Measures Of Aggressive Behavior Research Articles

Social Undermining and Aggression of Adolescents

The importance of understanding adolescent to make a productive citizen who can contribute for his/her family, society, overall the country, has been recognized by psychologists. The present study focused on social undermining and aggression of adolescents according to the types of adolescents and levels of education. Among the 144 adolescents (student respondents) included in this study 72 were orphans and 72 were non-orphan adolescents (each group constituted 36 secondary students and 36 college students). Bangla version of the Social Undermining Scale (Ilyas and Hossain 2007) and Bangla version of the Measure of Aggressive Behavior (MAB) scale (Rahman 2003) were used to measure social undermining and aggressive behavior of adolescents, respectively. The social undermining score clearly indicated that orphan adolescents were significantly of more social undermining (t = 5.32, df = 142, p < .05) over non-orphan adolescents. However, there was no significant difference between secondary and college adolescents. On the other hand, orphan adolescents had significantly more aggression (t = 4.17, df = 142, p < .05) over non-orphan adolescents and secondary adolescent students had significantly more aggression (t = 3.47, df = 142, p < .05) than college adolescent students. Furthermore, the social undermining was positively correlated with aggression (r = .19, p < .05). The Chittagong Univ. J. B. Sci., Vol. 10(1&2):01-13, 2020.

Orphan's Stress and Aggression

The present study attempted an empirical investigation to explore the stress and aggression of orphans as a function of gender and residence. A total of 120 respondents constituted the sample of the study. Among them 60 orphans were male (30 were urban and 30 were rural) and 60 orphans were female (30 were urban and 30 were rural). An adapted Bangla version (Fahim 2001) of ‘How stressful your life stress' scale and Bangla version (Rahman 2003) of Measure of Aggressive Behavior (MAB) scale were used for data collection. Data were analyzed by mean, standard deviation, Pearson Product Moment Correlation and two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The findings of the present study showed that female orphans had significantly more stress (F=6.73, df=1, p<0.05) than male orphans and urban orphans had significantly more stress (F=24.36, df=l, p<0 .01) than rural orphans. No significant interaction effect was found between gender and residence according to stress. On the other hand, male orphans had significantly more aggression (F=33.46, df=l, p<O.O l) than female orphans and urban orphans had significantly more aggression (F=9.41, df=l, p<0.01) than rural orphans. No significant interaction. effect was found between gender and residence in relation to aggression. Results also showed that stress was positively correlated (r =.38, p<0.01) with aggression. The Chittagong Univ. J B. Sci. 8(1&2): 51-62, 2013

The Effect of Multi-Session Prefrontal Cortical Stimulation on Aggression: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group Trial.

Findings from brain imaging studies investigating the neural underpinnings of antisocial behavior have implicated the prefrontal cortex in the regulation of aggressive reactions. However, relatively few studies have examined the role of the prefrontal cortex on aggression in an experimental way. This study examines whether upregulating the prefrontal cortex using repeated transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) reduces aggressive behavior. In a double-blind, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial, 88 healthy adults (42 males, 46 females) were assigned to one session of anodal tDCS over the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (n = 47) or sham stimulation (n = 41) per day for three consecutive days and assessed using a behavioral measure of aggression. Levels of aggressive responses post-intervention did not significantly differ between the active and sham stimulation groups. However, a significant interaction effect between the stimulation group and gender was observed, whereby males, but not females, exhibited reduced aggression after prefrontal stimulation. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to examine the effect of multi-session prefrontal tDCS on aggressive behavior in healthy adults. Results highlight that there are differences in responsivity to tDCS in modifying aggressive behavior.

Using an Online Platform to Administer the Single-Session Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm: An Initial Examination of Feasibility and Validity.

