Aggression is a common characteristic of human behaviour, which has shaped and impacted societies, politics, cultures of nations and billions of people (Mitoma, 2014). Defined as a state of feeling bored (Oxford Dictionary, 2015), which itself is vague, there has been little research done to understand the relationship between boredom propensity and aggression. In fact, the most recent studies were completed in 1997 and 2004, justifying the need for further, more relevant, current research in regards to the subject.
Theories, such as Fenichel, (1951), suggest that boredom is the internal manifestation of anger, which indicate that there is a significant correlation between boredom and aggression. Considering the lack of agreement as to the definition of boredom, which it has been suggested by Melton & Schulenberg, (2009), is a contributing factor in the lack of research into boredom, the relationship between boredom and aggression is one which could provide insights and help define or adjust current proactive and reactive activities in wide variety of areas including work performance Bruursema, Kesler, & Spector, 2011), safe driving (Dahlen, Martin, Ragan, & Kuhlman, 2005), and relationships (Elpidorou, 2014), for example.
This correlational and cross sectional, quantitative research aimed to establish if there is a relationship between Boredom Propensity (BP) and Aggression Propensity (AP), in the general public, and used multivariate regression testing. Participants were volunteers (n = 102), recruited from social media, as well as professional and personal contacts, who completed the Boredom Propensity Test (Sundberg, & Farmer, n.d) and the Aggression Questionnaire, (Buss and Perry, 1992). Whilst not attempting to define the cause, results (independent of age or gender) indicated that there is a high moderate, positive correlation between BP and AP. Results also show that BP can be predictor of two specific aspects of aggression, Physical Aggression (PA) and Hostility (H); however, is less reliable in predicting verbal aggression (VA) and anger (A).
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - Introduction
Chapter 2 - Literature Review
Chapter 3 - Methods
Chapter 4 - Results
Chapter 5 - Discussion
Chapter 6 - Conclusions & Recommendations
Research Objectives and Themes
This research aims to investigate the existence of a correlation between boredom propensity (BP) and aggression propensity (AP) within the general public, while specifically evaluating if BP serves as a valid predictor for distinct characteristics of aggression such as physical violence, verbal aggression, anger, and hostility.
- The relationship between boredom propensity and aggressive behavior in non-offender populations.
- Predictive capacity of boredom regarding specific aggression characteristics (Physical, Verbal, Anger, Hostility).
- Critical evaluation of boredom as a potential risk factor in psychological assessments.
- Comparison of empirical data across a diverse, global participant demographic.
- Evaluation of proactive and reactive management strategies for boredom and aggression.
Excerpt from the Book
Chapter 1 - Introduction
Generally, when people think of aggression, their initial thoughts are to associate it with crime and violence. Whilst aggression is correctly a factor in criminal behaviour and violent crime it is; however, also a personal characteristic of many people in society, which can have a diverse and significant effect on many behaviours. A person’s aggressive propensity can have implications on such areas as children’s performance at school, a person’s ability to successfully interact socially, safe driving, work performance and their general health. Violence is an issue, which creates significant problems and concerns in society. In the UK, for example, in 2013/2014, 4.8% of the populations were victims of some form of violent (aggressive) criminal behaviour, whilst 8.5% of women were the victim of some form of domestic abuse (Office for National Statistics, 2014). Domestic violence for example, is a major problem is most societies around the world, which causes significant issues to victims and families. Not only are actual victims of domestic violence the only victims, in fact, the wide spread impact of the health, behaviour and education of children, is just one example, which has been shown to be significantly affected by spousal domestic violence, (Padmanabhanunni & Edwards, 2014).
With such high rates of aggressive behaviour, the ability of law enforcement, health professionals, and governments, to understand, manage and subsequently reduce aggression in society will have a significant impact on many costly, publically funded programs, such as prisons, policing, and healthcare. In order to achieve this; however, it is essential that all factors which contribute to aggression, criminal and non-criminal, are understood, so that they can be tested, measured and managed. Whilst this research focused on the general public and not convicted violent offenders, the results support the need for this research to be extended to ascertain if boredom propensity has a relationship to the levels of violent behaviour in the criminal community.
Summary of Chapters
Chapter 1 - Introduction: This chapter introduces the societal significance of aggressive behavior and identifies a research gap regarding the relationship between boredom propensity and aggression in the general public.
Chapter 2 - Literature Review: This section reviews existing theories and previous studies, noting that while research on boredom and aggression is limited and often focused on students, it provides a foundation for the current study.
Chapter 3 - Methods: This chapter details the quantitative, cross-sectional design of the study, describing the participant criteria, the use of the Boredom Propensity Test and the Aggression Questionnaire, and the ethical considerations taken.
Chapter 4 - Results: This chapter presents the statistical data collected from 102 participants, highlighting a significant positive correlation between boredom propensity and overall aggression, as well as the predictability of specific aggression sub-factors.
Chapter 5 - Discussion: This section interprets the findings in the context of existing literature, explaining why boredom is a stronger predictor for physical aggression and hostility than for verbal aggression and anger.
Chapter 6 - Conclusions & Recommendations: This concluding chapter summarizes the main findings and suggests future research directions, particularly focusing on convicted offenders and the development of better risk assessment tools.
Keywords
Boredom propensity, aggression propensity, physical aggression, hostility, anger, verbal aggression, relationship, correlation, forensic psychology, quantitative research, behavioral traits, risk assessment, non-offending population, multivariate regression, personality.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The research primarily focuses on understanding the potential relationship between boredom propensity (BP) and aggression propensity (AP) within the general public.
What are the central themes of the work?
Central themes include the impact of boredom on behavior, the predictability of aggression characteristics based on personality traits, and the need for broader psychological research outside of student populations.
What is the primary research goal?
The primary goal is to determine if a measurable correlation exists between how prone individuals are to boredom and how prone they are to aggressive behaviors.
Which scientific methodology was employed?
The study utilized a non-experimental, cross-sectional, quantitative research design, applying multivariate regression testing on data collected via the Boredom Propensity Test and the Aggression Questionnaire.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body covers a thorough literature review, a detailed explanation of the methodology, a comprehensive presentation of statistical results including correlations and regression models, and a discussion of the practical implications.
Which keywords characterize this study?
The study is characterized by keywords such as boredom propensity, aggression propensity, physical aggression, hostility, anger, verbal aggression, and forensic psychology.
How does this study differ from previous research?
Unlike previous studies that relied heavily on university students, this research utilizes a more diverse global sample, thereby increasing the representative validity of the findings.
Why were Physical Aggression and Hostility more predictable than Verbal Aggression?
The author suggests that physical aggression and hostility are more closely linked to specific, stable personality traits, whereas verbal aggression is more generic and influenced by a wider array of immediate environmental and social factors.
- Citar trabajo
- Ashley Ratcliffe (Autor), 2016, Understanding the relationship between boredom propensity and aggression propensity in the general public, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/338405
