INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SARAJEVO
PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Gender Differences in Aggressive Behavior in
Adolescence
Researched by Merve TUNALI
Thursday, 13th
December, 2012
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ABSTRACT
The primary goal of the research paper is to provide a reader better understanding in the
cause-effect relationship of aggression among adolescents. There are also mentioned several facts
for teens. The reasons why are adolescents are more aggressive than others will also be explained
throughout the study. There are different factors that increase likelihood of aggressive behavior.
Some things are possible to be done on the individual level.
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TABLE OF CONTENT
ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................... 2
1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 4
1.2 "Risk Factors" associated with Aggressive Behavior ................................................. 6
1.3 What to Do as an Individual? ...................................................................................... 8
2.1 Methodology ............................................................................................................... 9
2.1.1 Purpose of Research ...................................................................................... 9
2.1.2 Hypothesis ..................................................................................................... 9
2.1.3 Sample ........................................................................................................... 10
2.1.4 Procedure ....................................................................................................... 10
2.1.5 Model of Data Analysis ................................................................................. 10
2.1.6 Discussion ..................................................................................................... 10
3.1 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 12
APPENDIX A - Sample of Questionary ................................................................................. 13
APPENDIX B - Results of Questionary ................................................................................. 14
Reference ................................................................................................................................ 15
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1.1 Introduction
“Aggression is inherently destructive of relationships. People and ideologies are pitted
against each other, believing that in order to survive, they must destroy the opposition.”~
Margaret J. WHEATLEY
“Aggression unopposed becomes a contagious disease.”~ Jimmy CARTER
“The most important distinction between aggression and assertion is it intent. During assertion,
we move ourselves toward another; during aggression, we move ourselves against another.”~
Georgia LANOIL
“Aggression is the first step on the slippery slope to selfishness and chaos.”~ Anne CAMPBELL
“Aggression is a constructive energy at the service of development, differentiation, mastery,
object relations, and the maintenance of a satisfactory balance between the self and the
environment.”~ Ana-maria RIZZUTO
Human beings experience the aggressive behavior during their life cycle. Aggressive behavior
can be very devastating. It is done in the following situations: when an individual is viciously
teased by other adolescent. There are various types of aggressive behavior among adolescents.
First form is physical aggression. It is associated with biting, hair-pulling, hitting, kicking,
pushing, slapping, shooting, and rape. Second form is related with verbal aggression in terms of
threatening other individual or group of people. Name-calling and teasing also belong to the same
type of aggressive behavior. Finally, there is indirect aggression in the form of gossiping and
spreading rumors. There is also the situation in which an individual encourage other human
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beings to reject the third party. In a situation when an individual tries to harm another one, he
performs an act of aggression.
Adolescents have a serious problem with aggressive behavior. Teens in the grades six to ten bully
their classmates and other students. More than one student in high schools has a physical fight.
Approximately 40 percent of male adolescents have committed a serious violent offense by the
age of 17. For instance, the offense is robbery, gang fights, and rape. Around 30 percent of female
adolescents have committed the same. There are many youths under the age of 18 arrested for
homicide. Aggressive behavior is the common case in the toddler years. The most dangerous
stage of aggression occurs at the transition period from the late teen years to the early adulthood.
Also, small children behave aggressively. Frustrated toddlers push other children. They also bit or
hit others. As they get older they start with verbal aggression. It means that they start yelling on
others. They experience temper tantrums.
From the early beginning, males are more involved in physical and verbal aggression than girls.
On the other hand, females use more indirect means of aggression. For instance, they do the
withdrawal of friendships among each other. They also spread rumors. It is commonly known that
females gossip much more than males. Females are ready to encourage others to reject the third
person from their group.
The level of aggression decreases as children mature. It is the case due to more effective
self-control skills. They also develop language and interpersonal skills. There is small number of
normal adolescents as they move to higher grades of school. They start fighting and bullying with
others. Those children have big predispositions to do serious violence as they become older. The
concerning level of violence may continue also in adulthood. Very aggressive teens and adults
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engage in serious violence. Teens become aggressive when they spend time with their friends
who are involved in antisocial activities. The percentage of involvement in serious violence
before the age of 12 increases a lot. This amount it larger than during the teenage years. The peak
stage of serious violence and aggression appears to be during the late teen ages for males. It may
also continue in early adulthood, but the number will become smaller with age. On the other side,
females experience the peak stage of serious violence and aggression in the early teenage years.
Aggressive adolescents are risk seeking individuals. There is a high risk of delinquency, early and
very risky sexual activities substance abuse.
