First Steps in the Construction of a Scale for the Measurement of Aggression

Sex differences in aggression between heterosexual partners: a meta-analytic review

Meta-analyses of sex differences in physical aggression to heterosexual partners and in its physical consequences are reported. Women were slightly more likely (d = -.05) than men to use one or more act of physical aggression and to use such acts more frequently. Men were more likely (d = .15) to inflict an injury, and overall, 62% of those injured by a partner were women. The findings partially support previous claims that different methods of measurement produce conflicting results, but there was also evidence that the sample was an important moderator of effect size. Continuous models showed that younger aged dating samples and a lower proportion of physically aggressive males predicted effect sizes in the female direction. Analyses were limited by the available database, which is biased toward young dating samples in the United States. Wider variations are discussed in terms of two conflicting norms about physical aggression to partners that operate to different degrees in different cultures.

Aggression of youth as related to parental divorce and eye color

Among 214 youth in Grades 5 to 12, students classified by eye color did not differ in aggression or hostility although boys scored higher on Assault and girls scored higher on Indirect Hostility. Also, children of divorced parents scored higher on Aggression, Resentment, and Assault as previously reported.

Aggression, alcohol dependency, and self-consciousness among high school students of divorced and nondivorced parents

134 high school students from a small high school in north central Kansas completed the MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale, Fenigstein, et al.'s Self-consciousness Scale, and Zaks' Aggression Scale. Analyses of variance showed significant differences between boys and girls but not among grades. On the aggression and alcohol measures boys scored higher than girls, but lower on public self-consciousness. Youth of divorced parents scored significantly higher than those of nondivorced parents on aggression, private self-consciousness, and general self-consciousness. Aggression scores were significantly and positively correlated with those on the alcohol and private self-consciousness scales. When students' alcoholism scores indicate problems with alcohol, their scores on aggression indicate greater aggression and their private self-consciousness scores indicate sensitivity toward events in their environment, then having concerns about inner self can inhibit the action required for change. MacAndrew scores correlated significantly and negatively with scores on social anxiety about self-consciousness. When MacAndrew scores indicated problems with alcohol, the students' scores on social anxiety about self-consciousness suggested confidence in social settings, being at ease interacting with people. The present study involved students from a single rural district so increased understanding will require more extensive research if strategies for prevention and intervention are to be developed and utilized.

Depression, suicide ideation, and aggression among high school students whose parents are divorced and use alcohol at home

106 high school students from a small rural high school completed the Children of Alcoholics Scale, Zaks and Walters' Aggression Scale, Beck Depression Scale, and a modified version of the Beck Scale of Suicide Ideation. Analyses of variance showed boys were not experiencing suicide ideation any more than girls; suicide ideation was similar across the four grades, but on aggression alcohol-dependent boys scored significantly higher than girls, and in Grade 9 boys' scores were significantly higher than those in Grade 10. The sophomores' scores on alcohol dependency were significantly lower than the freshmen's scores. Boys and children from divorced homes had higher scores on aggression than girls and children from nondivorced homes. Children from homes in which alcohol was used had higher depression scores than children from nonalcoholic homes. Freshman girls and sophomore boys had higher depression scores than senior boys and girls. A Pearson r of 0.28 between scores on alcohol dependency and suicide ideation was significant, but research is needed to understand better the associations of thoughts of suicide and drug-alcohol dependency among these high school students so strategies for prevention and intervention can be focused.

Hostility measurement and its relationship to fantasy capacity

Two-hundred and three male high school freshmen and sophomore students were administered a daydreaming questionnaire, Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory, and Rotter ISB. The latter was scored for hostility by the Renner, Maher, and Campbell method. The Subjects also rated one another on a sociometric scale measuring behavioral hostility. Subjects were divided into high and low fantasy groups. Analyses of variance were computed on the hostility measure data for 108 Subjects. The independent variables were obtained for the fantasy capacity measure and not for the peer rating measure. There was no positive correlation between the sociometric ratings and the hostility measures. In view of the results, the hostility measurement instruments are interpreted as measures of an individual's capacity to regard himself as hostile, rather than as measures of the actual hostility of his behavoir.

Knives as aggression-eliciting stimuli

An experiment was conducted to explore the cue value of the object “knife” in displaced aggression. Three kinds of knives were used: (1) a switchblade knife (high aggressive cue value), (2) a carving knife (high or low aggressive cue value), and (3) a table knife (low aggressive cue value). It was expected that frustration in the presence of highly aggressive cues (the switchblade knife and possibly the carving knife) would lead to more intense aggression than frustration in the presence of low-aggressive cues (the table knife and the no-object control conditions). Because of differences in roles and social learning males and females would react differently. 64 male and female university students were either frustrated or not frustrated in the presence of either a switchblade knife, carving knife, table knife or no object and then given an opportunity to evaluate an innocent peer on a 12-adjective bipolar scale. Ss were also asked to complete Zuckerman's (1960) Multiple Affect Attitude Check List (MAACL). Data indicated that for frustrated males the table knife elicited the most negative evaluations, while for frustrated females none of the “knife” conditions elicited more negative evaluations than the no-object control condition. The MAACL mood data indicated a significant increase in hostility with a nearly significant increase in anxiety and depression for frustrated males in the presence of a switchblade knife. Results were discussed in terms of their importance for understanding aggressive behavior.