Aggressive Behavior最新文献

Aggressive behavior when moving through traffic is recognized as a serious problem and safety hazard with respect to car drivers. By contrast, aggressive behavior by cyclists has received little attention, although it also has potential for harm to others and may lead to conflict between road users. The limited body of past research focused on hostile anger expression by cyclists as a way of expressing anger. By contrast, the current research provides evidence on cyclists' use of instrumental aggression in terms of making faster or smoother progress. In a cross-sectional study with a representative sample of cyclists in Germany (N = 1240, 685 men, 555 women), participants completed measures of their aggressive cycling behavior, frequency of cycling, perceptions of others' aggressive cycling, and traffic-related stress. A subgroup of participants who also identified as car drivers (n = 1135) additionally completed a measure of aggressive car driving. Self-reported aggressive cycling was higher among men than among women. Age and frequency of using the bike were negatively related to aggressive cycling, whereas traffic-related stress showed a positive association. Reflecting the “better-than-average” effect, participants believed that others showed significantly more aggressive cycling than themselves. Finally, we found a strong correlation between self-reports of aggressive cycling and aggressive car driving. The findings highlight the need for further research on aggressive cycling and the development of effective strategies for reducing aggressive behavior on the road in different modes of transport.

The association between cumulative risk and psychosocial adjustment typically follows either linear (additive model) or nonlinear patterns, with the latter comprising steeling and sensitizing models. This two-wave longitudinal study (baseline: T1; 6-month follow-up: T2) investigated how cumulative violence exposure relates to proactive versus reactive aggression and its dynamic in 1208 Chinese adolescents (M_age = 12.73 years; 51.4% boys). Hierarchical regression analyses showed significant nonlinear effects of cumulative violence exposure on both proactive and reactive aggression across waves. Restricted cubic spline analyses revealed that the relationship between cumulative violence exposure and T1 proactive aggression supported the sensitizing model, while the relationships with T2 proactive aggression and both T1/T2 reactive aggression aligned with the steeling model. Specifically, T1 proactive aggression exhibited escalating nonlinear growth with increasing exposure, whereas T2 proactive aggression and both T1/T2 reactive aggression demonstrated initial increases followed by declines as exposure intensified. These findings provide critical implications for interventions targeting violence-exposed adolescents.

Animal harm often results in lenient legal responses, with prosecutions primarily targeting offenses against companion animals, while cases involving farm animals remain significantly underreported. This study examined pet-favoritism bias in moral judgments, highlighting how animal category can shape perceptions of cruelty. Participants (N = 569) evaluated sadistic harm toward either pet or farm animals by rating proposed prison sentences and moral condemnation. They also reported pet ownership, dietary habits, political orientation, religiosity, and beliefs about human superiority. The results confirmed pet-favoritism, with harm to pets prompting greater moral condemnation and harsher punishment. Moderation analyses showed this bias was more pronounced among meat-eaters, non–pet owners, and those who believed in human superiority. We discuss the mechanisms underlying more lenient judgments of animal harm.

The primary concern about violent media is their potential long-term harmful effects on children, which are investigated in longitudinal studies. In this article, we describe best practice procedures for longitudinal studies of violent media effects using the Lacko et al. (2024) study as a case study. Lacko et al. concluded that exposure to violent video games had no significant effect on aggression. However, a critical examination of their study reveals six major concerns: (1) inferring cause from correlational data, (2) inaccurate claims about the General Aggression Model, (3) an unexpected positive association between empathy and aggression, (4) questionable measurement validity, (5) excessive missing data, and (6) overparameterization in their longitudinal model. Using their publicly available raw data (https://osf.io/q5wv6/), we reanalyzed their study using two Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Models (RI-CLPMs). The reanalysis revealed a strong positive association between violent video game exposure and aggression at the between-person level, but a negative association at the within-person level. No significant relationship was found between violent game exposure and empathy at the between-person level. However, a negative within-person effect of violent game exposure on subsequent cognitive empathy was observed, whereas no such effect was found for affective empathy. We discuss our results in comparison with the original results reported by Lacko et al. More generally, we offer recommendations for analyzing longitudinal data and for interpreting the potential relationships—or causal implications—of violent video game exposure on aggression.

