Hostile Attribution Research Articles

Relationship between Harsh Parenting and Aggressive Behaviors in Male Juvenile Delinquents: Potential Mediating Roles of Peer Victimization and Hostile Attribution Bias.

Harsh parenting can be regarded as a harsh behaviors, feelings, and attitudes toward children in the process of parenting. According to the theory of intergenerational transmission of violence, harsh parenting is an important factor affecting children's aggressive behavior, but the theory does not clarify the specific action path between harsh parenting and aggressive behavior. In order to reveal the relationship between harsh parenting and the aggressive behavior of juvenile delinquents, 604 male juvenile delinquents (N = 604; Mage = 16.57 years; SD = 0.612 years) were investigated using the Harsh Parenting Questionnaire, the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire, the Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale, and the Word Sentence Association Paradigm for Hostility in Chinese. Analysis using structural equation modeling procedures showed that (a) all variables were positively associated with each other; (b) the partial indirect effect of harsh parenting on aggressive behaviors was determined through the mediators of peer victimization and hostile attribution bias independently; and (c) the partial indirect effect was determined through the mediators of peer victimization and hostile attribution bias sequentially. The results suggest that harsh parenting can explain the highly aggressive behavior of male juvenile delinquents. Moreover, harsh parenting may also predict the risk of peer victimization and hostile attribution bias, thereby predicting the development of highly aggressive behaviors.

Customer mistreatment and employees’ extra-role performance: A goal failure perspective

Although customer mistreatment has harmful consequences for employees and the organization, the boundary conditions of customer mistreatment have been largely neglected. This study conceptualizes Customer Mistreatment (CM) as a signaling failure regarding employees’ pursuit of tasks and social goals at work and aims to examine the impact of CM on employees’ extra-role performance through the mediating role of rumination. In addition, the moderating role of Hostile Attribution Bias (HAB) in the link between CM - rumination was also investigated. The Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was used for data analysis, including measurement and structural assessment. Based on the data collected from 200 frontline staff working at Tan Son Nhat international airport, the findings revealed that CM indirectly affects employees’ extra-role performance via rumination. Besides, although HAB did not moderate the thee CM - rumination relationship, it did impact employees’ rumination. Limitations, recommendation for future research, and implications are discussed.

Testing the integration of a teacher coaching model and a social-emotional learning and literacy intervention in urban elementary schools

Teachers often report inadequate training in and insufficient time for social-emotional learning (SEL; Buchanan et al., 2009). Thus, it is not surprising that tremendous variability exists in the implementation of school-based SEL interventions (Durlak, 2016; Rohrbach et al., 2006), which has been closely linked to program outcomes for teachers and students (Domitrovich & Greenberg, 2000). In this study, we used a quasi-experimental design to better understand the utility of providing structured, evidence-based teacher coaching to support SEL program implementation. We paired an integrated SEL and literacy curriculum, 4Rs (Reading, Writing, Respect, & Resolution), with a validated approach to supporting curriculum implementation, MTP (MyTeachingPartner). Across 91 classrooms within 15 urban public elementary schools, we assessed one central research question: does the integration of 4Rs with an evidence-based coaching model, MTP, lead to greater classroom-level effects on students’ social-emotional and academic functioning than 4Rs only during a single school year? In summary, 4Rs + MTP classrooms showed significantly lower levels of hostile attribution bias and aggressive interpersonal negotiation strategies, as well as, greater attendance rates and teacher-reported academic skills.

Effects of relative deprivation on change in displaced aggression and the underlying motivation mechanism: A three-wave cross-lagged analysis.

Displaced aggression refers to pernicious acts against innocent people. To date, little is known about mechanisms underlying dynamic changes in displaced aggression. The present study constructed a cross-lagged model to examine the dynamic effects of relative deprivation on displaced aggression and the mediation mechanisms underlying these effects. A total of 1130 undergraduate students participated in this three-wave longitudinal study. The results showed that relative deprivation predicted changes in displaced aggression through concurrent changes in levels of hostile attribution bias and moral disengagement. Hostile attribution bias and moral disengagement could predict each other longitudinally. The relationships between relative deprivation and displaced aggression, and relative deprivation and hostile attribution bias were mutual. This multiple mediation model with two mutually predicting mediators was explained from the aggressive motivation perspective. The findings help inform aggression theories and have implications for the prevention of and interventions against displaced aggression.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Interventions to Improve Children's Social Information-Processing Skills

