Thomas G. Moeller - Youth aggression and violence: a psychological approach

Cover

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Youth Aggression
and Violence

A Psychological Approach

THOMAS G. MOELLER

Mary Washington College

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Copyright 2001 by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by photostat, microfilm, retrieval system, or any other means, without prior written permission of the publisher.

Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Publishers
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Mahwah, NJ 07430

Books published by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates are printed on acid-free paper, and their bindings are chosen for strength and durability.

Printed in the United States of America

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To my parents, Raymond Johnson Dietz Moeller
and Agnes Marie Berger Moeller

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The idea for this book first came to me in the mid-1990s while I was developing an undergraduate psychology course on youth aggression and violence. As a developmental psychologist, I was familiar with theory and research on moral development and aggression in normal children. At the same time, I also knew that research in developmental psychopathology had produced a large body of information on clinical manifestations of youthful antisocial behavior and violence. However, I could find no one book that integrated these two bodies of information. This book attempts to fill that void and draws on research from the fields of sociology, criminology, and history as well.

Two major goals guided me in writing. The first was to provide readers with information based on methodologically sound empirical research. Because I also wanted readers to understand the continuity of research, I have mentioned many older classical studies along with more recent ones. In addition, I have acknowledged the global nature of youth violence by including studies conducted by researchers from around the world.

The second goal was to help make the subject of youth aggression come alive for the reader. To this end, I have described carefully considered qualitative and descriptive research along with quantitative work, and have provided numerous real life examples of youthful aggression and violence. And finally, I have included some brief case studies as well as quotations from aggressive youngsters themselves.

A summer faculty development grant and a semester's sabbatical leave provided me with an initial block of time with which to begin this project in earnest. My thanks to Mary Washington College for this opportunity and to my department chairperson, Steve Hampton, for his assistance in this regard. I would also like to thank the staff of the Simpson Library for their help; in particular, Carla Bailey attended to my interlibrary loan requests with professionalism, efficiency, and good cheer. In addition, I would like to thank my colleague, Roy Smith, for sharing information with me regarding the genetics and biology of behavior.

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A number of others also contributed to the writing of this book. Martha Heuser, Dave MacEwen, and the personnel at Mary Washington College's Design Services Office produced the figures for me. Brianne Patchell read the entire manuscript and provided excellent feedback from a student's point of view. Jean Bennett, our departmental administrative assistant, aided my effort in numerous ways large and small. Anonymous reviewers for Lawrence Erlbaum Associates offered helpful suggestions, and my editor, Susan Milmoe, provided sound advice and constant encouragement. Finally, I owe an inestimable debt of gratitude to my wife, Providence Moeller, who supported me continually throughout the two years I spent writing this book.

Wherever possible, the plural form of nouns and pronouns has been used to produce gender-neutral language. When sense requires the use of the singular, the form he or she has been used to avoid the distraction inherent in forms such as he/she. Because aggression is predominantly a male problem, the male pronoun has been used when the context makes its use appropriate.

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In Richmond, California, prosecutors charged a 6-year old boy with attempted murder in the beating of a 1-month-old baby Police said the boy, along with 8-year-old twins, sneaked into the baby's house, allegedly to steal a tricycle. In the process, police said, the 6-year-old knocked the baby out of his crib and then beat and kicked the baby in the head. Although the baby survived, doctors believed the baby suffered permanent brain damage (Their baby, 1996).