Adolescents’ attributions about aggression: an initial investigation

This study examined causal attributions about aggression made by 362 participants from three age groups: early (138 7th and 8th graders), middle (121 11th and 12th graders), and late (103 college students through age 22) adolescence. Participants read a brief vignette describing a peer who displayed either proactive (non-emotional, instrumental) or reactive (emotional, undercontrolled) aggression. Participants then rated the extent to which they attributed each of 48 descriptors to be causes for the peerʹs aggressive behaviour. Confirmatory factor analyses of the attribution questionnaire supported the hypothesized model of causal beliefs. The strength of endorsements of internally oriented causal factors increased with age. Findings are discussed with regard to social–cognitive development in adolescence and implications for future research on aggression in the peer context.