Norms for Aggression and Alternatives
Norms for Aggression and Alternatives used in psychology are essential tools for clinical and research assessments. This post is based on dissertations submitted by students during their academic programs. At ‘Mental Health,’ we arrange and provide these resources to you. Here is the complete list of resources (Click Here). To access these materials, click on the ‘Avail File’ section below.”
Table of Contents
About Norms for Aggression and Alternatives
The Norms for Aggression and Alternatives tool is a measure designed to assess individual and group norms around aggression and alternative responses to conflict. Developed to explore social expectations and roles concerning aggressive behavior, this tool provides insights into both the approval of aggressive behaviors and the promotion of non-aggressive alternatives, making it valuable for violence prevention and intervention programs.
Purpose of the Tool
The primary purposes of the Norms for Aggression and Alternatives tool are to:
- Assess norms supporting aggression and non-aggressive alternatives in various social contexts.
- Provide a framework for evaluating how social influences and peer expectations shape attitudes toward aggression.
- Assist researchers and practitioners in understanding group dynamics and individual decision-making in response to conflicts.
This tool is especially valuable in educational and community settings focused on reducing aggressive behavior and promoting prosocial alternatives.
Description of Tool
The Norms for Aggression and Alternatives tool was developed with foundational work by Jackson (1966) on norms and roles, alongside further studies by Sasaki (1979) on group norms in community psychology. The tool has also drawn from findings in the Multisite Violence Prevention Project (2004), which provided comprehensive insights into aggression-related norms in student populations. By capturing group expectations around aggression, the tool helps reveal how societal and community norms support or discourage aggressive behavior.
This tool examines respondents’ perceptions of aggression and its acceptability in various scenarios, as well as their views on alternative responses, such as negotiation, compromise, or avoidance. Respondents are presented with situational items where they must rate the extent to which they believe aggression or alternative behaviors are appropriate. This measure allows researchers to quantify normative beliefs and evaluate whether individuals feel pressure to conform to aggressive or non-aggressive behaviors within their social groups.
Psychometric Properties
- Reliability: The tool has demonstrated high reliability in assessing norms across different cultural and age groups, providing consistent results in identifying group expectations for aggression and alternatives.
- Validity: Validated against measures of social behavior, aggression, and prosocial tendencies, the tool demonstrates strong content and construct validity.
- Factor Structure: The tool encompasses multiple subscales reflecting both aggressive norms and norms for alternative behaviors, making it a versatile instrument for research and practical application in violence prevention.
Age Group
The Norms for Aggression and Alternatives tool is primarily suited for adolescents and young adults, generally aged 12 to 25. This period captures key developmental stages when peer and social norms heavily influence individual attitudes and behaviors regarding aggression and conflict resolution.
References
- Jackson, J. (1966). A conceptual and measurement model for norms and roles. Pacific Sociological Review, 9:35-47.
- Multisite Violence Prevention Project. Description of measures: cohort-wide student survey, 2004. Available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Atlanta, GA. (Unpublished)
- Sasaki, K. (1979). Present status of research on group norms in Japan. American Journal of Community Psychology, 7: 147-158.
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Reference File: Aggression-A31
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