Online platforms represent a cost-effective option for data collection; however, it is unclear whether online administration of certain kinds of tasks (e.g., behavioral measures of aggression) poses validity threats. The present study provided a preliminary examination of effort (as indexed by total number of presses), differential drop-out, and believability of an online version of the single-session point subtraction aggression paradigm (PSAP). Two subsamples of participants were recruited; a sample recruited through Amazon's Mechanical Turk (n = 758) and an in-person undergraduate sample (n = 88). All participants completed the PSAP, along with measures of trait hostility and state anger. The online sample did not differ from the in-person sample on effort (i.e., total number of presses), and did not find the task less believable. Higher scores on state anger were associated with lower likelihood of beginning the online PSAP, but were not associated with prematurely closing the task. State anger was related to aggressive responding on the PSAP. Limitations of the online PSAP and considerations for future research are discussed.

Aggression Toward Sexualized Women Is Mediated by Decreased Perceptions of Humanness

Researchers have argued that the regulation of female sexuality is a major catalyst for women’s intrasexual aggression. The present research examined whether women behave more aggressively toward a sexualized woman and whether this is explained by lower ratings of the target’s humanness. Results showed that women rated another woman lower on uniquely human personality traits when she was dressed in a sexualized (vs. conventional) manner. Lower humanness ratings subsequently predicted increased aggression toward her in a behavioral measure of aggression. This effect was moderated by trait intrasexual competitiveness; lower humanness ratings translated into more aggression, but only for women scoring relatively high on intrasexual competition. Follow-up studies revealed that the effect of sexualized appearance on perceived humanness was not due to the atypicality of the clothing in a university setting. The current project reveals a novel psychological mechanism through which interacting with a sexualized woman promotes aggressive behavior toward her.

Learning to actively cope with stress in female mice

Repeated exposure to a same-sex resident stranger enhances subsequent indications of active coping that generalize across multiple contexts in intruder male mice. Here we investigate female mice for comparable learning to cope training effects. Stress coping research focused on females is important because stress related mood and anxiety disorders are more prevalent in women than men. Female mice were monitored for coping behavior in open-field, object-exploration, and tail-suspension tests conducted after repeated exposure to a same-sex resident stranger. During repeated exposure sessions of training staged in the resident’s home cage, behavioral measures of aggression and risk assessment were collected and plasma measures of the stress hormone corticosterone were obtained from separate samples of mice. Repeated exposure to a same-sex resident stranger subsequently enhanced active coping behavior exemplified by diminished freezing and increased center entries in the open-field, shorter object-exploration latencies, and a tendency toward decreased immobility on tail-suspension tests. Open-field locomotion considered as an index of non-specific activity was not increased by repeated sessions of exposure and did not correlate significantly with any measure of active coping. During repeated sessions of exposure to a same-sex resident stranger, risk assessment behavior and consistent but limited aggression occurred and corticosterone responses increased over repeated sessions. Exposure to a same-sex resident stranger is mildly stressful and promotes learning to actively cope in mice assessed in three different contexts.

Humility attenuates negative attitudes and behaviors toward religious out-group members

Humility is marked by the regulation of selfish impulses for the sake of others, including holding a modest view of one’s beliefs (and their relative strengths and weaknesses). In three studies, we evaluated the extent to which humility attenuates negative attitudes, behavioral intentions, and behaviors toward religious out-group members. In Study 1 (N = 159), humility regarding religious beliefs was associated with positive attitudes toward religiously different individuals. In Study 2 (N = 149), relational and intellectual humility were associated with less aggressive behavioral intentions in a hypothetical situation in which their cherished beliefs were criticized. In Study 3 (N = 62), participants implicitly primed with humility administered significantly less hot sauce (a behavioral measure of aggression) to a religious out-group member who criticized their cherished views relative to participants in the neutral prime condition. We highlight the importance of humility in promoting positive attitudes and behaviors toward religious out-group members.

Narcissism in Romantic Relationships: A Dyadic Perspective

Previous literature has associated narcissism with interpersonal difficulties. However, there is a lack of studies investigating the impact of narcissism within romantic dyads. The current study extended the literature by examining relations between narcissism and conflict behaviors in both members of a romantic dyad. Participants in the study were 190 college-student couples, who completed questionnaire measures of their narcissism, conflict within their relationship, and a behavioral measure of aggression toward their partners. The results indicated a tendency towards homogamy for narcissism. A person's narcissism was related to their use of aggression and the partner's use of aggression. Several interactions between male and female narcissism were observed. For total NPI scores, the combination of high male and female narcissism was related to greater aggression. Grandiose Exhibitionism was only related to aggressive behavior when partner Grandiose Exhibitionism was lower; when partner Grandiose Exhibi...

