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Evaluative factors in social problem solving by aggressive boys.
1University of Illinois, Chicago 60680.
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
|June 1, 1989
Summary
High aggressive boys perceive social problems as hostile, generate fewer aggression consequences, and show less concern for negative outcomes. These cognitive differences emerge early, impacting problem-solving skills.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Aggression in children is a significant concern.
- Social problem-solving deficits are linked to aggressive behavior.
- Cognitive mediation plays a role in aggressive tendencies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare social problem-solving components in high and low aggressive boys.
- To identify cognitive differences associated with aggressive behavior in children.
- To explore the relationship between problem definition and solution generation/evaluation in aggressive boys.
Main Methods:
- Assessed social problem-solving (definition, solution generation/prioritization, consequence evaluation) in 2nd-3rd and 5th-6th graders.
- Compared high aggressive boys with low aggressive peers.
- Examined correlations between problem definition and solution effectiveness within the aggressive group.
Main Results:
- High aggressive boys perceived others as hostile adversaries.
- Aggressive boys generated fewer consequences for aggression and showed less emotional response to negative outcomes.
- Problem definition in aggressive boys related to the number and effectiveness of generated solutions.
Conclusions:
- Aggressive children exhibit distinct cognitive patterns in social problem-solving from early ages.
- Hostile attribution bias and reduced consequence evaluation contribute to aggressive behavior.
- These cognitive mediation patterns differentiate aggressive from non-aggressive children.