Aggressive Attribution Compressions In Psychology

Register to read the introduction… Insomuch, there is a bias because youth (and adults) prone toward violence are more likely to interpret unsuspecting actions as hostile and threatening than are their less aggressive counterparts (Dodge, 1993b). People described as having hostile attribution bias “tend to view the world through blood-red tinted glasses.” (Dill, Anderson, Anderson, Deuser, 1997). Children with a hostile attribution bias are much more likely than the average child to misinterpret actions from others as aggression (Hubbard et al., 2001). Also, the bias is present in both boys and girls (Vitale, Newman, Serin, & Bolt, 2005).

Similarly, Serin and Preston (2001, p. 259) conclude, “Aggressive juvenile offenders have been found to be deficient in social problem-solving skills and to espouse many beliefs supporting aggression. Specifically, they tend to define problems in hostile ways, adopt hostile goals, seek less …show more content…
(Dodge, Lochman, Harnish, Bates, & Pettit, 1997) Examples of reactive aggression include: anger expressions; temper tantrums; and vengeful hostility—“hot-blooded” aggressive acts. Reactive aggression appears to be a reaction to frustration and is associated with a lack of control due to high states of arousal. In general, reactive aggression is a hostile act displayed in response to a perceived threat or provocation.

However, proactive aggression includes: bullying; domination; teasing; name-calling; and coercive acts—more “cold-blooded” aggressive actions. (Dodge, et al. 1997). In difference, proactive aggression is less emotional, and hopeful of rewards. In theory, the basis of proactive aggression is found in social learning that is controlled and maintained by