The role of reinforcement sensitivity and perceived parental behaviour in proactive and reactive aggressive behaviour among adolescents

Šarić, Marija. (2017). The role of reinforcement sensitivity and perceived parental behaviour in proactive and reactive aggressive behaviour among adolescents. PhD Thesis. Filozofski fakultet u Zagrebu, Department of Psychology.
(Poslijediplomski doktorski studij psihologije) [mentor Bratko, Denis].

Preview

PDF (Croatian) Download (2MB) | Preview

Abstract

Introduction A multidimensional approach to studying aggressive behaviour is based on a distinction between the various forms and various functions of aggressive behaviour (Kempes, Matthys, Vries, Engeland, 2005). The forms of aggressive behaviour include open and relational aggressive behaviour (Little, Jones, Henrich, Hawley, 2003). The function of aggressive behaviour is related to the motive of the perpetrator. Therefore, a distinction is made between reactive and proactive aggressive behaviour (Tuvblad, Raine, Zheng, Baker, 2009). Reactive aggression is a reaction of defence from a real or perceived threat. Proactive aggression does not appear as a reaction to a threat but as anticipated aggressive behaviour that serves as a means to achieve a particular goal (Dodge and Coie, 1987). Functional types of aggressive behaviour appear both in an open and relational form. Hence we make a distinction between proactive open, proactive relational, reactive open, and reactive relational aggressive behaviour. Proactive and reactive aggressive behaviour differ in terms of biological and familial etiological factors. Reactive aggressive behaviour is connected to a disposition for anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and high emotional reactivity to aversive stimuli (Vitaro, Brendgen, Tremblay, 2002). Proactive aggressive behaviour is related to low anxiety, lesser sensitivity to aversive stimuli, callous personality traits and proneness to reward-motivated behaviour (Frick and White, 2008). Furthermore, reactive aggressive behaviour is formed under the influence of low parental acceptance, while proactive aggressive behaviour is formed under the influence of low parental control, i.e. high leniency (Dodge, 1991). Research problems The aim of this research is to establish: (1) the predictive value of sensitivity to reward, sensitivity to punishment, acceptance, behavioural control and leniency in explaining proactive and reactive aggressive behaviour; (2) whether there is a moderating effect of behavioural control/leniency in the relations between sensitivity to reward and proactive aggressive behaviour; (3) whether there is a moderating effect of acceptance in the relations between sensitivity to punishment and reactive aggressive behaviour; (4) whether there is a mediating effect of sensitivity to reward in the relations between behavioural control/leniency and proactive aggressive behaviour; (5) whether there is a mediating effect of sensitivity to punishment in the relations between acceptance and reactive aggressive behaviour. Methodology The respondents were students of the third grade of secondary schools in the City of Zagreb (N=656). The data were collected through the method of a self-completion questionnaire. Proactive and reactive aggressive behaviour was measured through the Peer Conflict Scale (Marsee and Frick, 2007) questionnaire; sensitivity to reward and sensitivity to punishment were measured through the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire for Children (Luman, van Meel, Oosterlaan, Geurts, 2012); the dimensions of parental behaviour were measured through the Parental Behaviour Questionnaire (Keresteš, Brković, Kuterovac Jagodić, Greblo, 2012). The data were processed by using the following analyses to obtain statistics indicators: testing for significant differences, correlations, an exploratory factor analysis, a multiple standard and hierarchical regression analysis. Results and discussion The direction of the relations between variables is consistent with the hypotheses. Sensitivity to reward is a significant positive predictor of proactive aggressive behaviour. However, it is also a positive predictor of reactive aggressive behaviour, which was not expected. High sensitivity to reward is related to high expectations of a reward, which is related to a higher degree of negative effect when the gaining of the reward is prevented (Corr, 2002). Thus, the relation between sensitivity to reward and reactive aggressive behaviour is explained by aversive motivation caused by the system of sensitivity to reward. However, a trend was observed of a better prediction of the variance of proactive rather than reactive aggressive behaviour, and of open rather than relational aggressive behaviour. Sensitivity to punishment is a positive predictor of relational forms of aggressive behaviour, while it is a negative predictor of open forms of aggressive behaviour. It is also a significant negative predictor of proactive open aggressive behaviour and a significant positive predictor of reactive relational aggressive behaviour. Behavioural control did not appear to be a significant predictor, while acceptance is a significant negative predictor of proactive aggressive behaviour, which was not expected. The explanation is based on connecting the social learning theory, the process of identification, and the acceptance of the carer. The studied moderating effects were not established. Namely, a significant moderating effect is difficult to establish through statistical means. A significant and full mediating effect of sensitivity to reward was obtained in the relations between leniency and proactive open aggressive behaviour and a significant partial mediating effect of sensitivity to reward in the relation between leniency and proactive relational aggressive behaviour. A significant partial mediating effect of sensitivity to punishment was also obtained with regard to the relation between acceptance and reactive relational aggressive behaviour. Since sensitivity to punishment correlates only with relational forms of aggressive behaviour, the mediating sensitivity to punishment can only be explained with regard to the relational form of aggressive behaviour. The results of the study allow for a more complex insight into the aetiology of proactive and reactive aggressive behaviour and set new problems for future research. The obtained results are explained within the reinforcement sensitivity theory, the dimensional approach in studying parenting, the theory of social learning and the frustration aggression theory. The theoretical contribution of this paper lies in the fact that, up to now, this is the first study that connects aetiological factors of proactive and reactive aggressive behaviour into one theoretical model.

Actions (login required)

View Item