Citation

Lackey C, Williams KR. J. Marriage Fam. 1995; 57(2): 295-305.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, National Council on Family Relations, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.2307/353684

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Hirschi's (1969) social bonding theory has long been the premier explanation for why people refrain from crime and deviance. The present study applies this approach to address the connection between violent family heritage and violence or nonviolence in adult intimate relationships, specifying dimensions of the social bond as "turning points" that increase the likelihood of nonviolent relationships. The inhibitory effectiveness of these dimensions are explored using data from a national probability sample of 424 men involved in marital or marriage-like relationships. The findings show that, despite their violent family histories, men who develop strong attachments to and perceive negative sanction threats from significant others (e.g., partner, friends, and relatives) are more likely to be nonviolent with their female partners. Recommendations for theoretical developments and further research are offered.