Backbiting and bloodshed in books: Short‐term effects of reading physical and relational aggression in literature

Keywords

Aggression, relational aggression, physical aggression, short-term effects

Abstract

The current research consisted of two studies examining the effects of reading physical and relational aggression in literature. In both studies, participants read one of two stories (containing physical or relational aggression), and then participated in one of two tasks to measure aggression. In Study 1, participants who read the physical aggression story were subsequently more physically aggressive than those who read the relational aggression story. Conversely, in Study 2, participants who read the relational aggression story were subsequently more relationally aggressive than those who read the physical aggression story. Combined, these results show evidence for specific effects of reading aggressive content in literature.

Original Publication Citation

Coyne, S. M., Ridge, R., *Stevens, M., Callister, M., & *Stockdale, L. (2012). Backbiting and bloodshed in books: Short term effects of reading physical and relational aggression in literature. British Journal of Social Psychology, 51, 188-196.

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2011-09-01

Permanent URL

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/5188

Publisher

British Journal of Social Psychology

Language

English

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Family Life

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

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