The Association Between Emotion, Social Information Processing, and Aggressive Behavior: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Abstract. Aggressive individuals are thought to process social information in such a manner that the likelihood of engaging in aggressive acts increases drastically. Additionally, emotion and emotion regulation skills are implicated in aggressive and violent behavior as well. However, little attention has been paid to the reciprocal relations between emotion and emotion regulation and Social Information Processing (SIP) in explaining aggression. Therefore, the present study systematically examined extant research on the role of emotion and SIP in aggressive behavior. The results supported substantial overlap between emotion and emotion regulation processes and SIP in explaining aggression. Due to the paucity and nature of available studies, no firm conclusion can be drawn about the nature of their reciprocal relationships. However, the integration of cognition and emotion seems a promising avenue of research for explaining the development and manifestation of aggressive behavior, as well as to inform its prevention and treatment. Future research is needed to elucidate the likely intertwined roles of emotion and the entire SIP process in offender or at-risk populations.

Aggressive script rehearsal in adult offenders: Relationships with emotion regulation difficulties and aggressive behavior

“…suggest that aggressive script rehearsal satisfies emotion regulation and planning functions, consistent with some of the functions of fantasizing 1 that are reported in sexually violent offenders (Gee et al, 2004), and Smeijers et al (2020), who noted that people who cannot effectively manage their emotions often choose hostile goals in an attempt to reduce distressing arousal. To date, however, the potential emotion regulation function of aggressive script rehearsal has not been empirically examined.…”

“…To date, however, the potential emotion regulation function of aggressive script rehearsal has not been empirically examined. Furthermore, there has been little research exploring relationships between emotional and aggression-related social information processing processes, particularly within offender populations (Smeijers at al., 2020), despite the documented importance of these relationships in contemporary aggression theories (e.g., GAM, Anderson & Bushman, 2002). Most research on aggressive scripts has focussed on the way scripts are encoded and retrieved (e.g., Huesmann, 1988) rather than their operation.…”

Batería de Evaluación de Cognición Social en Psicología Forense: Adaptación y Validación

“…De acuerdo con la validación realizada con expertos en el ámbito forense, la CS constituye una variable relevante en estos contextos, en concordancia con la evidencia sobre la relación entre ésta, la agresión, la violencia y el comportamiento delictivo violento (Garofalo et al, 2018;Smeijers et al, 2020). Por lo tanto, es necesario contar con instrumentos que permitan conocer la CS en poblaciones forenses, no sólo con fines de evaluación y realización de peritajes, sino también para monitorear los cambios que se puedan atribuir a los programas dirigidos a modificar la CS en grupos vinculados con el Sistema de Justicia, por ejemplo, en diferentes tipos de delincuentes que cumplen una sentencia.…”

“…Del mismo modo, se han diseñado instrumentos para la investigación de la CS, sin embargo, los instrumentos o baterías utilizados para la evaluación de este conjunto de procesos no ha sido incluido en la evaluación psicológica o neuropsicológica forense. Esto es de especial importancia si se tiene en cuenta la evidencia existente respecto a la relación entre cognición social, agresión y violencia (por ejemplo, Smeijers et al, 2020).…”

Neurobiological Responses towards Stimuli Depicting Aggressive Interactions in Delinquent Young Adults and Controls: No Relation to Reactive and Proactive Aggression

“…Over the last years, studies focusing on neurobiological factors of aggression have increased (for an overview, see [ 6 ]), aiming to improve risk assessment and treatment of aggressive behavior [ 7 ]. One of the underlying mechanisms that is found to be disrupted in aggressive behavior is emotion regulation [ 8 , 9 ]. Studies on the neurobiology of emotion regulation in delinquents have mostly examined either structural or functional brain correlates or used psychophysiological or electrophysiological measures.…”