Purpose: We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of intervention research studies focused on strengthening the social information-processing (SIP) skills of children. Methods: A systematic search and review process was employed to identify, screen, and summarize research on SIP-guided interventions. Results: The search recovered 183,184 citations published from 1997 to 2022. After screening, 42 articles were retained for a full-text review. Findings from the 15 studies using more rigorous designs [i.e., 8 individual-level randomized control trials (RCTs), 5 cluster-level RCTs, and 2 quasi-experimental studies with statistical controls for selectivity] suggest that SIP-focused interventions produced statistically significant treatment effects on cognitive skills, with mean effect sizes of 0.35 on encoding, 0.13 on hostile attribution bias, 0.13 on goal formulation, 0.16 on response decision, and—more behaviorally—0.37 on aggressive and disruptive comportment. Conclusions: SIP-focused interventions are effective. If widely implemented, they hold the potential to reduce aggressive behavior in childhood.

The influencing factors of functional somatic discomfort in clinical nurses

Objective: To investigate the functional somatic discomfort status, and to analyze the effect of job stress, hostile attribution bias and ego depletion on functional somatic discomfort in clinical nurses. Methods: In May 2019, 10 cities in Henan Province and Fujian Province were randomly selected as sampling cities. Using the stratified cluster sampling method, nurses of clinical nursing posts in 22 third class hospitals and 23 second class hospitals were selected as the research objects. The general information, job stress, hostile attribution bias, ego depletion and functional somatic discomfort of clinical nurses were investigated by self-designed general information questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale, Social Information Processing-attribution Bias Questionnaire, Self-regulatory Fatigue Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-15. 1200 clinical nurses included, and a total of 1159 valid questionnaires were collected, the effective rate of questionnaire collection was 96.6%. The t test was used to compare the difference of the functional somatic discomfort scores of clinical nurses with different demographic characteristicst. The influence of job stress, hostile attribution bias and ego depletion on functional somatic discomfort of clinical nurses were analyzed with Bootstrap. Results: The functional somatic discomfort score of clinical nurses was (8.95±4.38), of which 859 (74.12%) had functional somatic discomfort symptom. The functional somatic discomfort score of clinical nurses aged 36-50 years old was higher than that of 19-35 years old, the functional somatic discomfort score of clinical nurses with service age ≥5 years was higher than that of <5 years, the functional somatic discomfort score of non-permanent clinical nurses was higher than that of permanent clinical nurses, the functional somatic discomfort score of clinical nurses in tertiary hospitals was higher than that of secondary hospitals, the functional somatic discomfort score of clinical nurses in surgical departments were higher than those in non-surgical departments, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Job stress affected functional somatic discomfort through the single mediating role of hostile attribution bias, the single mediating role of ego depletion, and the chain mediating role of hostile attribution bias and ego depletion (β=0.17, 95%CI: 0.10-0.20; β=0.16, 95%CI: 0.10-0.20; β=0.07, 95%CI: 0.03-0.10; P<0.05) . Conclusion: The functional somatic discomfort symptoms of clinical nurses are significant and varied among different age, working age, employment form, hospital grade and department groups. They are affected by work stress directly and through the separate mediating effect of hostile attribution bias and ego depletion, and the chain mediating effect of hostile attribution bias and ego depletion.

Why narcissists are more likely to be aggressive? The role of hostile attribution bias.

Narcissism is commonly associated with aggressiveness, but the underlying mechanisms of this relationship are still not yet fully understood. Based on previous research showing that narcissists are suspicious, the present research investigated whether hostile attribution of intent could explain the relationship between narcissism and aggression. In Study 1, participants (N = 347) completed a self-report measure of grandiose narcissism (Narcissistic Personality Inventory) and a measure of hostile attribution bias (Social Information Processing-Attribution Emotion Questionnaire). Analyses revealed that narcissism was a strong predictor of hostile attribution bias, angry feelings, and aggressive reactions. Moreover, hostile attribution bias appeared to mediate the relation between narcissism and aggressive reactions. Study 2 (N = 130) replicated the findings of Study 1 using a measure of vulnerable narcissism (Hypersensitive narcissism scale). In addition, perspective taking was manipulated in Study 2 and the results showed that participants in the high perspective-taking condition (vs. low perspective taking) were less likely to make hostile attributions. These findings suggest that hostile attribution of intent is particularly relevant to understand narcissistic aggression. (170 words).

