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Predicting our own aggression: person, subculture or situation?
The British Journal of Social Psychology
|September 1, 1985
Summary
Adolescent aggression varies significantly by situation, not just personality. Social class and sex influence aggressive behavior, particularly in lower middle-class females towards female targets.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Understanding adolescent aggression is crucial for behavioral interventions.
- Previous research suggests situational factors significantly influence aggressive responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of sex, social class, and situational context on predicted adolescent aggression.
- To examine cross-situational consistency in aggressive behavior and the concept of an 'aggressive personality'.
Main Methods:
- A self-report technique was employed with adolescent subjects stratified by sex and social class.
- Participants predicted their behavior across 24 conflict scenarios involving male and female targets.
Main Results:
- Aggression levels were strongly influenced by the specific situation.
- Lower middle-class subjects predicted more aggression towards male targets than upper middle-class subjects.
- Males predicted more aggression than females towards male targets, while lower middle-class females showed higher aggression towards female targets.
Conclusions:
- Cross-situational consistency in aggression was low, challenging the notion of a generalized aggressive personality.
- Situational risk assessment (high risk for flight, lower risk for fighting) is a key determinant of behavioral response.
- Impression management may play a role primarily in low-risk conflict situations.