The effects of cognitive mediators on hostile attributional bias and adolescent male aggression

Dodge's (1986) social information Processing model of aggression proposes a 5-step cognitive process as the antecedent to childhood aggressive behaviour. Cognitive distortions of ambiguous social situations are believed to result in hostile attributional bias and ultimately in aggressive behaviour. The study attempted to extend this model to older adolescents as well as examine the influence of the Situational outcome on adolescent aggression and other implicated cognitive mediators including hostile schemata, accompanying emotional response and cue importance. Respondents were 73 males (aged 16-19) from a local high school who were measured for level of aggression using the Children's Behavior Checklist - Teacher's Report and Self Report forms. Independent variables included group Status (aggressive or nonaggressive), vignette type (hostile or ambiguous) and outcome severity (neutral, mild and severe), creating a 3 x 2 x 2 design. Respondents read a series of short vignettes involving problematic social situations in which the protagonist was provoked by a peer antagonist. Respondents were asked to identify with the protagonist and then complete a questionnaire. Results indicated that aggressive adolescents demonstrated more hostile attributional intent with ambiguous vignettes. Furthermore, aggressive respondents reported a higher level of frustration and indicated they would respond with greater retaliation than did nonaggressive respondents. Situational outcome did not affect aggressive adolescents differently than nonaggressive adolescents and was only implicated in relation to vignette type.