Understanding the relations between narcissistic rivalry and reactive aggression: The roles of status-seeking motivation, hostile attribution bias and mindfulness

Understanding the relations between narcissistic rivalry and reactive aggression: The roles of status-seeking motivation, hostile attribution bias and mindfulness

The Effects of Covert Narcissism on Chinese College Students Cyberbullying: The Mediation of Hostile Attribution Bias and the Moderation of Self-Control.

The prevalence of cyberbullying has increased along with the growth of social media, which has brought about many adverse effects on individual development. The current study aimed to explore the connection between covert narcissism and cyberbullying and to test the roles of hostile attribution bias and self-control in the relationship between covert narcissism and cyberbullying. A total of 672 Chinese college students filled up questionnaires measuring covert narcissism, cyberbullying, hostile attribution bias, and self-control. The results indicated that covert narcissism positively and significantly predicted cyberbullying. Hostile attribution bias partially mediated the relationship between covert narcissism and cyberbullying. Additionally, self-control moderated the relationship between covert narcissism and cyberbullying. Specifically, the positive predictive effect of covert narcissism on cyberbullying gradually weakened as self-control improved. This study explored the underlying mechanism of cyberbullying and found that covert narcissism could affect cyberbullying through hostile attribution bias. Self-control moderated the relationship between covert narcissism and cyberbullying. The results have significant implications for the intervention and prevention of cyberbullying and additional evidence for the relationship between covert narcissism and cyberbullying.

Families in High-Conflict Divorces: Parent Outcomes of No Kids in the Middle

ABSTRACT This study reports on the short-term outcomes of the multi-family group intervention “No Kids in the Middle” (NKM). NKM is aimed at decreasing parental conflicts, hostile attributions about the ex-partner, and perceived social network disapproval of the ex-partner in high-conflict divorces (HCD). Interventions such as NKM are important as persistent parental conflicts can have severe negative consequences for children. For the current study, 167 HCD parents completed questionnaires at the start and end of NKM and at 6-month follow-up. A convenience sample of 136 divorced parents who were not in high conflict completed a single assessment. Their scores were used to define whether the reliable change index (RCI) for the HCD group represented a meaningful change. Parental conflict and social network disapproval of parents in a HCD decreased throughout all assessments. Hostile attributions did not change. The results provide initial evidence that NKM might help reduce conflict in HCD.

The impact of customer sexual harassment on customer-oriented OCB: a social exchange perspective

PurposeDrawing on social exchange theory, this study aims to investigate the relation of customer sexual harassment (CSH) and customer-oriented organizational citizenship behaviors (customer-oriented OCB), as well as the mediation of customer–employee exchange (CEX) and the moderation of hostile attribution bias.Design/methodology/approachThe hypotheses were examined through a field study performed in six hotels in three Chinese cities and an experimental study.FindingsThe results revealed that CSH undermined the quality of CEX, leading employees to withdraw from customer-oriented OCB. Additionally, the hostile attribution bias of service employees reinforced the direct relationship between CSH and CEX and its indirect relationship with customer-oriented OCB via CEX.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that hospitality organizations should endeavor to reduce the occurrence of CSH, and that by valuing and encouraging the development of high-quality CEX, they can mitigate its detrimental effects. Special attention should also be paid to hospitality employees holding strong hostile attribution bias.Originality/valueFirst, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies to explore the influence of CSH on customer-oriented OCB among hotel employees. In addition, examining the effect of CSH from the social exchange perspective represents a new theoretical approach. The finding also contributes to the literature on CEX by identifying an important antecedent. Finally, by investigating hostile attribution bias as a moderator, this research provides insights into how individual differences moderate the destructive influence of CSH.

Transgenerational transmission of hostility bias from father to son. How to effectively reduce hostile interpretations of social encounters? information about the research project

Making hostile attributions, that is, interpreting the behaviour of others as intentional and hostile, increases the likelihood of aggression. Hostile attributional style begins to form in childhood and is related, among others, to the quality of the parental relationship. The aim of the current project is to examine: whether the fathers attributional style predicts the sons attributional style; what role perceived personality resemblance plays in the transmission of the tendency to make hostile attributions from father to son; and whether there are effective ways to reduce hostile attributions. The project involves research with diverse methods and techniques. The final goal of the research is not only to improve knowledge of hostile attributions but also to provide practitioners with effective tools for working with adolescents displaying a tendency to make them.

