Relational aggression: The role of intent attributions, feelings of distress, and provocation type

AbstractIn recent research a relationally oriented form of aggression has been identified that, in contrast to overt aggression that harms others through physical means (e.g., hitting), harms others through damage to their peer relationships (e.g., angrily retaliating against a peer by excluding her from one's play group). The goal this research was to assess the role of intent attributions, feelings of distress, and provocation type (relational vs. instrumental) in children's relationally aggressive behavior. A total of 252 third- through sixth-grade children participated as subjects. A hypothetical provocation instrument was used to assess children's intent attributions and feelings of distress for ambiguous relational and instrumental provocation situations. Results showed that, as hypothesized, relationally aggressive children exhibited a hostile attributional bias and reported significantly higher levels of distress than did their nonaggressive peers for relational provocation situations. In addition, girls reported significantly higher levels of distress than did boys for relational provocation situations. Further, a comorbid group of relationally plus overtly aggressive children also exhibited a hostile attributional bias; however, their bias was evident for instrumental provocation situations only.

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Cultural Contexts of Relational Aggression

10.1093/oso/9780190491826.003.0017 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Yoshito Kawabata

Keyword(s):

Relational Aggression ◽

Peer Relationships ◽

Social Cognitive ◽

Cultural Influences ◽

Future Research ◽

International Studies ◽

Cultural Contexts ◽

Peer Socialization ◽

Relationally Aggressive ◽

Aggressive Children

Theories and models suggest cultural influences on children’s family and peer socialization. It is conceivable, therefore, that the development of relational aggression, which is a part of developmentally salient social experiences, may appear differently, depending on cultural contexts. The goal of this chapter is to summarize cross-cultural, international studies that have examined the development of relational aggression in various cultural contexts. Specifically, studies are reviewed that have evaluated psychometric properties of measures and have explored social-cognitive processes, peer relationships, victimization experiences, and psychopathology among relationally aggressive children and adolescents across cultures. Finally, developmental and clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

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Relational Aggression in Sibling Relationships

10.1093/oso/9780190491826.003.0014 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Nicole Campione-Barr ◽

Sonia E. Giron ◽

Christopher Odudu

Keyword(s):

Relational Aggression ◽

Physical Aggression ◽

Sibling Relationships ◽

Sibling Relationship ◽

Future Research ◽

Research Directions ◽

Relationally Aggressive ◽

Future Research Directions ◽

Developmental Course

Given the uniqueness of siblings, it is important to consider the presence and role of relational aggression within the sibling relationship. Due to the time spent together and the information disclosed between siblings, during conflict, such information could be used in threatening or relationally aggressive ways. Relationally aggressive actions do not pose a threat to end the sibling relationship, making it a safe relationship to practice such strategies. While parents are likely to be aware of physical aggression between siblings, and attempt to stop it, relational aggression may be difficult for parents to catch and address, reinforcing its effectiveness as a strategy of control. This chapter describes the developmental course of relational aggression within the sibling relationship, as well as associations between relational aggression in the sibling relationship and relationships with others. Finally, we highlight the conclusions and limitations of this research and offer ideas for future research directions.

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The Peer Nature of Relational Aggression

10.1093/oso/9780190491826.003.0011 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Marlene J. Sandstrom

Keyword(s):

Relational Aggression ◽

Costs And Benefits ◽

Social Constructs ◽

Peer Experiences ◽

Relationally Aggressive ◽

Peer Dynamics ◽

Core Questions ◽

Aggressive Children ◽

Peer Liking ◽

Group Acceptance

Relational aggression (RA), which involves the manipulation of a target’s relationships, peer status, or reputation, is an inherently interpersonal weapon. This chapter focuses on the peer context of RA, and addresses core questions about the association between RA and social constructs such as group acceptance, rejection, popularity, and friendship. What are the interpersonal costs and benefits of RA? What factors might explain why some relationally aggressive children are able to achieve and maintain popularity and social centrality despite being disliked? How does RA play out within mutual friendships? And how do the peer dynamics surrounding RA shift across development? The chapter begins with a discussion of RA in relation to group-level peer experiences (i.e., peer liking/acceptance; disliking/rejection; perceived popularity) and then turns to an exploration of RA within the context of friendships. It concludes with a discussion of selection and influence effects in regard to relationally aggressive behavior.

