Rosalyn Shute
Laurence Owens
Phillip Slee
Social aggression is aimed at hurting others through damaging their peer relationships, and occurs more typically among girls than boys, especially in the teenage years. We have previously reported that Australian teenage girls and their teachers explain such behaviours in terms of friendship-group processes and creating excitement. While verbal behaviours such as spreading rumours play an important part, this paper presents evidence that nonverbal behaviours are also an important aspect of social aggression, serving functions such as conveying dislike and excluding individuals from peer groups. Such behaviours are often subtle and can be used in ways which enable offenders to protest their innocence. Implications for interventions to alleviate the damaging effects of social aggression are discussed.
Full article:
Shute, R., Owens, L. and Slee, P.T. (2002) ‘You just look at them and
give them daggers’: Adolescent girls use of nonverbal aggression. International
Journal of Adolescence, 10, 353-372.
Laurence Owens
Rosalyn Shute
Phillip Slee
Traditionally males have been regarded as the more aggressive sex. However, recent research in several countries has challenged this notion by considering different forms of aggression. This paper provides an overview of a qualitative investigation of teenage girls' indirect forms of aggression (e.g., exclusion form the group, spreading false stories). Focus groups and pair and individual interviews were used to collect data from adolescent girls and their teachers in two schools. The study provides some clear insights into the nature of teenage girls' indirect aggression. The predominant indirectly aggressive behaviors include talking about others and excluding peers from the group. Key explanations for these behaviors concern a desire to create excitement and a range of friendship and group processes centered on girls' needs for close personal relationships and to be part of the peer group. The girls described the devastating effects of indirect aggression, particularly on girls with certain characteristics that predispose them to victimization. The girls were pessimistic about the potential interventions although peer mediation processes may be a way forward.
Full article:
Owens, L., Shute, R., and Slee, P.T. (2000). 'Guess what I just heard':
Indirect aggression amongst girls. Journal of School Psychology, 21 (4),
359-376.
Laurence Owens
Rosalyn Shute
Phillip Slee
This paper reports on a qualitative investigation of explanations for teenage girls' indirect aggression (e.g., spreading false rumours, excluding peers from the group) which is part of a larger study on the nature of teenage girls' indirect aggression. Focus groups were conducted with fifty-four 15-16 year old girls. These focus group data were supplemented with interviews with six pairs of girls and a focus group discussion with a pilot group of eight 16-year-olds and separate individual interviews with ten key teachers. The overall aim of this part of the study was to explore why girls are indirectly aggressive to their peers. The key explanations proposed by the girls and their teachers were a desire to create excitement in girls' lives together with a range of friendship and group processes, centred around having close intimate relationships and belonging to the peer group. This study enriches our understanding of girls' indirect aggression and adds to earlier research conducted mainly using quantitative methods.
Full article:
Owens, L, Shute, R., and Slee, P.T. (2000). 'I'm in and you're out':
Explanations for teenage girls indirect aggression. Psychology, Evolution and
Gender, 2 (1), 19-46.
Laurence Owens
Phillip Slee
Rosalyn Shute
This paper reports on a qualitative investigation of the effects of indirect aggression from peers (e.g., spreading false stories, exclusion from the group) on teenage girls. Focus groups, pair and individual interviews were conducted with teenage girls and their key teachers to explore the effects of indirect aggression on girls. The perceived characteristics of typical victims of indirect aggression also emerged from the study. The girls initially respond to indirect aggression with confusion and may deny suffering any ill effects. However, as is the case with other forms of victimization, girls certainly experience a range of negative psychological effects including anxiety, loss of self esteem and depression. This pain leads to a desire to escape through leaving the group or the school and even to thoughts of suicide. The girls fear that the harassment from peers may not end and witnesses or bystanders do not intervene for fear of what may happen to them. The pain of indirect aggression may be compounded by irrational self-talk by the girls. Some girls react to indirect aggression by retaliating against their aggressors and often conflict is resolved by girls who employ one-to-one strategies that avoid the power of the group. Some victims of indirect aggression are reported to bring the wrath of peers upon themselves through their actions in provoking others. However, the tendency to blame the victim may be a way of alleviating guilt on behalf of the perpetrators of aggression. Victims of indirect aggression may be particularly vulnerable if they are new or have few friends or lack assertiveness. An understanding of the painful effects of indirect aggression on girls is an important prelude to designing interventions to assist girls in their peer relationships.
Full article:
Owens, L, Slee, P.T and Shute, R (2000). 'It hurts a hell of a lot': The
effects of indirect aggression on girls. School Psychology International,
21 (2), 257-274.