Maternal executive function, authoritarian attitudes, and hostile attribution bias as interacting predictors of harsh parenting.

Executive function (EF) plays a key role in healthy development and human functioning across multiple domains, including socially, behaviorally, and in the self-regulation of cognition and emotion. Prior research has associated lower levels of maternal EF with harsher and more reactive parenting, and mothers' social cognitive attributes like authoritarian child-rearing attitudes and hostile attribution biases also contribute to harsh parenting practices. There have been few studies that explore the intersection of maternal EF and social cognitions. The present study addresses this gap by testing whether the relationship between individual differences in maternal EF and harsh parenting behaviors is statistically moderated separately by maternal authoritarian attitudes and hostile attribution bias. Participants were 156 mothers in a socioeconomically diverse sample. Multi-informant and multimethod assessments of harsh parenting and EF were utilized, and mothers self-reported on their child-rearing attitudes and attribution bias. Harsh parenting was negatively associated with maternal EF and hostile attribution bias. Authoritarian attitudes significantly interacted with EF (and the attribution bias interaction was marginally significant) in prediction of variance in harsh parenting behaviors. Commensurate with social information processing theory, EF and social cognitive attributes play critical and distinct roles in the causes of harsh caregiving practices. Findings elucidate that reforming parental social cognitions, in addition to targeting EF, may be effective prevention and intervention methods for yielding more positive parenting behaviors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Le rôle de l’alexithymie dans les comportements violents : Une révision des études disponibles à la lumière du modèle de traitement de l’information sociale

ObjectivesThe literature highlights the prevalence of shortcomings in processing emotional information, especially the identification of emotions in the context of violent behavior. Alexithymia is the inability to recognize and describe emotional states and external oriented thinking. The social information processing approach offers a theoretical framework to understand how alexithymia deficiencies are linked to violence. Furthermore, this approach allows us to determine which stages of processing are associated with specific kinds of deficiencies in order to adapt treatment programs targeting violent behavior. The primary goal of this narrative review is to define and present the relationship between alexithymia and violent behavior. In addition, this review will attempt to illustrate that deficiencies caused by alexithymia are related to different stages of social information processing. MethodsThis review presents an explanation of the links between violent behavior and alexithymia according to the social information processing theory as a theoretical framework. ResultsThere are numerous studies that demonstrate the relationship between violent behavior and alexithymia in different populations (general, psychiatric, or incarcerated) and for different kinds of violence (physical, homicidal or sexual). In particular, the deficiencies caused by alexithymia primarily involved the (in)ability to identify emotional states. Indeed, the more people have difficulties in identifying their own internal emotional states, the higher the probability that they will engage in dysfunctional behavior such as violence. According to the social information processing model, these shortcomings are present in the initial stages of processing. Errors in detection and perception of social cues could produce a misinterpretation of other's intentions and could lead to a hostile attribution bias. This bias exhibits itself as a tendency to interpret the actions of others as hostile, particularly in ambiguous situations and is often linked to impulsive and reactive aggression. Due to these links between alexithymia, misinterpretation, and violent behavior, it seems essential to develop treatment programs designed to reduce the effects of alexithymia. One study demonstrated that a specific treatment program reduced alexithymic related deficiencies among individuals who had committed sexual offences. This program was based on developing the capacity to identify emotions and to use emotive language to verbalize emotional states. These results suggest that it is possible to improve emotional competence and reduce the effects of alexithymia, which could lead to a reduction in errors in social information processing and could be a major protective factor with respect to violent behavior. ConclusionsThe social information processing model allows us to understand the relationship between violent behavior and alexithymia based on the deficiencies in specific processing stages. In other words, this is an approach which examines the varying stages of social information processing which are dysfunctional and their relationship to the various dimensions of alexithymia. Importantly, it seems that the two explanatory hypotheses of alexithymia may be more complementary rather than diametrically opposed. Indeed, these two hypotheses allow us to explain particular kinds of deficiencies based on different stages of social information processing. This heuristic framework promises the possibility of understanding the study of alexithymia depending on both the nature of the shortcomings and on which social information processing steps are involved. Accordingly, it could become easier to accurately understand which processes are involved in order to adapt the treatment of these deficiencies, particularly in relation to violent behavior.

