Influence of Interparental Violence on Children's Attributions of Violent and Peaceful Emotions in Conflict Scenarios

Abstract

ABSTRACT Witness and nonwitness children ages 6 through 11 (N = 115) responded to questions concerning emotions in violent and anger-provoking scenarios. First, children watched videos of several types of conflict and attributed emotions to victims and perpetrators. Attributions of emotions varied significantly depending upon gender, exposure to violence, victim or perpetrator role, and age, with witness children and girls attributing greater peace to victims and greater violence to perpetrators. Second, a projective technique was used to investigate witness and nonwitness children's anger. All children were easily provoked to anger, with witness children assisting more readily in anger regulation and female witnesses reacting to provocation the most peacefully. Emotion's role in determining behavior is discussed, including implications for preventing violence.