 years) from Australian secondary schools.
- Standardized questionnaires assessed impulsiveness and attitudes toward institutional authority.
Main Results:
- A significant negative correlation (r = -.43) was found between impulsiveness and attitude toward authority in boys.
- This correlation was not significant for girls, indicating a sex-specific relationship.
- The findings suggest impulsiveness differentially impacts views on authority based on gender.
Conclusions:
- Impulsiveness is negatively associated with positive attitudes toward institutional authority in adolescent boys.
- Gender moderates the relationship between impulsiveness and attitudes toward authority in secondary school students.
- Further research is needed to explore the mechanisms underlying these sex differences.