Background verbal and physical anger: a comparison of children's responses to adult-adult and adult-child arguments.
Children's responses to adult-child conflict were examined and compared to their responses to adult-adult conflict. These responses were further analyzed in relation to 2 forms of anger expression: verbal and physical. 6-7- and 9-10-year-olds were interviewed after viewing videotaped segments of angry arguments. Although children were distressed by both adult-child and adult-adult conflict, the participants in conflict and form of anger expression moderated some of their responses. In adult-child conflict, children were more scared in response to physical versus verbal arguments. For verbal arguments, some children felt both more scared and mad during adult-adult conflict in comparison to adult-child conflict; however, the percentage of children reporting fear and anger was small. Intervention in conflict through siding with one party occurred more frequently in adult-child conflict versus adult-adult conflict. Responses were further moderated by the age and gender of the subject.
el-Sheikh
M
M
Department of Psychology, Auburn University, AL 36849-5214, USA.
Cheskes
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D000786:Anger; D001143:Arousal; D002648:Child; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000523:psychology; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010553:Personality Development; D012931:Social Environment; D014705:Verbal Behavior