Chapter 9

Introduction:
This chapter will explore the concept of aggression in young children. Aggression can become quite a concern for early childhood educators even though aggression is, to a degree, a normal trait in young children. Many times children simply do not have the necessary language skills and emotional development to voice their frustration over a situation. Young children tend to react in a physical manner.

A "systems" approach to explain why children become aggressive will be explored in this lecture. However; it is important to learn why children become aggressive and what aggression actually is. This lecture will explore these ideas and help us to effectively deal with future aggression in our classrooms.

Learning objectives:
> Define aggression and explain the different forms of aggression.

> Understand that aggression develops in several different systems and not in a vacuum.

> Describe the risk factors for violent behaviour.

> Describe strategies for helping children cope with aggression.

Body of the lecture:
Aggression is an ineffective problem solving behaviour learned early in life. It is any behaviour that injures or diminishes a person or animal or destroys and/or damages property. It can take several forms such as physical, verbal, psychological, or emotional traits. It can be direct or indirect, impulsive or planned. Aggression is not the same as anger. Anger is an emotion while aggression is a behaviour.

Forms of Aggression
Instrumental Aggression
This type of aggression is aimed at getting something back such as a lost privilege, object or some territory. Usually this type of aggression is seen when a child is not angry with the person who is blocking his/her goal; they just want to remove whatever is blocking their goal. The aggression is therefore an instrument or a tool to get what you want and it is the most common form of aggression found during early childhood. It originates in a child’s inability to take the other child’s perspective and in their frustration of not getting what they want. This type of behaviour should not be ignored. You should acknowledge the child’s frustration and help them find a solution.

Hostile Aggression
This type of aggression is rooted in the emotion of anger and directly aimed at a person, animal or even country. It is violent and clearly intends to hurt someone. This behaviour should not be ignored. A child who exhibits hostile aggression generally has difficulty with social cues. This type of aggression tends to show up in older children and adults. Cognitively adults and older children understand perspective taking whereby young children are too egocentric to understand this concept.

Accidental Aggression
This form of aggression is unintentional and usually done in retaliation.
An activity to learn what accidental aggression is can be found in Figure 9.1 on pg. 230 of your textbook.

Deadly School Violence
This form of aggression is, unfortunately, a growing complex issue that seems to stem from bullying, constant teasing, isolation and rejection. There are warning signs, also known as red flags, to this type of violence that show up in early childhood.

To look for warning signs of a person who may react in such a manner see Figure 9.2 Pg. 231 of your textbook.


Studies show there are gender differences in aggression.
- Boys display more aggression both verbally and physically than girls do.
- Boys display more aggression after watching media violence as opposed to girls viewing the same material.
- Older boys are more likely to counter attack physically than younger boys.

These factors are most likely due to the way we socialize boys and girls. Children tend to adopt “scripts” that tell them how to behave aggressively. A child is embedded in a variety of social systems that work together to shape a child’s aggression such as their family system, media system, peer group, community and culture. Aggression is a learned behaviour. Children will observe and listen to how families deal aggressively with each other and they tend to adopt this as part of the way they deal with issues. (WRITING SCRIPTS) Children will use newly acquired scripts to rehearse aggressive behaviour however, there is no guarantee that the child will use the aggressive script. (SCRIPT REHEARSAL) A child can retrieve and activate a script at any given time. (SCRIPT ACTIVATION)

Three things induce children to retrieve and activate aggressive scripts:
· rehearsal (call-up)
· cues for aggression (interactive videos)
· continued exposure to aggression (even more scripts)


Families teach aggression by using coercion which is a psychological or physical force. We know aggressive discipline strategies only temporarily stop children from fighting and do not have any proven long term effects on extinguishing future behaviour.

The type of caregiving and discipline we enlist will have a profound and immediate reaction on how children behave.

Authoritarian caregivers:
· fail to meet needs of a child
· do not model or teach effective social skills
· provide cues for aggression

Aggressive peers will influence others through:
· modeling
· reinforcing (revenge)
· regulating norms (cheering-on aggression)

Media Violence Statistics – Pg. 239
Children who watch excessive media violence can develop aggressive attitudes, values and behaviour. It can influence them in four ways;
1. imitate what they see
2. reduces any learned inhibitions against violent behaviour
3. desensitizes to violence
4. increases arousal


Strategies for Guiding Aggressive Children
- set and clearly communicate limits prohibiting aggression
- teach children to make decisions about what they watch
- spend time watching television programs with children and discuss any violent scenes
- encourage children to be empathetic
- encourage children to be aware of consequences and develop a value system that promotes respectful treatment of others
- teach positive behaviour (assertiveness, negotiation, cooperation, sharing, helping)
- recognize and encourage cooperative behaviour and language
- encourage responsible anger management
- work with parents and the community at large in violence prevention

Families are embedded in communities that have an effect on family belief and value systems.
Pg. 245 and 246 – Working with Parents box has some helpful suggestions.


In summary:
There is no "quick fix" to aggression, but there are some steps that early childhood educators and others who work with children can take to minimize or prevent aggression. By following the strategies for guiding aggressive children and understanding a child's developmental levels we can help a child appropriately deal with and understand the aggression they experience.


Text Readings:
Chapter 9
Please read Chapter 10 for next week

Websites:
American Medical Association-Lists many violence prevention resources
www.ama-assn.org
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry-info on violence & its prevention
www.aacap.org

National Association for the Education of Young Children
www.naeyc.org

Learning activity:
Complete the chapter review.