A large body of research exists relative to male aggression. Studies over the past 30 years, especially as related to male-to-female intimacy violence in a domestic context, have contributed greatly to a better understanding of aggressive male behavior. However, it is suggested that a more balanced approach to research on aggression should include studies related to female aggression. A search of the current literature indicates that this process has begun; however, studies tend to report a different dynamic at work in aggressive women versus aggressive men. It appears that overall, female aggression more than male aggression, has a stronger relational component. It is the case that females can be aggressive and place substantial importance on the relationships in their lives. Attachment theory addresses the salient issue of relationships and is such a broad and complete theory that it incorporates aggressive behaviors as well. Therefore, this study seeks to expand the research related to attachment styles and associated behaviors, in particular as they pertain to the influences upon female aggressive behavior. A study of the relationship between the independent variables of gender, psychopathology/personality, and attachment style and the dependent variable of aggression was conducted. It was hypothesized that attachment style would be a better predictor of female aggression as compared to psychopathology. Additionally, it was hypothesized that psychopathology would be a better predictor of male aggression as compared to attachment style. Significant results were obtained suggesting that attachment is a better predictor of female aggression than psychopathology, with a non-significant observation indicating the reverse being true of males. Specific gender differences related to aggression and violent behavior are presented. Current trends applicable to theories of aggression are discussed, as well as suggestions for future research.

No description available.

No description available.

A large body of research exists relative to male aggression. Studies over the past 30 years, especially as related to male-to-female intimacy violence in a domestic context, have contributed greatly to a better understanding of aggressive male behavior. However, it is suggested that a more balanced approach to research on aggression should include studies related to female aggression. A search of the current literature indicates that this process has begun; however, studies tend to report a different dynamic at work in aggressive women versus aggressive men. It appears that overall, female aggression more than male aggression, has a stronger relational component. It is the case that females can be aggressive and place substantial importance on the relationships in their lives. Attachment theory addresses the salient issue of relationships and is such a broad and complete theory that it incorporates aggressive behaviors as well. Therefore, this study seeks to expand the research related to attachment styles and associated behaviors, in particular as they pertain to the influences upon female aggressive behavior. A study of the relationship between the independent variables of gender, psychopathology/personality, and attachment style and the dependent variable of aggression was conducted. It was hypothesized that attachment style would be a better predictor of female aggression as compared to psychopathology. Additionally, it was hypothesized that psychopathology would be a better predictor of male aggression as compared to attachment style. Significant results were obtained suggesting that attachment is a better predictor of female aggression than psychopathology, with a non-significant observation indicating the reverse being true of males. Specific gender differences related to aggression and violent behavior are presented. Current trends applicable to theories of aggression are discussed, as well as suggestions for future research.

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine differences between female and male aggression; to examine the effect various aggression, dominance, and couple variables have on female physical aggression; to identify which combination of these variables bests explains female aggression in a sample of couples seeking therapy for domestic violence/anger management; and to identify the influence of male physical aggression on the predictor variables. Overall, based on women's reports, 74.6% (n=63) of the women and 86.2% (n=74) of the men in this sample used at least one act of physical aggression against their partner in the past year. With the exception of slapping and using a knife or gun against partner, men perpetrated individual acts of physical aggression significantly more than did women. Aggression, dominance, and couple variables were found to be significantly correlated with and predictive of female physical aggression. Overall, this study found that 55% of the variance in women's use of physical aggression was predicted by women's psychological aggression, husband demand/wife withdrawal communication pattern, male and female jealousy, and women's disparagement of their partners. Male physical aggression only added 3% of the variance when added to this combination of variables. Since women's physical aggression is explained by various relationship dynamics the theory that women are aggressive only in self-defense is questioned. / Master of Science

No description available.

