Verbal Aggression and Verbal Rough-and-Tumble Play in Adolescents’ Interactions With Siblings and Friends Ganie B. DeHart, Leslie Cohoon, and Sana A. Shakeel SUNY Geneseo
Acknowledgments Data collection supported by grants from the Geneseo Foundation.
Aggression & Rough-and-Tumble Play (RTP) In early childhood, physical aggression and physical RTP are both common, especially among boys. Pelligrini and others have found plentiful physical RTP among boys in early adolescence. By mid- to late adolescence, verbal RTP may become increasingly common, especially in the form of verbal irony (both sarcasm and jocularity).
Current Study Exploratory analysis of: adolescents ’ general verbal aggression toward siblings and friends and their playful and aggressive use of verbal irony with the same partners.
Main research issues Distinguishing between verbal aggression and verbal RTP Gender differences in use and nature of verbal aggression and verbal RTP Context and purpose of verbal aggression and verbal RTP
Method Originated in adolescent follow-up of longitudinal sibling-friend study (SPRG). Data on expanded adolescent sample currently being collected. Ongoing — to date, ~ 50 families have been visited; 40 have been coded.
Method (cont.) Target adolescents age 17 Videotaped at home making brownies with one partner (sib/friend), pizza with the other Targets half male, half female Sibs half same-sex, half mixed-sex; half 2 years older, half 2 years younger. Friends same-age, same-sex.
Method (cont.) Videotapes transcribed and coded for instances of verbal aggression and verbal irony. Verbal aggression = utterances whose literal meaning is clearly intended to hurt or bother a listener Verbal irony = utterances in which a speaker intentionally says one thing but means another
Types of Verbal Aggression Verbal acts (insults, derogatory comments, name-calling, unpleasant or mean descriptions of the partner, abusive remarks, taunts, reprimands, reproaches, mimicking, mocking) Verbal threats of physical force
Verbal Irony Speaker intentionally says one thing but means another; underlying meaning differs from surface meaning. Way of conveying meaning indirectly. Often signaled by changes in intonation/pitch: • higher or lower than normal pitch • sing-song intonation • exaggerated articulation • slower or faster than normal speech • obvious imitation of another’s style of speech • “Air quotes”
Types of Verbal Irony Sarcasm — a form of irony that appears stinging but may or may not actually be intended as aggression Jocularity — a form of irony that involves more more light-hearted, humorous teasing
Verbal Irony Intent ( aggressive vs. playful ) Presence/absence of overt hostility and intent to harm. Similar to distinction between aggression and rough-and-tumble play Based on affective cues (facial expression, tone of voice, etc.), response of partner, social context Note that aggressive verbal irony is a special case of verbal aggression.
Communicative function Distancing speaker from utterance Affiliative/bonding/solidarity — often involves mocking third party Dominance/one-upping Covering embarrassment/awkwardness Problem of multiple functions
Verbal Aggression/engaged minute 0.3 0.25 0.2 0.15 0.1 0.05 0 Sib Friend Girls with sisters Girls with brothers Boys with sisters Boys with brothers
Sarcastic utterances/engaged minute
Sarcastic utterances with aggressive intent (%)
Functions of Sarcasm with Sibs
Functions of Sarcasm with Friends
Conclusions Adolescents are adept at both verbal aggression and verbal RTP, but use them in different social contexts and for different social purposes. Adolescents engage in both with both sibs and friends, but in different ways and to different degrees. Noticeable gender differences in the use of both — target and sibling gender both matter. Girls and boys appear to have somewhat different motivations for both verbal aggression and verbal RTP .
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