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Case studies for the reason for aggression in children
Case studies for the reason for aggression in children
Social psychology aggression theory
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Social Factors of Childhood Aggression
Researchers have found several social factors that attribute to childhood aggression. Some of these factors include mother infant relationships, neighborhood structure, family structure, and peer influences.
If infants have an insecure attachment with their mothers, which is defined as the child’s overdependence on, or lack of interest in the caregiver, and a child’s lack of confidence, then they are more likely to have behavioral problems. In the case of boys, these problems are often of an aggressive nature.
Many studies have found that a single parent often raises aggressive children. Single parenthood is often associated with neighborhood type, which is another factor in predicting childhood aggression. This is because single parents are more likely to live in less advantaged neighborhoods. Aggressiveness in boys and girls is often seen in large urban areas. Studies show that children who live in disadvantaged neighborhoods are more likely to experience stressful life events that lead to aggressive behavior. The association of single parenthood and neighborhood type helps to explain the discrepancy found in the degree of aggression. For example, if an aggressive child is reared in a single parent home, but is raised in an advantaged neighborhood, the degree of aggression will be less than that of a child raised in a single parent home that is also raised in a less advantaged neighborhood. Also, “divorced families that have achieved stability may show less conflict than married families, and authoritative parenting in single parent families may outweigh the effects of family structure” (Hetherington, 1992). Additional risks associated with family structure include low parental interest in boys’ education, a parent that has been convicted of a crime, parental discipline that is too harsh, and authoritarian parenting. Authoritarian parenting is defined as a style of child rearing where standards for proper behavior are high and when the child misbehaves, his misconduct is very strictly punished.
As children age, their play style changes.
Nurture brings out the aggressive behaviour in humans. Mikal Gilmore’s book, Shot in the Heart, correlates with the aspect of aggressive behaviour nurture because of how he turned out unlike the other four, who did not have a this ability to kill. The nurture of a child into adulthood develops and creates the aggressive behaviour within the environment. The aggressive behaviour can be found in every human, but it is not until the cognitive development of a child that the aggressive behaviour can start to form and become overpowering. Though the basis of aggression is found in people it is not until a child is exposed to an aggressive
The concept of infant-mother attachment is as important to the child as the birth itself. The effect this relationship has on a child shall affect that child for its entire life. A secure attachment to the mother or a primary caregiver is imperative for a child’s development. Ainsworth’s study shows that a mother is responsive to her infant’s behavioral cues which will develop into a strong infant-mother attachment. This will result in a child who can easily, without stress, be separated from his mother and without any anxiety. Of course the study shows a child with a weak infant-mother relationship will lead to mistrust, anxiety, and will never really be that close with the mother. Without the right help, this child may harbor these ill feelings for life.
One reason is there are several stereotypes: sexual/physical abuse, hereditary factors and exposure to violence at home. Second reason that leads to violent behavior is physical neglect by parents. Third reason is juveniles was incarcerated for acts of violence such as: fighting peers or their parents, hitting teachers or instructors, bringing weapon to school to scare his peers and etc. All these come from mistreatment to their children when they was younger. When that happen all children start going crazy and not listening to their parent or anyone that been in their shoes before they was born to even see this happen.
... relationship does not affect the adolescent’s behavior, but his academic performance. However, it is proven that adolescents from single parent family are more likely to develop deviant behaviors, and one of the main reasons is that the parent is unable to establish a strong bond with the adolescent, as this bond can be used as a shield, deflecting them to be less willing in engaging criminal behaviors. Other factors, such as poor neighborhood conditions, can also result in poorer parenting, which affects the adolescent’s behavior. Also, children who have suffered child abuse are generally filled with more violence, resulting in their aggressive behaviors due to a accumulated anger. Hence, we can conclude that parenting is the main cause for juvenile delinquency as it has the most influence and direct impact for causing an adolescent to develop delinquent behavior.
Over the past half century, violence in the United States has increased dramatically. Children who were raised in a tough, low-income neighborhood often fail to escape exposure to violence. They may witness homicides, assaults, and some may even have had a friend who had been killed. According to recent research, these children have higher violence rates than those kids who grew up in a non-violent neighborhood.
Through the well-studied idea of maternal-infant attachment there has been important insight into a child’s development. Mary Ainsworth found through her “Strange Situation” experiment that there are three distinct types of attachment that infants form; anxious avoidant, secure, and anxious resistant (O’Gorman, 2013). Later a fourth attachment style known as, disorganized attachment, was identified (CITE). Secure attachment is linked to maternal sensitivity just as insecure attachment is linked to maternal rejection or unpredictable maternal response to an infant’s desires and needs (Kinsvatter, Desmond, Yanikoski, & Stahl, 2013). Infants are “at risk” of developing an insecure attachment to their mother when they are placed in alternative care before nine months of age (Stifter, Coulehan, & Fish, 1993). This is concerning in that we see there are negative effec...
