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Explaining the paradoxical rejection-aggression link: the mediating effects of hostile intent attributions, anger, and decreases in state self-esteem on peer rejection-induced aggression in youth

Explaining the paradoxical rejection-aggression link: the mediating effects of hostile intent attributions, anger, and decreases in state self-esteem on peer rejection-induced aggression in youth
Explaining the paradoxical rejection-aggression link: the mediating effects of hostile intent attributions, anger, and decreases in state self-esteem on peer rejection-induced aggression in youth
People are strongly motivated to feel accepted by others. Yet when faced with acute peer rejection they often aggress against the very peers they desire acceptance from, which may lead to further rejection. The present experiment tests three potential mediators of aggressive responses to acute peer rejection in the critical developmental stage of early adolescence. Participants (N=185, M(age)=11.5 years) completed personal profiles that were allegedly evaluated online by peers. After receiving negative or neutral peer feedback, participants could aggress against the same peers who had evaluated them. Rejected participants attributed more hostile intent to the peers, were angrier, showed a greater reduction in state self-esteem, and were more aggressive. Mediational analyses showed that hostile intent attributions mediated the acute peer rejection-aggression relationship, whereas increases in anger and decreases in state self-esteem did not. Thus, acute peer rejection evokes hostile intent attributions that, in turn, lead to aggressive reactions.
0146-1672
955-963
Reijntjes, A.
ffc8cad7-bf9c-43eb-9e9e-9a03550eed8e
Thomaes, S.
ec762bc3-0df4-42c3-99f4-1a7b65f55053
Kamphuis, J. H.
bb1102e5-1586-4ee2-a8e8-254fe209697e
Bushman, B. J.
c7dfaddb-b414-4fde-9db8-2e0dc092a29c
de Castro, B. O.
b4f3fe0f-4758-422d-adeb-2812e168e6ab
Telch, M. J.
ec381b01-e4a3-421d-a794-67289c37b7c8
Reijntjes, A.
ffc8cad7-bf9c-43eb-9e9e-9a03550eed8e
Thomaes, S.
ec762bc3-0df4-42c3-99f4-1a7b65f55053
Kamphuis, J. H.
bb1102e5-1586-4ee2-a8e8-254fe209697e
Bushman, B. J.
c7dfaddb-b414-4fde-9db8-2e0dc092a29c
de Castro, B. O.
b4f3fe0f-4758-422d-adeb-2812e168e6ab
Telch, M. J.
ec381b01-e4a3-421d-a794-67289c37b7c8

Reijntjes, A., Thomaes, S., Kamphuis, J. H., Bushman, B. J., de Castro, B. O. and Telch, M. J. (2011) Explaining the paradoxical rejection-aggression link: the mediating effects of hostile intent attributions, anger, and decreases in state self-esteem on peer rejection-induced aggression in youth. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 37 (7), 955-963. (doi:10.1177/0146167211410247).

Record type: Article

Abstract

People are strongly motivated to feel accepted by others. Yet when faced with acute peer rejection they often aggress against the very peers they desire acceptance from, which may lead to further rejection. The present experiment tests three potential mediators of aggressive responses to acute peer rejection in the critical developmental stage of early adolescence. Participants (N=185, M(age)=11.5 years) completed personal profiles that were allegedly evaluated online by peers. After receiving negative or neutral peer feedback, participants could aggress against the same peers who had evaluated them. Rejected participants attributed more hostile intent to the peers, were angrier, showed a greater reduction in state self-esteem, and were more aggressive. Mediational analyses showed that hostile intent attributions mediated the acute peer rejection-aggression relationship, whereas increases in anger and decreases in state self-esteem did not. Thus, acute peer rejection evokes hostile intent attributions that, in turn, lead to aggressive reactions.

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Published date: 2011
Organisations: Psychology

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 349242
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/349242
ISSN: 0146-1672
PURE UUID: b1615f14-f164-4720-9295-ef1d89334202

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Date deposited: 26 Feb 2013 15:45
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 13:10

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Contributors

Author: A. Reijntjes
Author: S. Thomaes
Author: J. H. Kamphuis
Author: B. J. Bushman
Author: B. O. de Castro
Author: M. J. Telch

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