Abstract
This longitudinal investigation assessed whether cognitive schemas of justification of violence, mistrust, and narcissism
predicted social information processing (SIP), and SIP in turn predicted aggressive behavior in adolescents. A total of 650
adolescents completed measures of cognitive schemas at Time 1, SIP in ambiguous social scenarios at Time 1 and Time 2, and
reactive aggression at Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3 to determine whether SIP measured at Time 2 mediated between the cognitive
schemas measured at Time 1 and the aggressive behavior measured at Time 3. The results showed that each schema predicted different
SIP components: Justification of violence predicted aggressive response access, narcissism predicted anger and aggressive
response access, and mistrust predicted more hostile attributions and less anger. Only the SIP component of aggressive response
access was directly associated with reactive aggression. The mediational model was quite similar for boys and girls although
some paths, such as the association between aggressive response access and reactive aggression, were higher for boys.
predicted social information processing (SIP), and SIP in turn predicted aggressive behavior in adolescents. A total of 650
adolescents completed measures of cognitive schemas at Time 1, SIP in ambiguous social scenarios at Time 1 and Time 2, and
reactive aggression at Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3 to determine whether SIP measured at Time 2 mediated between the cognitive
schemas measured at Time 1 and the aggressive behavior measured at Time 3. The results showed that each schema predicted different
SIP components: Justification of violence predicted aggressive response access, narcissism predicted anger and aggressive
response access, and mistrust predicted more hostile attributions and less anger. Only the SIP component of aggressive response
access was directly associated with reactive aggression. The mediational model was quite similar for boys and girls although
some paths, such as the association between aggressive response access and reactive aggression, were higher for boys.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-13
- DOI 10.1007/s10802-011-9546-y
- Authors
- Esther Calvete, Department of Personality, Psychological Assessment and Treatment, University of Deusto, Apdo. 1, 48080 Bilbao, Spain
- Izaskun Orue, Department of Personality, Psychological Assessment and Treatment, University of Deusto, Apdo. 1, 48080 Bilbao, Spain
- Journal Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
- Online ISSN 1573-2835
- Print ISSN 0091-0627