Emotional Expectancies and Hostile Attributions as Predictors of Adolescents’ Expressions of Emotion with Parents

The present study examined associations between adolescents’ Emotional Expectancies (EE), Hostile Attributions of Intent (HAI), and emotions expressed during interactions with their mother and father. Data were collected from 96 14- to 16-year-olds (27 African Americans, 38 European Americans, and 31 Latinos; a total of 51 girls and 45 boys) and their parents over a period of 2 years. Questionnaires completed by adolescents were used to assess emotional expectancies and hostile attributions of parents’ behavior. In both year one and year two, adolescent emotional expressiveness with parents was observed in a laboratory interaction session. Data revealed that both adolescents’ EE and HAI in reaction to ambiguous situations predicted their expression of positive emotion with their mother and father 1 year later. EE of happiness were positively related and EE of anger were negatively related to the expression of positive emotion with their mother and father. HAI were negatively related to the expression of positive emotion. Only HAI were related to a higher expression of anger with their mother and father. The findings indicate that HAI and EE represent distinct cognitive-emotional processes that contribute to individual differences in adolescents’ expressions of emotion with parents.

Effects of interpretation bias modification on hostile attribution bias and reactive cyber-aggression in Chinese adolescents: a randomized controlled trial.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-023-04433-3.

Mechanisms Linking Perfectionism and Social Anxiety: The Role of Hostility and Disqualification of Positive Social Outcomes

While considerable research has focused on maladaptive perfectionism as a risk factor for social anxiety, little attention has been given to the mechanisms that mediate the effects. We integrated perfectionism with the bivalent fear of evaluation model of social anxiety to investigate 2 hypothesized mechanisms: hostile attribution bias and disqualification of positive social outcomes (DPSO). Specifically, we hypothesized that individuals with maladaptive perfectionism develop hostile attribution biases which then lead to DPSO, which in turn predisposes them to social anxiety. Participants were 242 individuals from the general population who completed measures of perfectionism, hostile attribution bias, DPSO, and social anxiety. A test of multiple mediators using bootstrapping supported the hypothesized multiple mediator models. The results suggested that maladaptive perfectionism predisposes an individual to social anxiety through hostile attribution bias and DPSO. The results further suggested that DPSO but not hostile attribution bias operates as an individual mediator in the perfectionism-social anxiety relationship. The findings from this study provide support for the bivalent fear of evaluation model of social anxiety; however, the use of a cross-sectional design limited our ability to find true cause-and-effect relationships.

Effect of Go/No-Go task on Hostile Attribution Bias

Effect of Go/No-Go task on Hostile Attribution Bias

Assessment of hostile intent attributions across escalating conflict stories.

Previous research suggests the importance of intent attributions in the development and maintenance of aggressive behavior. The primary purpose of the current study was to develop a measure assessing increases in attributions of hostility in response to escalating social conflict scenarios that were relational and instrumental in nature and to determine whether hostility trajectories were associated with relevant social experiences and behavior. A sample of primarily emerging adults (n = 750; M age = 19.97, SD = 3.60; 49.4% women, 48.3% men, 2.3% nonbinary or transgender; 69.9% Caucasian) responded to surveys regarding social behavior, peer victimization, and reports of hostile attribution biases in addition to the developed measure. Findings indicated that individuals adjusted their intent attributions across the conflict escalation stories, as reflected in linear increases in hostility ratings. Hostile attribution trajectories were also related to hostile attribution biases, peer victimization, and social behavior, including physical and relational aggression and prosocial behavior.

The relationship between social creativity and aggressive behavior among Chinese junior high school students: The moderating role of hostile attribution bias.

Recently, research has begun to pay attention to the dark side of creativity. This research attempted to explore the association between social creativity and aggressive behavior as well as the moderating role of hostile attribution bias. Data were obtained from 496 junior high school students in two cities in China using a convenience sampling technique. The results showed that different aspects of social creativity were different related to aggressive behavior. Specifically, appropriateness was negatively, and harmfulness was positively related to aggressive behavior; However, the relation between originality and aggressive behavior was not significant. In addition, hostile attribution bias moderated the relationships between appropriateness/harmfulness and aggressive behavior. Specifically, the negative relation between appropriateness and aggressive behavior as well as the positive relation between harmfulness and aggressive behavior became non-significant when hostile attribution bias was low. Implications of this study are also discussed.