Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 17, 2026
09:12
The Resident-intruder Paradigm: A Standardized Test for Aggression, Violence and Social Stress
Published on: July 4, 2013
72.5K
Power, sexism, and aggression in intimate relationships
Nickola C Overall1, Matthew D Hammond2, Emily J Cross3
1School of Psychology, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Current Opinion in Psychology
|January 14, 2026
Summary
Men's and women's aggression stems from distinct power dynamics. Ambivalent sexism theory explains how men's hostile sexism and women's benevolent sexism contribute to relationship aggression when power is threatened or unmet.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Gender Studies
Background:
- Traditional research on aggression often isolates structural power or relationship power.
- A gap exists in understanding how these power dynamics interact to influence aggression in intimate relationships.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how ambivalent sexism theory explains aggression in intimate relationships.
- To differentiate the roles of structural power and relationship power in male and female aggression.
Main Methods:
- Application of ambivalent sexism theory to analyze aggression.
- Examination of the interplay between structural power asymmetries and relationship power dynamics.
Main Results:
- Men's hostile sexism drives aggression to maintain structural and relationship power.
- Women's benevolent sexism can lead to aggression when expected relationship power is not achieved.
- Both genders negotiate power needs within gendered power imbalances.
Conclusions:
- Ambivalent sexism provides a framework for understanding distinct male and female aggression patterns.
- Addressing relationship aggression requires acknowledging the negotiation of power within gendered societal structures.
Related Concept Videos
01:47Aggression
30.1K
Humans engage in aggression when they seek to cause harm or pain to another person. Aggression takes two forms depending on one’s motives: hostile or instrumental. Hostile aggression is motivated by feelings of anger with intent to cause pain; a fight in a bar with a stranger is an example of hostile aggression. In contrast, instrumental aggression is motivated by achieving a goal and does not necessarily involve intent to cause pain (Berkowitz, 1993); a contract killer who murders for...
30.1K
01:23Jealousy in Romantic Relationships
188
Jealousy is an instinctive yet socially complex emotion that arises when a close relationship is threatened. Its origins lie in both biological imperatives and sociocultural conditioning, making it a multifaceted psychological construct. Although universally experienced, the triggers and expressions of jealousy vary notably between individuals, especially across genders, due to evolutionary pressures and cultural influences.Gender Differences and Evolutionary TheoryEvolutionary theory explains...
188
01:27Horney's Sociocultural Approach
1.0K
Karen Horney's psychoanalytic theories emphasize the potential for self-realization and the importance of addressing social and cultural, rather than biological, factors in personality development. She challenged traditional Freudian views, particularly Freud's concept of "penis envy," which she argued stemmed from cultural influences rather than inherent biological differences. Horney believed that any sense of inferiority in women was a result of societal conditioning, such as...
1.0K
02:12Relationship Formation
45.2K
What do you think is the single most influential factor in determining with whom you become friends and whom you form romantic relationships? You might be surprised to learn that the answer is simple: the people with whom you have the most contact. This most important factor is proximity. You are more likely to be friends with people you have regular contact with. For example, there are decades of research that shows that you are more likely to become friends with people who live in your dorm,...
45.2K
02:55Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
94.9K
Humans are very diverse and although we share many similarities, we also have many differences. The social groups we belong to help form our identities (Tajfel, 1974). These differences may be difficult for some people to reconcile, which may lead to prejudice toward people who are different. Prejudice is a negative attitude and feeling toward an individual based solely on one’s membership in a particular social group (Allport, 1954; Brown, 2010). Prejudice is common against people who...
94.9K
01:12Psychosexual Stages of Personality: Phallic
1.7K
The third stage of psychosexual development proposed by Freud is the phallic stage, occurring between the ages of 3 and 6. During this period, children become aware of their bodies and the differences between males and females. The erogenous zone in this stage is the genitals, and conflicts arise as children develop desires toward the opposite-sex parent. Boys experience the Oedipus complex, where they desire their mother and view their father as a rival. This leads to castration anxiety, the...
1.7K