Friendship and aggressiveness as determinants of conflict outcomes in middle childhood.

Abstract

The attributions and responses of aggressive and nonaggressive boys to ambiguously intended actions of friends and nonfriends were examined. Thirty-seven aggressive and 37 nonaggressive third- and fifth-grade boys were presented with descriptions of encounters between peers in which child experienced a negative outcome as the result of the ambiguously intended actions of another. Neither aggressive nor nonaggressive subjects were influenced by the presence or absence of friendship between themselves and the child whose behavior they were asked to interpret or respond to. Aggressive subjects attributed more hostile intent than nonaggressive subjects when the objectionable action was directed at themselves but not when directed at others. Both groups of subjects predicted less hostile responses by themselves than by others. Although a significant degree of consistency was found between subjects' attributions and responses, it was also true that most hostile responses were predicted following nonhostile attributions. This finding is inconsistent with an attributionally based explanation of hostile reactive behavior. Conflict between peers is a fact of life throughout childhood. It occurs among children of both sexes, between friends and nonfriends alike, whenever one person does something to which a second person objects (Hay, 1984, p. 2). Denned in this way, conflict entails a dyadic exchange in which the actions of child are met with opposition by another. The first child need not have intended to offend the second for conflict to arise. However, if offense is intended, but none is taken, no conflict can be said to exist. Thus, an oppositional or antagonistic response by the offended party is a denning feature of conflict (Shantz, 1987). When a potential conflict situation occurs, a child's interpretation of that situation, particularly the intention that he or she attributes to the other child involved, has been shown to be important in determining the child's response (Darley, Klosson, & Zanna, 1978; Dodge, Pettit, McClaskey, & Brown, 1986; Mallick & McCandless, 1966; Rule, Nesdale, & McAra, 1974). If the child has a negative experience and believes that the other individual acted with hostile intent, then he or she is likely to respond with hostility. In contrast, if the child views the responsible peer as having acted benignly, a nonhostile response is more likely to result.