Despite growing attention to the link between psychological maltreatment and cyberbullying victimization, the underlying mechanisms remain underexplored, especially in non-Western cultural contexts like China. Recognizing cyberbullying as a critical issue with alarming prevalence rates among Chinese adolescents and its detrimental effects on well-being, this study aims to illuminate pathways within the cycle of victimization. Drawing on social rank theory, which posits that early maltreatment fosters submissive strategies that heighten vulnerability to victimization, and the resilience framework, which emphasizes the protective role of assets such as social-emotional competence (SEC), this study examined whether submissive behavior mediates the association between psychological maltreatment (psychological abuse and neglect) and cyberbullying victimization, and whether SEC buffers these pathways. A three-wave cross-sectional survey with 1 week apart was conducted with 1,323 Chinese adolescents from five public schools in Beijing and Hunan Province. Utilizing structural equation modeling, results suggested that submissive behavior fully mediated the relation between psychological abuse and cyberbullying victimization, and partially mediated the relation between psychological neglect and cyberbullying victimization. Importantly, while SEC did not moderate the link between psychological maltreatment and submissive behavior, it significantly buffered the association between submissive behavior and cyberbullying victimization. These findings help outline a model of how psychological maltreatment may contribute to vulnerability to cyberbullying from a social rank perspective and highlight the protective role of social-emotional competence in mitigating these risks among adolescents.

Although peer rejection has been associated with increased reactive and proactive aggression, previous studies have predominantly used cross-sectional designs, which limits causal inferences. Moreover, current research on the specific mechanisms of different aggression subtypes remains in adequate. This longitudinal study aimed to (1) Examine whether peer rejection differentially predicts reactive and proactive aggression, (2) Test whether rejection sensitivity mediates these pathways and (3) Compare the Cumulative Risk Theory and Cognitive Dissonance Theory by exploring how hostile attribution bias moderates the effect of rejection sensitivity on reactive/proactive aggression. A total of 967 students from 13 primary and secondary schools in China, completed questionnaires at two time points within 1 year. Measurement indicators included peer rejection, rejection sensitivity, hostile attribution bias and reactive/proactive aggression. Results showed that: (1) T1 Peer rejection predicted T2 reactive and proactive aggression; (2) T2 Rejection sensitivity mediated the relationship between T1 peer rejection and T2 reactive aggression, but did not mediate T2 proactive aggression; (3) T2 Hostile attribution bias negatively moderated the link between T2 rejection sensitivity and T2 reactive aggression. These findings support Cognitive Dissonance Theory, suggesting that adolescents who experience emotional-cognitive conflict may be more prone to reactive aggression after encountering peer rejection.

Although previous research has examined the impact of stress on aggressive behavior, the underlying mechanisms remain insufficiently understood. In particular, the mediating roles of sleep quality and social bonds have received limited attention within the context of Chinese society. Drawing on data from 2140 Chinese high school seniors, this study investigates the relationships between stress, sleep quality, social bonds, and aggressive behavior. The results revealed significant associations: stress positively correlated with aggressive behavior and negatively with sleep quality and social bonds, while sleep quality and social bonds were negatively related. Moreover, multiple mediation analyses demonstrated that stress predicted aggression both directly and indirectly through the mediating effects of sleep quality and social bonds. These relationships remained significant after controlling for demographic variables. To further validate these findings, qualitative interviews were conducted until data saturation was reached, reinforcing the proposed mediation pathways and offering deeper insights into the mechanisms involved. The findings are consistent with general strain theory and social bond theory, suggesting that elevated stress and weakened social bonds, either directly or indirectly, contribute to delinquent behavior such as aggression. This study extends existing theoretical frameworks by emphasizing the pivotal mediating roles of sleep quality and social bonds and offers practical implications for reducing adolescent aggression. Furthermore, these research results underscore the importance of targeted interventions aimed at improving sleep quality and strengthening social bonds to mitigate the negative effects of stress on adolescent mental health and behavior.