A Functional Analysis of Aggression: A Functional Analysis of Aggression: Adaptive and Maladaptive ProfilesAdaptive and Maladaptive Profiles

Todd D. Little

Key Collaborators:

Stephanie M. Jones

Christopher C. Henrich

Patricia H. Hawley

Jessica Brauner

OutlineOutline

•Highlight the Primary Views on the Structure of Agonistic Behaviors

•Present Our Multi-faceted Model of Aggression

•Focus on Typologies based on our Action-Theory Form vs. Function Analysis •Touch on Differences in Reporters’ Perspectives

•Sample: 1,723 5th-10th Grade German Students

Contemporary Functional ViewContemporary Functional View• Reactive Aggression:

Aggression that appears to be an angry defensive response to frustration (goal blocking) or provocation and includes responses that are primarily interpersonal and hostile in nature (stems from frustration-aggression model).

• Proactive (Instrumental) Aggression:

Aggression that occurs in anticipation of self-serving outcomes and is a deliberate behavior that is controlled by external reinforcements (stems from social learning theory formulations of aggression).

- Coie & Dodge, 1998

Contemporary Forms ViewContemporary Forms View• Overt (Direct, Physical)Aggression:

Generally described as physical/verbal aggression (hitting or pushing, threatening to beat up others) directed at a target. Note: The functional distinctions have only been made for overt aggression.

• Relational (Covert, Indirect) Aggression:

Behaviors that are intended to significantly damage another’s child’s friendships or feeling of inclusion by the peer group (e.g., purposefully withdrawing friendship or acceptance, spreading rumors, gossiping, etc.).

- Crick & Grotpeter, 1995

FUSIA

Fully Unified System Integrating Aggression

OvertReactive

OvertInstrumental

A Unifying Model of AggressionA Unifying Model of Aggression

OvertReactive

OvertInstrumental

Overt(Dispositional)

Relational(Dispositional)

A Unifying Model of AggressionA Unifying Model of Aggression

OvertReactive

OvertInstrumental

RelationalReactive

RelationalInstrumental

Overt(Dispositional)

Relational(Dispositional)

A Unifying Model of AggressionA Unifying Model of Aggression

OvertReactive

OvertInstrumental

RelationalReactive

RelationalInstrumental

Overt(Dispositional)

Relational(Dispositional)

A Unifying Model of AggressionA Unifying Model of Aggression

Reactive Instrumental Reactive Instrumental

Overt(Dispositional)

Relational(Dispositional)

A Unifying Model of AggressionA Unifying Model of Aggression

Reactive Instrumental Reactive Instrumental

Overt(Dispositional)

Relational(Dispositional)

Reactive Instrumental

A Unifying Model of AggressionA Unifying Model of Aggression

Overt(Dispositional)

Relational(Dispositional)

Reactive Instrumental

-.07

.83

A Unifying Model of AggressionA Unifying Model of Aggression

Reactively Aggressive

Inst

rum

enta

lly

Agg

ress

ive

Neither

BothPrimarily Instrumental

Primarily

Reactive

‘Typical’ range

Sub-types of Aggression Based on FunctionSub-types of Aggression Based on Function

Inter-Reporter RelationsInter-Reporter Relations Self Friend Peer Teacher Parent

1.0

.84 1.0

.19 .17 1.0

.18 .24 .95 1.0

.31 .20 .25 .21 1.0

.21 .21 .15 .20 .72 1.0

.24 .19 .24 .17 .52 .39 1.0

.15 .13 .16 .09 .33 .32 .86 1.0

.33 .28 .06 .11 .26 .27 .27 .23 1.0

.28 .26 .00 .07 .14 .24 .18 .18 .87 1.0

O R O R O R O R O R

Overt AggressionOvert Aggression

-0.5

-0.4

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

Both Instrumental Neither Reactive Typical

Self RatedParent RatedTeacher RatedPeer Rated

-0.5

-0.4

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

Both Instrumental Neither Reactive Typical

Self RatedParent RatedTeacher RatedPeer Rated

Relational AggressionRelational Aggression

Self-Reported MotivationsSelf-Reported Motivations

-0.5

-0.4

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

Both Instrumental Neither Reactive Typical

Intrinsic Social MotivationsExtrinsic Social MotivationsHostilityFrustration Intolerance

Self-Reported PersonalitySelf-Reported Personality

-0.5

-0.4

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

Both Instrumental Neither Reactive Typical

NeuroticismOpennessAgreeablenessConscientiousness

How They FeelHow They Feel

-0.5

-0.4

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

Both Instrumental Neither Reactive Typical

Positive AffectNegative AffectSchool Well-BeingSocial Self-Concept

What Peers SeeWhat Peers See

-0.5

-0.4

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

Both Instrumental Neither Reactive Typical

Peer-Nominated PopularPeer-Nominated NeglectedPeer-Nominated ProsocialityPeer-Nominated Ease-of-upsetting

What Teachers SeeWhat Teachers See

-0.5

-0.4

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

Both Instrumental Neither Reactive Typical

Raven Matricies PerformanceTeacher-Assigned GradesTeacher-Rated OpennessTeacher-Rated Conscientiousness

Conclusions & Future DirectionsConclusions & Future Directions•The Various Models of Aggression can be unified

•Allows differentiation of form vs function•Facilitates identification of subtypes•Provides a basis to examine under what conditions

aspects of aggression are: adaptive and normative vs maladaptive and atypical

•Some Future Directions•Examine the typological differences more closely •Who are the Targets of the agonistic behavior?•Replicate in U.S. context and examine over time

What Friends SeeWhat Friends See

-0.5

-0.4

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

Both Instrumental Neither Reactive Typical

Friend-Rated HostilityFriend-Rated ProsocialityFriend-Rated Coercive InfluencerFriend-Rated Positive Influencer