Beliefs about aggression in an Indian sample

Abstract

Studies of Western samples have shown than men tend to view aggression as an instrumental act, whereas women view it in expressive terms. The present Study 1 investigated the applicability of these concepts (measured by the Expressions of Aggression Scale, EXPAGG), to a sample of 400 (both sexes, ages 16 and 26 years) from the Indian state of Mizoram, presenting the questionnaires in English, the participants’ second language. Trait aggression was also assessed, measured by the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ). Consistent with western findings, men showed higher instrumental and physical aggression than women, but they also showed higher expressive beliefs, contrary to previous findings. Both instrumental beliefs and physical aggression were higher at 16 than at 26 years of age. Since reliabilities of the scales were low, the questionnaires were translated into Mizo and presented to another similar sample of 201 participants (101 males; the same age groups as in Study 1). The pattern of mean differences and correlations were similar to Study 1, although the reliabilities increased only slightly. To accommodate the relative independence of the items, both analyses were carried out on the individual items of the various scales, using a MANOVA. Age and sex differences for specific items supported the overall findings. Overall, there were some similarities with western samples regarding beliefs about aggression, and sex and age differences in aggression, although the structures of responses appeared more complex.