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Subject: search.filters.subject.Hostility (Psychology)

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    Do unfair experiences contribute to anger and hostility in young children? : young children's perception of unfairness and its associated feelings : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology
    (Massey University, 2005) Yamaguchi, Tomoko
    Being able to cope in emotionally demanding situations is a necessary skill for both children and adults. Parents use many disciplinary techniques to help children manage their misbehaviour and overtly expressed negative emotions. Although numerous parenting strategies have been described by researchers and professionals, there are limited numbers of studies looking at aspects of disciplinary practices from young children's perspectives. By understanding children's affective responses to discipline practices, it is possible that parents can provide more effective help for their children, and reduce negative moods such as hostility. Based on Evans' model of the development of hostility, the present study investigated how young children's experiences of unfair treatment might influence their predominant affective expression or attitudes toward a parent who is being unfair. Thirty-two children, aged between five and nine years, were recruited from local primary schools and a summer holiday programme. Using a story about unfairness, the children were able to make judgements about the story and report feelings associated with such experiences. Three original tasks were introduced as an indirect measure of level of hostility in response to the experiences of unfair treatment. Although statistical analysis supported the hypotheses that hostility in children increases as a result of unfair experiences, judging from their verbal responses, there is a complex interactive effect of the mother-child relationship on children's feeling.
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    An age and gender comparison of adolescent hostility and its relationship to depression and bullying : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology, at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2006) Wilson, Brian David
    This study set out to establish the relationship of adolescent hostility to depression and bullying in respect to age and gender. The two groups measured comprised 355 children aged 13 and 14, and 17 and 18 from both urban and rural co-educational high schools. Students were required in class to complete a questionnaire comprising three clinical assessment tools - the Beck Depression Inventory-II, Cynical Distrust Scale (revised) and Peer Relations Questionnaire, measuring depression, hostility and bullying respectively. Results using Pearson's r, confirmed correlations of 0.01 significance between hostility and depression for both genders and age groups. The hostility-bullying relationship was found to be only significant for males. Boys-especially the younger group, reported more frequent and physical bullying, whereas girls experienced greater verbal and psychological bullying. Age was found to be a moderating factor, suggesting that boys as they get older use more covert ways of dealing with hostility. These findings contribute to current knowledge on adolescent hostility, and provide valuable information useful to schools and those developing strategies for the prevention and treatment of hostility, depression and bullying.