The effects of intimacy and target sex on direct aggression: Further evidence
Abstract
The effects on aggression of target sex and relationship with the target were investigated using self-report data. One hundred and seventy-four participants (115 female) reported on acts of direct aggression in the last two years towards: intimate partners, known and unknown same-sex targets, and known and unknown opposite-sex targets. Women’s self-reported aggression was higher towards partners than other targets, replicating previous findings regarding women’s intimate partner aggression. Women’s aggression was consistently higher towards same-sex than opposite-sex targets, but the effect of knowing the target was inconsistent. Men’s self-reported aggression was more frequent towards same-sex than opposite-sex targets – including intimate partners – and more frequent towards known than unknown targets. Results are discussed with reference to a partner-specific reduction in women’s fear, and sex differences in threshold for classifying someone as ‘known well.’ Limitations of the present sample and suggestions for future work are discussed.
Citation
Cross , C P & Campbell , A 2012 , ' The effects of intimacy and target sex on direct aggression: Further evidence ' , Aggressive Behavior , vol. 38 , no. 4 , pp. 272-280 . https://doi.org/10.1002/ab.21430
Publication
Aggressive Behavior
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
0096-140XType
Journal article
Rights
© 2013 The Authors. This is the pre-peer reviewed version of the following article: The effects of intimacy and target sex on direct aggression: Further evidence Cross, C. P. & Campbell, A. Aug 2012 In : Aggressive behavior. 38, 4, p. 272-280 which has been published in final form at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ab.21430/full
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