1

It’s a girl ‘thing’…It’s a girl ‘thing’…

Girls tend to be aggressive through Girls tend to be aggressive through

covert, relational acts such as covert, relational acts such as

spreading rumours and excluding spreading rumours and excluding

others from social groups others from social groups

(Crick and Grotpeter, 1995)(Crick and Grotpeter, 1995)

Subtypes of AggressionSubtypes of Aggression

1)1)IndirectIndirect-social exclusion and/or revenge-social exclusion and/or revenge

-ignoring, avoiding, rejection-ignoring, avoiding, rejection-gossiping-gossiping-spreading rumours-spreading rumours-suggesting shunning of another-suggesting shunning of another-becoming friends with someone else-becoming friends with someone else

(Underwood, 2003)(Underwood, 2003)

Subtypes of aggression con’t Subtypes of aggression con’t ……

2)2)RelationalRelational

““harming others through purposeful manipulation and harming others through purposeful manipulation and damage to their peer relationships”damage to their peer relationships”

(Crick & Grotpeter, 1995)(Crick & Grotpeter, 1995)

Subtypes of aggression con’t Subtypes of aggression con’t ……

3)3)SocialSocial-friendship manipulation-friendship manipulation

-alienation-alienation-ostracism-ostracism-character defamation-character defamation

(Underwood, 2003)(Underwood, 2003)

Non-verbal forms of aggressionNon-verbal forms of aggression

Gestures Gestures Body language Body language Non-verbal cues Non-verbal cues Passive- aggressive behaviourPassive- aggressive behaviour Passing notesPassing notes Snickering; whisperingSnickering; whispering AvoidanceAvoidance

ExclusionExclusion The cold shoulder / The silent treatment The cold shoulder / The silent treatment Pouting/Sulking Pouting/Sulking

Verbal forms of aggressionVerbal forms of aggression

Passing notesPassing notes Name callingName calling GraffitiGraffiti RumoursRumours Social threatsSocial threats GuiltGuilt

Electronic harassmentElectronic harassment

Instant messagingInstant messaging Text messagingText messaging EmailEmail Voice mailVoice mail

Studies of Aggression with Studies of Aggression with GirlsGirls

Girls less likely than boys to engage in physical Girls less likely than boys to engage in physical

aggressionaggression

Girls are more socially aggressive than they are Girls are more socially aggressive than they are physically aggressivephysically aggressive

Stereotype of girls engaging in more Stereotype of girls engaging in more social/relational/indirect aggression than boyssocial/relational/indirect aggression than boys

Early Childhood Early Childhood (ages 3-6)(ages 3-6)

Acts of social aggression quite overt (as compared to Acts of social aggression quite overt (as compared to other age groups)other age groups) ““You can’t play with us”You can’t play with us”

Display rulesDisplay rules

Girls engage in less rough-and-tumble play than boysGirls engage in less rough-and-tumble play than boys Fewer opportunities to practise managing Fewer opportunities to practise managing

aggression in a “safe” setting?aggression in a “safe” setting?

Middle Childhood Middle Childhood (ages 6-12)(ages 6-12)

Acts of social aggression more subtle (e.g., less Acts of social aggression more subtle (e.g., less

obvious to adults)obvious to adults)

Girls and boys respond differently when provokedGirls and boys respond differently when provoked Differences not as pronounced as some may Differences not as pronounced as some may

think think

Girls report disliking socially aggressive peers Girls report disliking socially aggressive peers (French, Jansen, & Pidada, 2002)(French, Jansen, & Pidada, 2002)

Adolescence Adolescence (ages 12 to 16 or 18)(ages 12 to 16 or 18)

Peak age for engaging in physical aggression earlier Peak age for engaging in physical aggression earlier for girls than for boysfor girls than for boysGirls = 14; Boys = 16Girls = 14; Boys = 16

Verbal aggressionVerbal aggressionGirls: appearance, social relationshipsGirls: appearance, social relationshipsBoys: sports/athletics, scholastic achievementBoys: sports/athletics, scholastic achievement

Challenging gossipChallenging gossip

Sub-Types of Aggressors & Sub-Types of Aggressors & VictimsVictims

1)1) Non-victimised aggressorsNon-victimised aggressors ““typical” bullytypical” bully

2)2) Non-aggressive victimsNon-aggressive victims ““typical” victimtypical” victim

3)3) Aggressive victimsAggressive victims ““ineffectual bullies”ineffectual bullies”

Coping MechanismsCoping Mechanisms

1.1. Passive unconstructivePassive unconstructive• e.g., ignoring what is happeninge.g., ignoring what is happening

2.2. Passive constructivePassive constructive• e.g., try to resolve the problem without e.g., try to resolve the problem without

involving the aggressorinvolving the aggressor3.3. AggressiveAggressive

• e.g., starting a physical fighte.g., starting a physical fight4.4. AssertiveAssertive

• Resolution/prevention that does not involve Resolution/prevention that does not involve aggressionaggression

ConsequencesConsequences

VictimsVictimsLonelinessLonelinessDepressionDepressionLow self-esteemLow self-esteem

BulliesBullies

LonelinessLonelinessDepressionDepressionImpulsivityImpulsivityPeer rejectionPeer rejectionSocial IsolationSocial IsolationIncreased risk of Increased risk of

committing acts of committing acts of physical/social physical/social aggression against aggression against romantic partnerromantic partner

some of the relational some of the relational aggression behaviours aggression behaviours that lead to problems for that lead to problems for girls in their teen years girls in their teen years begin as early as age 3begin as early as age 3

from ages 3 to 5 tends to from ages 3 to 5 tends to be more direct, but by be more direct, but by early adolescence it early adolescence it starts becoming much starts becoming much more covertmore covert

girls who are victims of girls who are victims of this behaviour are more this behaviour are more likely to demonstrate likely to demonstrate symptoms like symptoms like depression, anxiety and depression, anxiety and academic problemsacademic problems