1.2 "Risk Factors" associated with aggressive behavior
There are several reasons why some children are more aggressive than others. The answer on
particular issues is quite complicated. Some human beings blame the parents of aggressive
children, while other put emphasis on the television and video games violence. There are various
"risk factors" that increase the likelihood of aggressive behavior. The more detailed explanation
follows:
a) Individual Characteristics. The amount of individual characteristics increase the risk of
aggressive behavior in adolescence. They are attention problems, a difficult temperament,
hyperactivity, impulsivity, and low level of intelligence. Aggressive individuals face poor
social problem-solving skills. They interpret wrongly the behavior of others. As a result,
they cannot respond non-aggressively to the particular content.
b) Home Environment. This environment has significant impact on the amount of risk of
aggressive behavior. The home atmosphere such as parents' manipulation with their
children, little emotional support, non-monitoring activities, and low involvement in the
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life of child raise the risk of aggressive behavior of adolescent. There is a direct relation
between aggressive behavior and inconsistent discipline. The same case is with harsh
punishments.
c) Relationship with Peers. In general, peers reject children who behave aggressively. The
same case is with children who have lack of social skills. The early rejection from peers
results in the later aggressive and violent behavior. The most aggressive adolescents have
well developed relationship with others. This relationship is based on antisocial attitudes.
These types of friendships predict aggressive behavior of a child with age.
d) Failure at School. Individuals face with behavior problems at the early stage of life.
Those problems lead to poor school achievements of students. There is a risk of school
failure. The problems are very significant factors for delinquency in adolescents. There is
also great impact on the involvement with antisocial peers groups in the period of
adolescence.
e) Media Violence Exposure. There are many evidences associated with a relationship
between aggressive behavior in adolescence and exposure to violence television programs.
Individuals become more aggressive in physical and verbal terms immediately after
watching some programs with violence scenes. Aggressive children are willing to watch
more violent programs on television then less aggressive ones. Exposure to television
violence at the early life stage results in higher level of aggression later. The impact of
violent music videos increase the aggressive way of thinking. Video games with violent
activities have fairly small impact on level of physical aggression.
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f) Social Factors and Community. The risk of aggressive behavior is become larger in the
life situations such as discrimination, joblessness, and poverty. Neighborhood has also
great impact on the aggression of adolescents. It is in terms of availability of alcohol,
drugs, and firearms. Also, there is the case of extreme poverty and disintegration by other
neighbors.
The child with more risk factors have higher tendency to act aggressively. Significant role in the
development of aggression plays family factor. The role of friends is more crucial during the
adolescence. Very small number of children become highly aggressive. There are some protective
factors, such as a commitment to school, as well as a good and positive relationship with a
supportive adult. They may save child from developing aggressive behavior, despite many risk
factors. Interventions related with protective factors decrease aggressive behavior in period of
adolescence.
1.3 What to Do as an Individual?
There are some things that can be done on an individual level in order to decrease aggression in
adolescence. First of all, an individual should make a commitment not to behave aggressively and
violently. He should not bully others. Negative gossiping should be avoided. Every human being
must show the respect to others. A person has to value the difference with others. Second, the
involvement in a community group may help. Individuals should play a musical instruments and
sports. They may also write a play or poem. Additional solution is join a club of interest as well
as after-school program. Third, adolescent should have open conversation with trustable adult
who may be a parent, counselor or other person of trust. Adolescent needs help in situation when
he feels angry, depressed, fearful, and sad. The help is needed in terms of handling with troubles
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of paying attention at school. Fourth, the consumption of alcohol and drugs should be avoided
due to the strong link with aggressive behavior. Fifth, it is necessary to learn the ways of
resolving arguments and conflicts without an act of aggression. An individual should encourage
his friends to do the same. There are trainings related with conflict resolution skills, offered by
after-school programs, and churches. Sixth, an individual should avoid carrying any weapons
without a valid certificate. It is illegal act. Carrying a weapon will not make adolescent safer. In
many cases, weapons escalate conflicts. There is a greater chance of being seriously injured.
Adolescent in serious danger should talk to a person of trust, school administrators, and the police.
For safety reasons, adolescent should avoid situations of being alone, but to stay with friends
when possible. Last but not least significant is the initiative action of reducing aggression in
community. The promotion of non-violence programs should be done. There are some useful
documents for the beginning. For instance, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention's National Youth Network may provide necessary information and resources to take
action in community. There is a way to get better insight into effective programs. It is also
possible to find out what other adolescents do around the nation.
2.1 METHODOLOGY
2.1.1 Purpose of research
The purpose of performing this research is to examine the gender differences in aggressive
behavior is adolescence by using the experimental method as one of the research methodologies.
2.1.2 Hypothesis
Males adolescents have higher likelihood of being more aggressive in any terms than females.
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2.1.3 Sample
The sample population contains 50 adolescents in the Mall. There were 25 girls and 25 boys.
2.1.4 Procedure
The data for the methodological part of the paper are the taken from the textbooks, available
literature, articles, and the real observation of adolescents. Experimental method is used for
determining the cause-effect relationships of aggression among adolescents in psychological
terms. The adolescents were under observation at the Mall.
2.1.5 Model of Data Analysis
I have used Kingsoft Office Tools 2012 for completing the research study. The part related with
the Methodology is completed by using the same tools. The print screens are uploaded in the
Appendix A at the end of paper.
2.1.6 Discussion
There are 40 participants who fully agree that aggressive behavior can be very devastating. 27
human beings partially agree that adolescents have a serious problem with aggressive behavior.
