Cognitive processes and violent behaviour in young people.
Forty-three subjects from secondary school took part in a correlation study investigating the nature of cognitive processes involved in the presentation of violent behaviour. Measures of violence were scores on "aggression items" of a self-report questionnaire. The experimental procedure involved binocular tachistoscopic presentation of neutral and violent slide pairs. Descriptions of the composite stimuli were scored for violent content. The main finding was that subjects who had reported more involvement in violent acts also reported seeing more violence in the stimulus array. This association held irrespective of age, IQ, socio-economic status and starting mood. It is argued that these findings indicate a perceptual, rather than a response, bias. A role for this bias as a possible maintaining condition in the presentation of aggressive behaviour is presented. The implications of the present findings for interventions with young people are discussed. It is suggested that cognitive techniques may prove more effective than traditional behavioural programmes.
J M
JM
May
D000293:Adolescent; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D003071:Cognition; D004644:Emotions; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D012923:Social Class; D014754:Violence; D014796:Visual Perception