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Mediating Effect of Attributional Biases in the Impulsivity–Aggression Relationship Among Adolescents: Therapeutic Implications

International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology ◽

10.1177/0306624x20912998 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 64 (13-14) ◽

pp. 1443-1460

Author(s):

Parwinder Singh

Keyword(s):

Mediation Analysis ◽

Mediating Effect ◽

Effective Strategy ◽

Attributional Bias ◽

Therapeutic Implications ◽

Hostile Attributional Bias ◽

Indian Context ◽

Attributional Biases ◽

Age Range

Aggression is a multidimensional phenomenon, and for its better understanding, specificity involved in its dynamics must be explored. This article explores the role of attributional bias as a mediator between impulsivity and aggressive tendencies among adolescents. The mediating effect of hostile attributional bias (HAB) on the impulsivity–aggression relationship has not been studied extensively so far, especially in the Indian context. For testing the hypotheses, 320 participants within the age range 12 to 15 years ( M age = 13.57 years) were selected and administered relevant standardized questionnaires. Baron and Kenny’s criterion was used for mediation analysis, demonstrating that HAB partially mediates the association between impulsivity and aggression. Findings imply that reducing HAB through some reattribution intervention may be an effective strategy to reduce impulsivity-induced aggression. Specific guidelines to implement such interventions are suggested in the discussion.

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The role of norm salience in aggression socialization among friends: Distinctions between physical and relational aggression

International Journal of Behavioral Development ◽

10.1177/0165025419854133 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 016502541985413

Author(s):

Stephanie Correia ◽

Mara Brendgen ◽

Frank Vitaro

Keyword(s):

Relational Aggression ◽

Social Preference ◽

Critical Role ◽

Moderating Effect ◽

Relationally Aggressive ◽

The Social ◽

Peer Nomination ◽

Aggressive Youth ◽

Academic Year

Socialization among aggressive friends is believed to play a critical role in the development of aggressive behavior. This study examined the moderating effect of norm salience in the classroom on the association between reciprocal friends’ and children’s own physical, relational, and general aggression. A total of 713 children ( M = 10.32 years, SD = 0.99) in grades 4 to 6 completed a peer nomination inventory in the fall and spring of the same academic year. Norm salience was operationalized as the class- and sex-specific correlation between each form of aggression and social preference. Norm salience moderated relational aggression socialization among friends only for highly relationally aggressive girls. Specifically, socialization was exacerbated when norm salience was favorable and attenuated when norm salience was unfavorable, suggesting that highly relationally aggressive girls may possess skills allowing them to adapt to the social context in which they and their friends interact. In contrast, boys’ general aggression socialization was exacerbated when norm salience was neutral or unfavorable, suggesting that boys who affiliate with aggressive friends may be more susceptible to aggressive friends’ influence in general and especially in the context of potential peer rejection. No moderating effect of norm salience was found in regards to physical aggression socialization. Results suggest that interventions aimed at changing acceptability of aggression in the classroom may only be effective in specific subgroups of aggressive youth.

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The Role of Family Dysfunctions and Disapproval on Relational Aggression Among Korean Youth

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e505052016-001 ◽

2015 ◽

Author(s):

Na Han ◽

Seung-Yeon Lee ◽

Joo-Yeon Jeon ◽

Su-Jin Jung ◽

Hae-Mi Kim

Keyword(s):

Relational Aggression ◽

Korean Youth

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Adolescent Relational Aggression and Self-Esteem: Role of Attachment and Parental Relationships

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e616892013-001 ◽

2013 ◽

Author(s):

Sharon E. Robinson-Kurpius ◽

Erin Carr-Jordan

Keyword(s):

Relational Aggression ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Parental Relationships

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Unpacking the misfit effect: Exploring the influence of gender and social norms on the association between aggression and peer victimization

International Journal of Behavioral Development ◽

10.1177/0165025421992867 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 016502542199286

Author(s):

Ellyn Charlotte Bass ◽

Lina Maria Saldarriaga ◽

Ana Maria Velasquez ◽

Jonathan B. Santo ◽

William M. Bukowski

Keyword(s):

Social Norms ◽

Peer Victimization ◽

Relational Aggression ◽

Peer Relationships ◽

Peer Group ◽

Peer Groups ◽

Well Being ◽

Self Report ◽

Social Regulation ◽

Adolescent Peer Groups

Social norms are vital for the functioning of adolescent peer groups; they can protect the well-being of groups and individual members, often by deterring harmful behaviors, such as aggression, through enforcement mechanisms like peer victimization; in adolescent peer groups, those who violate aggression norms are often subject to victimization. However, adolescents are nested within several levels of peer group contexts, ranging from small proximal groups, to larger distal groups, and social norms operate within each. This study assessed whether there are differences in the enforcement of aggression norms at different levels. Self-report and peer-nomination data were collected four times over the course of a school year from 1,454 early adolescents ( M age = 10.27; 53.9% boys) from Bogota, Colombia. Multilevel modeling provided support for social regulation of both physical aggression and relational aggression via peer victimization, as a function of gender, grade-level, proximal (friend) or distal (class) injunctive norms of aggression (perceptions of group-level attitudes), and descriptive norms of aggression. Overall, violation of proximal norms appears to be more powerfully enforced by adolescent peer groups. The findings are framed within an ecological systems theory of adolescent peer relationships.

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