Verbal Aggression: Understanding the Psychological Antecedents and Social Consequences

The articles contained in this special issue focus on verbal aggression. The studies delve into the trait and state antecedents to aggressive language use as well as its interpersonal consequences. This prologue tracks trends in research on verbal aggression and related concepts over the past 60 yea...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of language and social psychology 2012-03, Vol.31 (1), p.5-12
Main Author: Hamilton, Mark A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aggression
Attitudes
Behavior
Conflict
Cooperation
Courtesy
Emotions
Personality
Psychology
Verbal behaviour
Citations: Items that this one cites
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Summary:The articles contained in this special issue focus on verbal aggression. The studies delve into the trait and state antecedents to aggressive language use as well as its interpersonal consequences. This prologue tracks trends in research on verbal aggression and related concepts over the past 60 years. The trend curves indicate a recent surge in studies on verbal aggressing. To explain the results across the five empirical studies that follow, two parallel and sometimes opposing processes are considered. The selfish emotions of the individualistic affect system drive verbal aggression and assault. In contrast, the prosocial emotions of the cooperative affect system drive verbal collaboration and comforting. Avoidance is characterized as a half-step between aggression and collaboration. The processes combine to predict attitudes and behaviors across the range of conflict situations examined in this special issue: individual, relational, communal, and societal.
ISSN:0261-927X
1552-6526
DOI:10.1177/0261927X11425032