Social learning theory account of proactive aggression as learned, goal-directed behavior¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 3 claims (3 for) · 1 study (1 associational), q3 · 1 of 1 report an effect size · 3 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The article grounds proactive aggression in social learning theory, under which "people acquire aggressive responses in the same way that they acquire other complex forms of social behavior" via observational learning processes. In the study, this framework is used to interpret why loyalty was the strongest predictor of proactive aggression: adolescent girls may show proactive aggressive behaviors toward peers to maintain friendships, and delinquent peers provide both modeling and positive reinforcement of aggressive behavior.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Aggressive responses are acquired and maintained through observational learning and social reinforcement from peers

Constraints¶

• The article applies the account interpretively to correlational findings among high school girls; the data are cross-sectional and cannot test the learning mechanism directly

Target Learners¶

• high school girls

Target Learning Objectives¶

• understanding the acquisition of aggressive social behavior through observational learning and peer reinforcement

Claims¶

• Loyalty Mild Deviance Predict Proactive Aggression Girls [+M]
• Both reactive and proactive aggression correlate positively with mild deviance, serious deviance, self-disclosure, and loyalty among high school girls [+W]
• Reactive aggression is considerably more prevalent than proactive aggression among high school girls [+W]
• Self-disclosure, loyalty, and mild deviance significantly and positively predict reactive aggression among high school girls [+W]

Related Theories¶

Examples¶

• Prosocial Modeling
• School counselors should observe adolescent peer relations and identify high-risk girls early for prevention and intervention

Key Sources¶

• Uz Baş, A., & Öz Soysal, F. S. (2016). Peer relations and peer deviance as predictors of reactive and proactive aggression among high school girls. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 16, 173-186. http://dx.doi.org/10.12738/estp.2016.1.0287