Citation

Atkins MS, Osborne ML, Bennett DS, Hess LE, Halperin JM. Aggressive Behav. 2001; 27(1): 1-13.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, International Society for Research on Aggression, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Behavior-disordered children (N = 65) competed with a presumed unknown peer on consecutive administrations of an analogue aggression task of instrumental aggression (blocking the opponent's game) and hostile aggression (sending the opponent a noise). The first administration as a reward-only, nonpunishment condition. The second administration contained both reward and punishment conditions. Results indicated clear differences on aggressive responding during conditions of reward and punishment. Significant correlations were found between instrumental aggression during reward across the two administrations, whereas correlations between aggression during reward and aggression during punishment were nonsignificant, Teacher ratings of Covert-Proactive Aggression correlated with analogue task instrumental aggression but not with hostile aggression on both administrations. Aggression during punishment was significantly correlated with Continuous Performance Test inattention and impulsivity scores, suggesting that impulsivity and inattention may play an important role in children's ability to inhibit aggression during cues for punishment. These data indicate the utility of a laboratory analogue procedure to assess conditions associated with childhood aggression and to further our understanding of childhood aggression subtypes.