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Affective and cognitive mediators of aggression in adolescents

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 October 2015

Desa Acaster
Desa Acaster*
Affiliation:
University of Melbourne
*
Department of Psychology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052
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Abstract

Recent research into aggressive behaviour in adolescents has used a social cognitive model to explore the contents of the cognitions (beliefs about aggression) that mediate aggressive behaviour. This present study examined the relationship between beliefs about aggression and empathy as mediators of aggressive behaviour and responses on a social problem solving task. Three different aggression status groups were used: antisocial adolescent offenders (38 males and 5 females) and adolescents rated by their teacher as being high aggressive (21 males and 11 females) and low aggressive (24 males and 43 females). Both antisocial and high aggressive males were more likely than low aggressive males to believe that aggression increases self-esteem and that aggression avoids a negative self-image. Antisocial and high aggressive females were more likely to endorse legitimacy of aggression and to believe that aggression avoids a negative image. Adolescents who chose hostile problem and goal definitions and who perceived positive consequences of aggression were less empathic and more likely to endorse beliefs supporting the use of aggression than adolescents with less hostile problem solving skills. The findings raise important questions regarding the content of adolescents' perception of the self and the part it plays in the regulation of behaviour in conflict situations.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Educational and Developmental Psychologist , Volume 11 , Issue 1: Special Issue: Adolescence , May 1994 , pp. 34 - 44
Copyright
Copyright © Australian Psychological Society 1994

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