The brief aggression questionnaire: psychometric and behavioral evidence for an efficient measure of trait aggression

A key problem facing aggression research is how to measure individual differences in aggression accurately and efficiently without sacrificing reliability or validity. Researchers are increasingly demanding brief measures of aggression for use in applied settings, field studies, pretest screening, longitudinal, and daily diary studies. The authors selected the three highest loading items from each of the Aggression Questionnaire's (Buss & Perry, 1992) four subscales--Physical Aggression, Verbal Aggression, anger, and hostility--and developed an efficient 12-item measure of aggression--the Brief Aggression Questionnaire (BAQ). Across five studies (N = 3,996), the BAQ showed theoretically consistent patterns of convergent and discriminant validity with other self-report measures, consistent four-factor structures using factor analyses, adequate recovery of information using item response theory methods, stable test-retest reliability, and convergent validity with behavioral measures of aggression. The authors discuss the reliability, validity, and efficiency of the BAQ, along with its many potential applications.

Social anhedonia and aggressive behavior

The inability to derive pleasure from social relationships, or social anhedonia, is associated with both psychopathology and impaired social functioning. Much of the research on social anhedonia (SA) has focused on its role in psychosis proneness (or schizotypy), which is the predisposition toward psychosis. Recent research suggests that SA may be related to aggression, but it is unclear whether this association is explained by the overlap between SA and positive aspects of schizotypy, namely perceptual aberrations (PA) and magical ideation (MI). The purpose of this study was to determine if SA uniquely predicts aggression in a nonclinical sample using a multi-modal approach to assess aggression. One hundred twenty undergraduates (60 men and 60 women) completed the Chapman psychosis proneness scales and self-report and behavioral measures of aggression. Results suggest that PA and MI were correlated with self-reported history of aggression, but that SA uniquely predicted provoked aggressive behavior observed in the laboratory. SA was also found to predict aggressive behavior over and above the effects of gender, anger and hostility. The results suggest that SA, and possibly low positive affect more broadly, may be associated with an increased risk of aggression in response to provocation.

Interaction between FKBP5 and childhood trauma and risk of aggressive behavior.

Childhood trauma may predispose individuals to aggressive behavior, and both childhood trauma and aggressive behavior are associated with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation. To determine whether there would be an interaction between genetic variation in FKBP5 and childhood trauma in predicting aggressive behavior. Cross-sectional study. Four FKBP5 single-nucleotide polymorphisms used in previous studies (rs3800373, rs9296158, rs1360780, and rs9470080) were genotyped. Three diplotypes were derived from 2 major putatively functional haplotypes regulating protein expression that were previously associated with glucocorticoid receptor sensitivity. Penitentiary District of Abruzzo-Molise in central Italy. A population of 583 male Italian prisoners recruited between 2005 and 2008. A comprehensive analysis of aggression and impulsivity was undertaken using the Brown-Goodwin Lifetime History of Aggression (BGHA) questionnaire, the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory (BDHI), and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS). A history of childhood trauma was investigated with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. The interaction between the FKBP5 diplotypes and childhood trauma on measures of aggression was analyzed. Analyses were replicated with a second behavioral measure of aggression: violent behavior in jail. Individual single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis was performed. Childhood trauma had a significant effect on BGHA and BDHI scores but not on BIS scores. We observed a significant influence of the FKBP5 high-expression diplotype on both a lifetime history of aggressive behavior (BGHA) (P=.012) and violent behavior in jail (P=.025) but only in individuals exposed to childhood trauma, in particular to physical abuse. No main effect of the FKBP5 diplotypes was observed. These data suggest that childhood trauma and variants in the FKBP5 gene may interact to increase the risk of overt aggressive behavior.

