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Popularity differentially predicts reactive and proactive aggression in early adolescence
Author(s) -
Stoltz Sabine,
Cillessen Antonius H.N.,
van den Berg Yvonne H.M.,
Gommans Rob
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
aggressive behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.223
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 1098-2337
pISSN - 0096-140X
DOI - 10.1002/ab.21603
Subject(s) - aggression , popularity , psychology , developmental psychology , poison control , injury prevention , human factors and ergonomics , suicide prevention , social psychology , medicine , medical emergency
Previous research has indicated that peer popularity is associated with aggressive behavior. However, it is not yet clear whether popularity is uniquely related to different functions of aggression. In this study, we examined associations between peer‐perceived popularity, and reactive and proactive aggression using a cross‐sectional and a longitudinal design. Yearly sociometric measures of popularity, and reactive and proactive aggression were gathered from 266 seventh and eight grade adolescents ( M age grade 7 = 12.80, SD age = .40). Popularity was positively correlated with proactive aggression and negatively correlated with reactive aggression, both concurrently as over time. Curvilinear trends indicated that a significant minority of low versus high popular adolescents showed both functions of aggression. Somewhat stronger effects of popularity on proactive aggression were found for boys than girls. Stably popular adolescents showed the highest levels of proactive aggression, whereas stably unpopular youth showed the highest levels of reactive aggression. Implications and directions for future research are discussed. Aggr. Behav. 42:29–40, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.