Toward a relationship perspective on aggression among schoolchildren: Integrating social cognitive and interdependence theories.

Abstract

The traditional psychological approach of studying aggression among schoolchildren in terms of individual differences in aggression and in victimization has been valuable in identifying prevalence rates, risk, and consequences of involvement in aggression. However, it is argued that a focus on aggressor-victim relationships is warranted based on both conceptual and empirical grounds. Such a shift in focus requires modification and integration of existing theories of aggression, and this paper integrates social cognitive theory and interdependence theory to suggest a new, interdependent social cognitive theory of aggression. Specifically, this paper identifies points of overlap and different foci between these theories, and it illustrates their integration through a proposed model of the emergence of aggressor-victim interactions and relationships. The paper concludes that expanding consideration to include aggressor-victim relationships among schoolchildren offers considerable theoretical, empirical, and intervention opportunities.

Defenders of victims of peer aggression: Interdependence theory and an exploration of individual, interpersonal, and contextual effects on the defender participant role

“…Interdependence theory helps explain how these different factors interact with contexts to predict behavior. Although interdependence theory has not often been applied to the study of youth behavior in participant roles (but see Card, 2011), many of the studies that have already been conducted have considered aspects of the theory when forming and testing their hypotheses, such as expecting that friendship relationships will impact behavior, or by suggesting that power, status, or popularity may contribute to whether or not individuals defending victims and stand up to aggressors. Rather than replace other theories of defending including the bystander effect and goal-framing approach, interdependence theory encompasses many of concepts included in these theories and provides a framework for testing the multiple levels of effects on defending.…”

“…The aggressor's status may also depend on the history of his or her interactions with the victim and with others in the peer group. Victims are interdependently linked to aggressors (Card, 2011) in that their status, feelings, and actions are restricted by their relationship with aggressors, as well as other peer group members with whom they are interpersonally linked.…”

Turkish Adaptation of Self-Efficacy for Alternatives to Aggression Scale

“…According to social cognitive theory, interpersonal violence among adolescents occurs as a result of dynamic interaction of factors such as; (1) experiences of the adolescent about violent behavior and outcome expectations regarding the outcome of violent behavior, (2) social environment and (3) adolescents' behavior (Swearer, Wang, Berry, & Myers, 2014). Relationships between these factors are affected by the modeling of violent behaviors by family, society and peers, self-efficacy for aggressive behaviors, and positive and negative reinforcers about violence (Card, 2011). For non-aggressive behavior, adolescents' problem reflects their confidence that they can successfully respond to non-aggressive reactions when faced with the situation.…”

“…Sosyal bilişsel kurama göre ergenler arasındaki kişilerarası şiddet; (1) ergenin şiddet davranışı ile ilgili tecrübeleri ve şiddet içeren davranışın neticesiyle ilgili sonuç beklentileri, (2) sosyal ortam ve (3) ergenin davranışı gibi faktörlerin dinamik etkileşimiyle ortaya çıkar (Swearer, Wang, Berry ve Myers, 2014). Bu faktörler arasındaki ilişkiler ise, şiddet içeren davranışların aile, toplum ve akranlar tarafından sergilenip modellenmesinden, saldırgan davranışlar için öz-yeterlikten ve şiddetle ilgili olumlu ve olumsuz pekiştireçlerden etkilenir (Card, 2011).…”

The second wave of violence scholarship: Integrating and broadening theories of violence.

“…The common mechanisms that affect multiple forms of violence are one important source of interconnections, and developing models for how mechanisms intersect is one of the most promising approaches for advancing theory. Card (2011) uses social-cognitive theory and interdependence theory to show how a child's understanding of an interaction contributes to dyadic patterns of perpetration and victimization. Card's integration draws attention to the limits of simple self-reports of victimization or perpetration, which can obscure important nonrandom patterns within groups of children because many incidents occur within particular antagonistic dyads.…”