First is that social integration into family has a stronger negative effect on the risk of youth violence in neighborhoods with higher proportions of single-parent families. Secondly, social integration into family has a weaker effect on the risk of youth violence in neighborhoods with higher proportions of single-parent families (Knoester & Haynie, 2005). Essentially, for those adolescents living in neighborhoods with higher proportions of single-parent families social integration into family does not have much effect in deterring violent
This pattern is also referred to as ambivalent attachment pattern. This pattern of attachment can be observed by the use of two parameters. One of the parameters is the child exploring ability and will. In this attachment pattern, the child does not explore much even when the caregiver is around the child. The other parameter is the behaviour of the child towards strangers. The child extremely gets worried in the presence of strangers and becomes highly distressed compared to a child with secure attachment. Resistant attachment in a child develops because of lack predictable response by the caregiver and is always seen as a strategic pattern for a child to maintain the availability of the caregiver through the display of helplessness and anger by a child. When a child displays anxious attachment patterns, it is an indication that the child has experienced an abusive childhood experience from the caregiver. Research has indicated that children who have anxious-resistance attachment always find it difficult to develop and maintain intimate relationships in their adult lives (Newton,
When a topic such as this one has an extensive supply of fluctuations, it is impractical to tie these complications to only being raised by a single parent family. This article by Robert L. Maginnis, “Single-parent families cause juvenile crime,” states, "Children from single-parent families are more likely to have behavioural problems because they tend to lack economic security and adequate time with parents." This statement that suggests criminals are the output of single-parent juvenility is illogical. What the writer must grasp is that it is challenging for a single parent to care for a child by themselves for multiple reasons. A single-parent is required to work full time to be able to provide support for themselves and their child. They must also be able to have a chance to offer a sufficient amount of emotional time for the comfort and happiness of their child. However, even though this may suggest is impossible, it can be
Violence within families often reflects behaviours learned by children from their parents. A theory is that violent behaviour is passed down from generation to generation through families (Cole & Flanagin, Pg. 2). The majority of Americans are subjected to corporal punishment at one point or another during their lifetime(Kandel, Pg. 4). Surveys suggested that almost all American parents used physical punishment at one point or another and the punishment was regared as an appropriate child rearing technique. Another survey also suggested that some psychologists belive physical punishment to be an effective and useful socialization tool(Kandel, Pg. 2). Aggression is commonly conceived as existing on a continuum, ranging from very severe parental aggression to much milder and normal parental aggression, such as use of corporal or physical punishment(Kandel, Pg. 1). A common concern is that parental use of physical punishment will lead to aggressive behaviour in children.
In all of these possibilities--instinct, heredity, hormones, or brain dysfunction--the aggression occurs without apparent provocation from the environment (although there is almost always a "target"). According to some of these theories, the need or urge to be aggressive is boiling within each of us and seeks opportunities to express itself. There is also clear evidence that alcohol consumption and hotter temperatures release aggression, but no one thinks there is something in alcohol or heat that generates meanness. The socialization process, i.e. becoming a mature person, involves taming these destructive, savage, self-serving urges that probably helped us humans survive one million years ago but threatens our survival today.
Now ways to help prevent or at least acknowledge were some aggressive behavior comes from. In the “BoBo” doll experiment we saw that children act out aggression as they see it. So it’s safe to say that a front line to reduce aggressive behavior comes from the home. Studies have shown that more aggressive children have physically punitive parents or guardians in their active life, disciplining with aggressive acts such as screaming, slapping, and beating. The culture also has a great deal of influence when it comes to aggressive behavior. In adolescent ages those who observed violent act with guns are twice as likely to become violent as they grow.
There are research findings that have proven children in poverty are more likely to display higher rates of disruptive behavior (Roy & Raver, 2014). For the reason that parents who live in poverty are at higher risk in losing their jobs, working multiple jobs, poor health care, and unsafe neighborhoods, it is difficult for parents to have quality and efficient childcare and healthy parenting styles. Disregarding gender, challenging behaviors have been apparent
During the first few stages of both theories, we see challenges in the development of the child and we also see challenges that a child might face during some, if not all forms of attachment theory. For example, a parent ignoring the child and speaking to them in a negative manner during insecure-avoidant attachment can be challenging for a child and lead to insecurities and the feeling of not being loved and/or wanted. Additionally, the theme of independence is seen throughout both theories and can also be related specifically to insecure-avoidant attachment where the child does not focus his or her attention on the parents but instead looks to the outside world for assistance. Both theories, as well as attachment theory, has an impact on childhood
Friendships are the closest relationships that children have with individuals of their own age (Berndt) and establishing positive relationships with peers is seen as a vitally important developmental task during childhood (Sroufe and Rutter, 1984). Piaget (1932/1965) argued that close peer relationships were essential for the development of morality and the influence exercised on children by their peers has long been recognised. Bronfenbrenner (1970) argued that peer pressure leads to antisocial behaviour by adolescents, including the expression of aggressive behaviours. Aggression is an important behaviour to consider because it is known to have a negative impact on development. Childhood aggression reliably predicts aggressive behaviour in adolescence (Cairns et al, 1989) and has emerged as the strongest risk factor for delinquency, crime and substance abuse during adolescence and adulthood (Patterson et al, 1991). If research can shed light on the causes and moderators of childhood aggression it may be possible to develop effective interventions that reduce the aggressive child’s risk of falling into long term antisocial behaviour. While research on the link between peer relationships and aggressive behaviour among children has often been inconsistent, even contradictory, it has emerged that where aggressive children form friendships, the friendships are likely to be forged with those children who also display aggressive behaviour. However, the precise nature of the relationship between friendship and aggression remains unclear. It is possible that aggressive children actively seek out aggressive peers and that the friendship develops as a result of the similar levels of aggression. It is also possible that children learn aggre...