L’agression physique chez l’enfant Flashcards
L’agression physique chez l’enfant info
Peak around age 2-3 years for the majority of children
-period when a hierarchy of dominance is established among children in the daycare
shows an innate tendency to compete for environmental resources (food, toys, space, parents, caregivers, etc.)
-distinction between instrumental and hostile aggression
On average, boys are more aggressive than girls
L’agression physique chez l’enfant info
-Then steadily decreases until adolescence-if not reduced, can lead to social adjustment problems (behavioural problems,
delinquency, school failure, substance abuse, etc.)
-importance of better understanding the socialization mechanisms that
allow for the socialization of physical aggression
+children diversify their ways of communicating
+the child learns other ways to get what he or she wants (sharing, trading, manipulation, etc.)or uses verbal aggression and threats
Principales caractéristiques
Battle games
positive affect (smiles, laughter)
-reciprocal
-prolonged activity
-seems aimless
Principales caractéristiques
Dès l’âge de 2 ans
Battles
negative affect (staring, frowning, yelling)
unidirectional
causes separation from peers
conflict over resources or dominance
Jeux de Bataille enfant-enfant
In all mammals, especially in males
-5% of free time in preschool (13.3% at age 7 and 4.6% at age 11)
-independent of real battles (not correlated)-
-as early as 4 years old, children are able to discriminate
between battle games and battles (including isolated or low social status children)
-positive indicator of social competence (popularity, social problem solving)
-leads to games with rules, cooperative games
-risk of escalation into aggression:
popular children: 0.006
rejected children: 28
Enfants rejetés
-Have difficulty interpreting signals that discriminate between play and aggression
-Tend to respond with aggression when situations are ambiguous
-Feel easily threatened
Interventions to raise awareness:
-the differences between play and aggression
-that aggression hurts
-that there are other, more effective ways to achieve their goals
Fonctions des jeux de bataille chez les primates
Social cohesion through the formation of social bonds
-Development of combat skills
-Familiarization with the roles of dominant and subordinate
-Mutual evaluation of participants’ strengths and skills
-Establishment and maintenance of dominance
Mécanismes des jeux de bataille enfant- enfant pour permettre leur
Presence of play signals (smiles) that inhibit third party intervention
Reciprocity
Mutual pauses
Selection of partners of similar size or strength
Handicapping one’s strength: the stronger player adjusts his strength to the weaker player
Jeux de guerre entre les enfants
-Typical of the human species, especially in boys
-Very common: 50% of preschoolers do it at least once a week at home,
despite parents trying to discourage them
-Parents mostly encourage boys (or discourage girls)
-Although parents’ opinions vary about playing these games at home,
they are unanimous in not allowing them at daycare and school
-Children who play these games are more likely to have older siblings
-Effect of TV showsNot related to child’s age and social class
-Generally speaking, no link between war games and aggressiveness in children
-Except for “hard-to-manage” children: with hyperactivity and behavioural problems
=more violent symbolic games: corresponds to 1/3 of pretend games
in “hard-to-manage” boys vs. 1/6 in others (0.23 vs. 0.05 in girls)
=more anti-social behaviour
=more negative emotions
=less prosocial and empathetic behaviour
=difficulty detecting and understanding emotions
=respond more negatively to threats of losing competitive play, consistently over time
Attachement père-enfant par les jeux physiques
Michael Lamb et al. (1985) proposed the idea that father-child physical play
contributes to the development of attachment to the father
-Especially when fathers have little involvement in other dimensions
-fathers use vigorous physical play more than mothers, from the 1st to the 10th year of the child’s life
-physical games = exercise games, throwing the child in the air, jumping on thethe child in the air, jumping on the knees, tickling the child, battle games, etc.
-very early on, the mother is perceived by the child as a source of well-being and
security, while the father is preferred as a playmate, especially for boys
-warmth” and “control” dimensionS
Le role potential du père dans la socialisation de l’agression physique
Carson et al (1993) proposed that father-child battle games may play an important role
in learning to regulate emotions during the child’s aggressive interactions with other
children-studies of deprivation of battle games in young animals have shown that these individuals,
once adult, perceive threats when there are none and are aggressive, or do not defend
themselves when attacked-father-child physical play peaks around 4 years of age-more father-boy physical play
Les jeux de Bataille père-enfant
Defining paternal sensitivity in the context of battle games
Fathers are more directive
Same mechanisms or not as in youth games (mutual pause, reducing own strength,
role reversal, etc.)?
Les jeux de Bataille père-enfant
The dominance relationship established through these games could facilitate discipline
and obedience (and provide protection)
especially with boys (more aggressive, active, impulsive and adventurous than girls)
who take more risks and have more accidents
Les jeux de Bataille père-enfant
Could allow the child to learn
control aggressive emotions
to have self-confidence in competitive situations
to take their place, to assert their rights in a socialized manner
