Presentation to Power of WE public forum, October 2013

1. The Family as a Context for
Learning Aggression and
Violence
Steven Swinford, PhD
Department of Sociology & Anthropology
Montana State University

2. Aggression vs. Violence
Aggression – more about intent
Violence – more about action
One can learn/develop aggressive thought and
behavioral patterns without expressing them in the form
of violent action.
We are interested in both
As well as both physical and non-physical violent actions

3. Learning-centered approach
How experiences with violence can contribute to
escalations in aggressive thoughts and/or learning violent
actions.
Family experiences have been established as important
- backgrounds of family violence offenders
We learn good/healthy patterns as well as unhealthy ones

4. Modeling
A way to conceptualize the process of learning:
Observational – we see it
Enactive – we do it/involved in it
Content can be:
Generalized – acceptable in the context
Specific – reproduce specific actions

5. Modeling in Families
Particularly strong
Emotional connections enhance modeling
Abusive parents provide specific and powerful models for
learning
Plethora of evidence that aggression can be learned
through observation
Victimhood is also modeled (we call it victim-proneness)

6. Intergenerational Transmission
Observation of parental violence has been shown to
be a more powerful predictor of future couple
violence than experience violence from a parent (as
a child).
It is the actors/roles we observe PLUS the
observation or experience that is powerful
On the good side, approximately two-thirds of us do
NOT replicate observed violence in our later adult
couple relationships

7. Why is the context of the
family so potentially violent?
•
•
•
•
Privacy
Intensity of Involvement
Right to Influence
Status differentials built into roles
(and they changes over time)
• Stress
• Extensive knowledge of biographies

8. What is suggested?
• Interventions to address pan-violent
behavioral patterns
• Policies to reduce violent exposure
in the home for children
• Empowering victims (remember that
modeling occurs here as well)
• Greater awareness that observation
counts too!