Facial Structure Is a Reliable Cue of Aggressive Behavior

Facial width-to-height ratio is a sexually dimorphic metric that is independent of body size and may have been shaped by sexual selection. We recently showed that this metric is correlated with behavioral aggression in men. In Study 1, observers estimated the propensity for aggression of men photographed displaying neutral facial expressions and for whom a behavioral measure of aggression was obtained. The estimates were correlated strongly with the facial width-to-height ratio of the stimulus faces and with the actual aggression of the men. These results were replicated in Study 2, in which the exposure to each stimulus face was shortened to 39 ms. Participants' estimates of aggression for each stimulus face were highly correlated between Study 2 (39-ms exposure) and Study 1 (2,000-ms exposure). These findings suggest that the facial width-to-height ratio may be a cue used to predict propensity for aggression in others.

Examining the validity of the modified Taylor competitive reaction time test of aggression

The use of behavioral tests of aggression has been a source of controversy for decades. Many critics of such measures note that validity studies for these measures are generally lacking. This manuscript describes two studies designed to test the validity of one of the most commonly used behavioral aggression measures, the modified Taylor competitive reaction time test (TCRTT). Participants in both studies were college undergraduates who were individually administered the TCRTT in a laboratory setting. In the first study (n = 103), results on a standardized version of the modified TCRTT were examined for their convergent validity with expected measures of trait aggression and violent acts, including violent criminal behaviors and domestic violence. The second study (n = 101) examined the validity of the modified TCRTT against neuropsychological outcomes that are predictive of impulsive violence. Both studies raised serious validity problems for the modified TCRTT. It is recommended that this measure not be adopted clinically as a behavioral measure of aggression and that other similar measures be more rigorously tested. Its use in research should be undertaken under advisement that results should not be generalized to serious acts of aggression or violence.

Genetic and environmental bases of childhood antisocial behavior: A multi-informant twin study.

Genetic and environmental influences on childhood antisocial and aggressive behavior (ASB) during childhood were examined in 9- to 10-year-old twins, using a multi-informant approach. The sample (605 families of twins or triplets) was socioeconomically and ethnically diverse, representative of the culturally diverse urban population in Southern California. Measures of ASB included symptom counts for conduct disorder, ratings of aggression, delinquency, and psychopathic traits obtained through child self-reports, teacher, and caregiver ratings. Multivariate analysis revealed a common ASB factor across informants that was strongly heritable (heritability was .96), highlighting the importance of a broad, general measure obtained from multiple sources as a plausible construct for future investigations of specific genetic mechanisms in ASB. The best fitting multivariate model required informant-specific genetic, environmental, and rater effects for variation in observed ASB measures. The results suggest that parents, children, and teachers have only a partly "shared view" and that the additional factors that influence the "rater-specific" view of the child's antisocial behavior vary for different informants. This is the first study to demonstrate strong heritable effects on ASB in ethnically and economically diverse samples.

Cerebrospinal fluid monoamine metabolites in boys with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), plasma, and urinary monoamine metabolites were determined for 29 boys, aged 6–12, with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Levels of CSF 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), homovanillic acid (HVA), and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), the metabolites of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, respectively, correlated significantly with behavioral measures of aggression and impulsivity/hyperactivity. However, these correlations were in the unexpected direction; for example, CSF 5-HIAA correlated positively with the Brown-Goodwin Lifetime History of Aggression Scale. HVA in CSF was positively correlated with several measures of hyperactivity. The replicability of these findings, as well as possible socioenvironmental effects, and the predictive value of CSF monoamines in prepubertal hyperactivity are the subjects of ongoing study.

A new approach to explain aggression.

Two separate experiments are reported. They show the methodological difficulties and subsequent conceptual complications in Berkowitz's modified frustration-aggression theory and Zillman's theory of aggression. There was a marginally significant difference in the verbal measure of aggression favouring subjects aroused by frustration over subjects aroused by exercise, but not on the behavioral measure of aggression. Exp. II was conducted to test an alternative hypothesis, deduced from Fraisse's theory of emotion, which states that subjects respond more aggressively when confronted with unexpected than with expected annoyance. All six measures of aggression confirmed the hypothesis. The results of these two experiments indicate conceptual and methodological difficulties inherent in Berkowitz's modified frustration-aggression theory and Zillman's theory of aggression; they also suggest that Fraisse's theory of emotion presents a better model of aggression.

