SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF VIOLENCE IN CHILDHOOD AND APPROVAL OF VIOLENCE AS AN ADULT

• NCJ Number: 35581
• Journal: Aggressive Behavior Volume: 1 Dated: (1975) Pages: 193-211
• Author(s): D J OWENS; M A STRAUS
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 19 pages
• Corporate Author: New York Acad of Sciences
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PAPER PRESENTED AT 1973 MEETING OF THE AMERICAN ORTHOPSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION. REPRINT

Annotation

DATA FROM A NATIONAL SAMPLE SURVEY ARE USED TO STUDY THE RELATIONSHIP OF THREE ASPECTS OF EXPOSURE TO VIOLENCE IN CHILDHOOD (OBSERVING VIOLENCE, BEING A VICTIM OF VIOLENCE AND COMMITTING VIOLENCE) TO ADULTS' APPROVAL OF VIOLENCE.

Abstract

THE SURVEY RESULTS WERE COLLECTED IN 1968 FOR THE PRESIDENT'S COMMISSION ON THE CAUSES AND PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE. MEASURES WERE CONSTRUCTED TO INDEX THREE DIFFERENT SPECTS OF VIOLENCE EXPERIENCED IN CHILDHOOD: OBSERVING VIOLENCE, CARRYING OUT VIOLENT ACTS, AND BEING THE VICTIM OF VIOLENCE. THE HYPOTHESIS THAT VIOLENCE IN CHILDHOOD IS RELATED TO ADULT APPROVAL OF VIOLENCE WAS TESTED BY COMPUTING THE CORRELATION OF EACH OF THESE MEASURES OF VIOLENCE EXPERIENCED TO THREE INDEXES OF VIOLENCE APPROVAL. IT WAS FOUND THAT APPROVAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE IS THE ASPECT OF VIOLENCE APPROVAL MOST HIGHLY RELATED TO EXPERIENCING VIOLENCE AS A CHILD. APPROVAL OF VIOLENCE FOR POLITICAL ENDS WAS ALMOST AS HIGHLY CORRELATED, BUT APPROVAL OF VIOLENCE IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, THAT IS, APPROVAL OF WAR, WAS UNCORRELATED WITH VIOLENCE EXPERIENCED IN CHILDHOOD. THE CORRELATIONS TENDED TO BE SLIGHTLY HIGHER FOR MALES THAN FOR FEMALES AND TO BE ESSENTIALLY SIMILAR FOR DIFFERENT SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS GROUPS. THE AUTHORS CONCLUDE THAT THE AMOUNT OF VIOLENCE EXPERIENCED IN CHILDHOOD BY MEMBERS OF A SOCIETY IS ONE OF THE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF CULTURAL NORMS SUPPORTING THE USE OF VIOLENCE IN FACE-TO-FACE SITUATIONS. THE AUTHORS STATE THAT THESE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT A REDUCTION IN THE INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE EXPERIENCED BY CHILDREN IN THE UNITED STATES WOULD NOT IMPORTANTLY AFFECT ATTITUDES TOWARD WAR, BUT COULD LEAD TO A REDUCTION IN THE LEVEL OF APPROVAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE BY ADULTS WHEN THESE CHILDREN REACH MATURITY. THIS IN TURN COULD BRING ABOUT A REDUCTION OF THE HIGH LEVEL OF VIOLENCE IN AMERICAN SOCIETY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)