Citation

Winstok Z, Enosh G. Am. J. Men. Health 2008; 2(3): 272-280.

Affiliation

The Center for the Study of Society, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel. zeevwin@research.haifa.ac.il

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1557988308319035

PMID

19477790

Abstract

The present study was set up to test the perceived distribution of verbal and physical violent behaviors among same- and opposite-genders. More specifically, those perceived violent behaviors are examined as the outcome of adolescents' cost-risk goals. The study assumes two conflicting social goals: Whereas the goal of risk reduction may motivate withdrawal from conflict, and decrease the prevalence of violent events, the goal of pursuing social status may motivate initiation and/or retaliation, thus increasing the prevalence of violence. The study is based on a sample of 155 high-school students that recorded the frequency of observing violent events in their peer group over a one-week period. Findings demonstrate that for males, opponent gender had a primary effect on violence distribution. Males exhibited violence against males more frequently than against females. This result is consistent with the assumption that males set a higher priority to pursuing social status. For females, verbal violence was more frequent than physical forms of aggression. This is consistent with the assumption that females set a higher priority on avoiding risk. These results are discussed from an evolutionary cost-risk perspective.

Language: en