Wounding patterns in three species of captive macaques.

The incidence of wounding in captive groups of rhesus (Macaca mulatta), pigtail (M. nemestrina), and stumptail (M. arctoides) macaques was studied for 21 months. Groups were monitored daily for evidence of wounding. Wounded animals were captured, treated by veterinary staff, and returned following recovery. Records were kept on the age, sex, and species of the recipient, along with the type and location of wound. In each species of macaque, adult males incurred the highest frequency of wounds and multiple wounds of any age-sex class. This contrasted with previously reported behavioral data indicating low frequencies of aggression received by adult males, especially contact aggression and bites. These discrepancies indicate wounding frequencies do not necessarily correspond with behavioral measures of aggression. Inhibition of aggression directed toward infants and the selective avoidance of bites directed to vital body regions were presented as possible mechanisms that modify intragroup aggression. Increased wounding in the birth season under captive conditions suggests that the pattern of increased wounding reported during the breeding season under freeranging conditions may reflect xenophobic responses to immigrating males, rather than direct male-male competition for estrous females.

Relationship between behavioral indices of aggression and hostile content on the TAT for incarcerated young women.

The role played by fantasy in moderating the overt expression of aggression was investigated by examining the relationship between aggressive behavior and hostile content on the Thematic Apperception Test. A Behavior Rating Scale, Behavior Checklist, and Aggressiveness of Offense Scale (Matranga, 1976) were used to measure the aggressive behavior of 15 incarcerated women between 16 and 20 yr. old. No support was found for the hypothesis that hostile content on the TAT is negatively correlated with behavioral measures of aggression. Instead, results suggested that there is no significant relationship between these variables, at least with an incarcerated, predominantly Native female population.

A comparative study in aggression between adolescent boys and girls of tribal and non-tribal students in Chitagong Hill Tracts

The present study was an effort to conduct an empirical investigation behaviour on aggression in adolescent boys and girls of tribal (i.e. Chakma) and non-tribal (i.e. Bengali) students in Chittagong Hill Tracts. A sample consisting of 360 respondents was selected from tribal (N = 160) and non-tribal (N = 160) subjects. Each group was equally divided into boys and girls. Each gender was then equally divided into early and late adolescents. Thus, the study used a 2×2×2 factorial design representing two races (Chakma/Bengali), two genders (boys/girls) and two stages of development (early adolescence/late adolescence). The Measure of Aggressive Behaviour (MAB) was administered on the sample for data collection. Regardless of gender and stage of development, tribal respondents were found to express significantly higher rates of aggression than non-tribal respondents. Again, regardless of race and stage of development, boys expressed significantly higher rates of aggression than girls. Similarly, regardless of race and gender, respondents at early adolescent stage expressed significantly higher rates of aggression than the respondents at late adolescent stage. Key words: Aggression; adolescence; race; sex; stages of development DOI: 10.3329/jles.v2i2.7502 J. Life Earth Sci., Vol. 2(2) 79-84, 2007

Interactive relations of gender, residence and social stratification with types of aggression

Attempts were made to examine the interactive relations of gender, residence and social stratification with different types of aggressive behaviour. The independent variables were gender, residence and socio-economic status. Different types of the behaviour include physical, verbal, anger, hostile and indirect aggression. A total of 240 respondents between 13 and 16 years of age constituted the sample of the study. The Measure of Aggressive Behaviour (MAB) was used for data collection. The study utilized a 2 × 2 × 3 factorial design consisting of two levels of gender (male/female), two levels of residential background (urban/rural), and three levels of socio-economic status (high/middle/low). The results were computed on each dimension separately using t-tests. The findings revealed interactive relations of gender, residence and social stratification with different types of aggression. Key words: Aggression; antisocial behaviour; gang related violence; autism; attention deficit disorder DOI: 10.3329/jles.v2i2.7500 J. Life Earth Sci., Vol. 2(2) 67-74, 2007