AGGRESSION: SCHOOLBOYS' BEHAVIOR AND NORMATIVE BELIEFS OF THEIR PARENTS

Parental normative beliefs about 7-10 year-old boy's aggression were studied. It was expected that parents of aggressive and younger boys as compared to parents of non-aggressive and older boys would approve more of aggression of the boy at their son's age. 44 aggressive and 44 nonaggressive boys were selected from 1st and 4th grades in primary school. Parents' normative beliefs were measured with a questionnaire developed for this study. Mothers and fathers evaluated permissibility of 9 aggressive behaviors in 15 situations. Findings show that aggressive boys' parents and non-aggressive boys' parents did not differ in their approval of boy's instrumental aggression. Older boys' parents approved of instrumental and emotional aggression less than younger boys' parents did. Interactive effect of son's aggressiveness by son's age by parent on parents' approval of various kinds of schoolboy's aggression was significant. In aggressive boys group both parents approved of instrumental aggression less, if the son was older. In non-aggressive boys group only mothers approved less of instrumental and emotional aggression, when the son was 10.