Social Aggression Among Girls

Front Cover
Guilford Press, Apr 10, 2003 - Psychology - 300 pages
While several recent popular books address the topic of girls' "meanness" to one another, this volume offers the first balanced, scholarly analysis of scientific knowledge in this area. Integrating current research on emotion regulation, gender, and peer relations, the book examines how girls are socialized to experience and express anger and aggression from infancy through adolescence. Considered are the developmental functions of such behaviors as gossip, friendship manipulation, and social exclusion; consequences for both victims and perpetrators; and approaches to intervention and prevention. Presenting innovative research models and methods, this is an accessible and much-needed synthesis for researchers, professionals, and students. Key Features: * Hot topic, garnering coverage in general media (e.g., The New York Times Magazine) * Accessibly written, with examples clarifying abstract points * Covers and integrates both physical and social aggression

From inside the book

Contents

Girls Anger and Aggression The Bind between Feeling Angry and Being Nice
3
THE BIND AND WHY SOCIAL AGGRESSION MAY BE A WAY OUT
6
OVERVIEW OF THIS BOOK
9
Childhood Aggression Sticks and Stones and Social Exclusion
13
SUBTYPES OF AGGRESSION
16
INDIRECT AGGRESSION
18
SOCIAL AGGRESSION
21
RELATIONAL AGGRESSION
22
SUMMARY
129
FUTURE RESEARCH
132
Adolescence Girl Talk Moral Negotiation and Strategic Interactions to Inflict Social Harm
134
FORMS OF ANGRY AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR AMONG ADOLESCENT GIRLS
136
ORIGINS AND EXPLANATIONS FOR ADOLESCENT GIRLS ANGER AND AGGRESSION
153
SUMMARY
172
FUTURE RESEARCH
177
CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS
179

SOCIAL AGGRESSION REVISITED
23
PERILS PITFALLS AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
25
WHY SOCIAL AGGRESSION?
32
Gender and Peer Relations Separate Worlds?
35
TWO CULTURES THEORY
37
TWO CULTURES THEORY AND RESEARCH ON PEER RELATIONS
41
RECONCILING DISCREPANT FINDINGS
46
DANGERS OF ACCEPTING TWO CULTURES THEORY WHOLESALE
49
TESTABLE QUESTIONS
51
DEVELOPMENT
55
Girls Anger in Infancy Early Lessons That Anger Is Unwelcome
57
BEGINNING AUTONOMY AND ANGER
58
GENDER DIFFERENCES IN INFANTS ANGER EXPRESSIONS
59
CHILD GENDER AND PARENTAL SOCIALIZATION
60
WHAT IS THE AGE OF ONSET FOR PHYSICAL AGGRESSION?
62
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
63
Girls Anger and Aggression in Preschool If You Dont Do What I Say I Wont Be Your Friend
65
FORMS OF ANGRY AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR AMONG PRESCHOOL GIRLS
66
ORIGINS AND EXPLANATIONS FOR PRESCHOOL GIRLS ANGER AND AGGRESSION
77
WHY MIGHT PRESCHOOL GIRLS PREFER SOCIAL TO PHYSICAL AGGRESSION?
88
FUTURE RESEARCH
91
Middle Childhood Gossip Gossip Evil Thing?
93
FORMS OF ANGRY AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR AMONG GIRLS IN MIDDLE CHILDHOOD
95
ORIGINS AND EXPLANATIONS FOR GIRLS ANGER AND AGGRESSION IN MIDDLE CHILDHOOD
115
Developmental and Psychosocial Consequences of Girls Aggression
181
CONCURRENT PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH AGGRESSION IN GIRLS
183
CLINICAL OUTCOMES ASSOCIATED WITH GIRLS AGGRESSION
187
CONTROVERSIES SURROUNDING RESEARCH ON AGGRESSION IN GIRLS
191
SOCIAL AGGRESSION INTO ADULTHOOD
202
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
206
Prevention and Intervention Harnessing the Power of Sisterhood
208
WHY INTERVENE TO REDUCE OR PREVENT SOCIAL AGGRESSION?
210
WHY NOT INTERVENE?
212
HOW TO INTERVENE
213
ADAPTING OTHER APPROACHES
214
CLUES FROM EMPIRICAL RESEARCH
220
CHALLENGES FOR INTERVENING TO REDUCE OR PREVENT SOCIAL AGGRESSION
227
STRENGTHS OF GIRLS TO HARNESS FOR INTERVENTION
229
New Models of Social Aggression For Its Own Sake
231
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED FROM LIKENING SOCIAL TO PHYSICAL AGGRESSION?
232
ARE GIRLS AND BOYS EQUALLY AGGRESSIVE AND DOES THIS QUESTION REALLY MATTER?
233
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL AGGRESSION THAT MAY REQUIRE NEW MODELS AND METHODS
234
POSSIBILITIES FOR NEW MODELS
236
SOCIAL AGGRESSION AS DISPARAGEMENT
243
TOP 10 HOPES FOR FUTURE RESEARCH ON SOCIAL AGGRESSION
248
References
253
Index
291
Copyright

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Common terms and phrases

Popular passages

Page 258 - Capaldi, DM, & Crosby, L. (1997). Observed and reported psychological and physical aggression in young, at-risk couples.
Page 258 - JE, & Cairns, BD (1985). Social structure and social cognition in early adolescence: Affiliative patterns. Journal of Early Adolescence, 5, 339-355.
Page 289 - Xie, H., Swift, DJ, Cairns, BD, & Cairns, RB (2002). Aggressive behaviors in social interaction and developmental adaptation: A narrative analysis of interpersonal conflicts during early adolescence. Social Development, 28, 341355.

About the author (2003)

Marion K. Underwood, PhD, is Associate Professor of Psychology in the School of Human Development at the University of Texas at Dallas. Her work has been published in numerous scientific journals, and her research program has been supported by the National Institute of Mental Health since 1995. She received the 2001 Chancellor's Council Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award.

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