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Linkages between children's beliefs about the legitimacy of aggression and their behavior

Publication ,  Journal Article
Erdley, CA; Asher, SR
Published in: Social Development
January 1, 1998

The purposes of this study were to learn whether children's beliefs about the legitimacy of aggression can be reliably assessed and whether these beliefs relate to children's everyday social behavior with peers, as well as their responses to hypothetical ambiguous provocation situations. Fourth- and fifth-grade students (n = 781) responded to a 16-item questionnaire designed to measure children's beliefs about the legitimacy of aggression. Children's behavioral orientation was assessed using two methods: (1) children's responses to ten hypothetical situations involving ambiguous provocation, and (2) peer evaluations of children's aggressive, withdrawn, and prosocial behavior. Results indicated that children's beliefs about the legitimacy of aggression were reliably measured. Furthermore, results from both measures of behavioral style showed that children who believed strongly in the legitimacy of aggression were more aggressive, less withdrawn, and less prosocial. The findings suggest that one focus of efforts to decrease children's aggression should be the modification of their beliefs about the legitimacy of aggressive actions.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Social Development

DOI

ISSN

0961-205X

Publication Date

January 1, 1998

Volume

7

Issue

3

Start / End Page

321 / 339

Related Subject Headings

  • Developmental & Child Psychology
  • 5205 Social and personality psychology
  • 5202 Biological psychology
  • 5201 Applied and developmental psychology
  • 1701 Psychology
 

Citation

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Erdley, C. A., & Asher, S. R. (1998). Linkages between children's beliefs about the legitimacy of aggression and their behavior. Social Development, 7(3), 321–339. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9507.00070
Erdley, C. A., and S. R. Asher. “Linkages between children's beliefs about the legitimacy of aggression and their behavior.” Social Development 7, no. 3 (January 1, 1998): 321–39. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9507.00070.
Erdley CA, Asher SR. Linkages between children's beliefs about the legitimacy of aggression and their behavior. Social Development. 1998 Jan 1;7(3):321–39.
Erdley, C. A., and S. R. Asher. “Linkages between children's beliefs about the legitimacy of aggression and their behavior.” Social Development, vol. 7, no. 3, Jan. 1998, pp. 321–39. Scopus, doi:10.1111/1467-9507.00070.
Erdley CA, Asher SR. Linkages between children's beliefs about the legitimacy of aggression and their behavior. Social Development. 1998 Jan 1;7(3):321–339.
Journal cover image

Published In

Social Development

DOI

ISSN

0961-205X

Publication Date

January 1, 1998

Volume

7

Issue

3

Start / End Page

321 / 339

Related Subject Headings

  • Developmental & Child Psychology
  • 5205 Social and personality psychology
  • 5202 Biological psychology
  • 5201 Applied and developmental psychology
  • 1701 Psychology