35 people fully agree that males are more involved in physical and verbal aggression than girls
from the early beginning. There are 32 participants who partially agree that females use more
indirect means of aggression. 42 individuals fully agree that females do the withdrawal of
friendships among each other. 29 examined individuals partially agree that the peak stage of
serious violence and aggression appears to be during the late teen ages for males. There are 35
individuals who partially agree that females experience the peak stage of serious violence and
aggression in the early teenage years. 30 out of 50 participants fully agree that males start
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fighting and bullying with others at higher grades of school. There are 43 people who fully agree
that females often encourage other to reject the third person from their group. Last but not least,
there are 26 participants who fully agree about the statement that male and female teens become
aggressive when they spend time with their friends who are involved in antisocial activities.
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3.1 Conclusion
The primary aim of the research study was to explain the causes and effects of aggressive
behavior among teens more briefly. Facts about adolescents are covered. There are several risk
factors that are directly associated with aggression. They are: individual characteristics, home
environment, relationship with peers, failure at school, media violence exposure, and social
factors and community. What to do as an individual?
“Aggression only moves in one direction - it creates more aggression.”~ Margaret J.
WHEATLEY
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Appendix A
QUESTIONARY ABOUT GENDER DIFFERENCES IN
AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR IN ADOLESCENCE
The survey is prepared for the requirements of project. The project is assigned by a lecturer of the
course PSY 202 - Research Methods in Psychology. The experimental method is used for
determining the cause-effect relationship among adolescents in psychological terms. Please select
the most appropriate answer. The possible answers are given below:
(1) totally disagree; (2) partially agree; (3) neutral; (4) partially agree; (5) totally agree.
Gender:__________
1. Aggressive behavior can be very devastating.
(1) totally disagree __ (2) partially agree__ (3) neutral__ (4) partially agree__(5) totally agree__
2. Adolescents have a serious problem with aggressive behavior.
(1) totally disagree __ (2) partially agree__ (3) neutral__ (4) partially agree__(5) totally agree__
3. From the early beginning, males are more involved in physical and verbal aggression
than girls.
(1) totally disagree __ (2) partially agree__ (3) neutral__ (4) partially agree__(5) totally agree__
4. Females use more indirect means of aggression.
(1) totally disagree __ (2) partially agree__ (3) neutral__ (4) partially agree__(5) totally agree__
5. Females do the withdrawal of friendships among each other.
(1) totally disagree __ (2) partially agree__ (3) neutral__ (4) partially agree__(5) totally agree__
6. The peak stage of serious violence and aggression appears to be during the late teen
ages for males.
(1) totally disagree __ (2) partially agree__ (3) neutral__ (4) partially agree__(5) totally agree__
7. Females experience the peak stage of serious violence and aggression in the early
teenage years.
(1) totally disagree __ (2) partially agree__ (3) neutral__ (4) partially agree__(5) totally agree__
8. At higher grades of school males start fighting and bullying with others.
(1) totally disagree __ (2) partially agree__ (3) neutral__ (4) partially agree__(5) totally agree__
9. Females often encourage other to reject the third person from their group.
(1) totally disagree __ (2) partially agree__ (3) neutral__ (4) partially agree__(5) totally agree__
10. Male and female teens become aggressive when they spend time with their friends who
are involved in antisocial activities.
(1) totally disagree __ (2) partially agree__ (3) neutral__ (4) partially agree__(5) totally agree__
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Appendix B
Questionary about Gender Differences in Aggressive Behavior in Adolescence
Gender
Female 25
Male 25
Question A 1 A 2 A 3 A 4 A 5 TOTAL
Q1 5 5 40 50
Q2 2 7 9 27 5 50
Q3 5 10 35 50
Q4 5 13 32 50
Q5 8 42 50
Q6 10 6 29 5 50
Q7 2 13 35 50
Q8 12 6 2 30 50
Q9 7 43 50
Q10 4 20 26 50
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REFERENCE
1. National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center ( 2002 ). Facts for Teens:
Aggression.Rockville. Retrived from
http://www.herkimercounty.org/content/Departments/View/11:field=services;/content/Depart
mentServices/View/68:field=documents;/content/Documents/File/123.PDF
2. Barry, Tammy D., Lochman, John E. (2004 ). Aggression In Adolescents: Strategies For
Parents And Educators. Bethesda, MD : National Association of School Psychologists.
3. Rappaport, Nancy., Thomas, Christopher. ( 2004 ). Recent Research Findings on Aggressive
and Violent Behavior in Youth: Implications for Clinical Assessment and Intervention.
Journal Of Adolescent Health.New York : Elsevier.
4. Quin, Caitriona., Tawse, Scott. ( 2009 ). Handbook of Aggressive Behavior Research.
Adolescent Aggression Towards Parents:Factors Associated And Intervention Proposals.
Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
5. Jelle J. Sijtsema, Tiina Ojanen, René Veenstra et al.( 2009 ). Social Development. Forms and
Functions of Aggression in Adolescent Friendship Selection and Influence: A Longitudinal
Social Network Analysis. Blackwell Publishing.
6. Reference for citations (data unavailable):
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/aggression.html
7. Reference for citations (data unavailable):
http://www.notable-quotes.com/a/aggression_quotes.html
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