Aggressive and nonaggressive boys' physiological and cognitive processes in response to peer provocations.
This study examined physiological and social-cognitive correlates of aggression in an in vivo laboratory provocation situation. Fifty-one male participants (ages 9 to 13) were selected based on teacher aggression screenings, ranging from normative to high levels. A provocation was induced by the experimenter communicating a threat from an unseen "peer" in the laboratory. Bivariate linear regression analyses showed that aggression significantly predicted heart rate at both pre- and postinduction, and aggression significantly predicted attributions of intent following the provocation. Results indicated that aggression was a significant predictor of changes in hostile attribution and heart rate following the threat induction. A positive correlation also was found between heart rate change and attribution change. The findings suggest that both physiological and social-cognitive processes should be addressed in clinical interventions with aggressive children.
Williams
Susan Craven
SC
Baptist Health, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
Lochman
John E
JE
Phillips
Nancy C
NC
Barry
Tammy D
TD
D000293:Adolescent; D000374:Aggression; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012919:Social Behavior; D013334:Students