The film Monster (USA, 2003) is based on the life of Aileen Wuornos, the Florida prostitute who was one of the few documented female serial killers in the United States. The scriptwriter and director of the film, Patty Jenkins, surprisingly centered the film on a love story, instead of assuming the role of judge or advocate towards the actions of Wuornos. After a flash back sequence that recreates the childhood of Lee (Charlize Theron), the film opens as Lee meets Selby (Christina Ricci), a young and immature lesbian in a bar. Lee responds very rudely and defensively to the clumsy flirtation of Selby, as she does not think of herself as gay and her life as a prostitute has made her very hostile towards society. However, Lee opens up to Selby, as she perceives her as her last chance to find Love. Patty Jenkins cinematically evokes Lee’s hopelessness and despair before meeting Selby in order to emphasize the importance of this same-sex relationship. For Lee, Selby is the innocent child that she has to protect and save, a symbol of the child she once was herself. Inspired, she goes out to work on the highway to earn money for their first date, and a client beats her unconscious, ties her up, rapes her with a tyre iron and pours petrol over her. Fearing for her life, Lee shoots him, and then takes his car and wallet. As her relationship with Selby develops, she enters into the role of provider and protector. After her brutal encounter, she is scared of the streets and makes an attempt to go straight. However, 3 in her attempt to look for a proper job she encounters social rejection and brutalization. Pressurized by her new girlfriend to provide money, Lee goes back to prostitution. However, her last traumatic experience with the rapist john makes her believe that all her clients might turn out to be abusive, which provokes in her a desire for revenge and killing. Unable to stop, she robs her victims to provide for her girlfriend and believes that she can identify which clients deserve to die. After the killing of an innocent man, she is turned over to the police by Selby. Monster is not about sensationalism, but rather portrays the intimate tragic story of a human being who became a serial killer, due to a combination of bad social and personal pathologies. The Meaning of the Form: The aim of this thesis is to explore the representation of women and aggression in Patty Jenkins’ film Monster. I will argue that, while the female characters in Monster do not escape the conventional portrayal of women within the dominant Hollywood cinema, their portrayal does nonetheless create a ‘non-normative’ representation. By exploiting the classical narrative and a particular model of representation of women, Jenkins creates a cinematic text which attacks the patriarchal principles grounding the model. Therefore, the main argument of this thesis will be that Jenkins uses the Hollywood system of narration and representation of women in order to subvert and criticize it. Ultimately she is using the film as means to critique the patriarchal violence within American society itself. In order to substantiate my argument, I will first look at the conventional representation of women in fiction-film genre1, and will then investigate how the performance of aggression is constructed within the film. The film represents aggression as a social phenomenon that develops into a pathological behavior. By establishing the history of the general phenomenon of female aggression, I will examine its specific representation in my film case study Monster. Although the film introduces different female characters that each have their particular expression of aggression and representation, the primary focus of analysis will be Lee, the main character of the film.

One hundred and eighty six adult heterosexual females enrolled in colleges across the United States were sampled to determine the influence of personality and coping variables on female Intimate Partner Aggression (IPA). The research instruments administered included online versions of: the Revised-Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS-2; Straus, Hamby, Boney-McCoy, & Sugarman, 1996), which explored female Intimate Partner Psychological Aggression and Physical Assaultiveness; the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP; Goldberg, 1999), which measured the personality trait of Neuroticism; and the Coping Resources Inventory for Stress-Short Form (CRIS-SF; Matheny, Curlette, Aycock, Pugh, & Taylor, 2007), which assessed the coping resources of Tension Control and Social Support, and provided an overall Coping resource score called Coping Resource Effectiveness (CRE). The role of Neuroticism was highlighted. Neuroticism, but not CRE or specific coping resources, was predictive of Psychological Aggression in females. Neither CRE nor Neuroticism was a significant predictor of Physical Assaultiveness. Implications for reducing psychological aggression in intimate partner relationships were offered.

The purpose of this multiple case study was to gather information about female aggression in situationally violent relationship. The interviews and surveys of four African-American couples were coded and analyzed to gather information about the impact of female aggression on the relationship, the contextual factors surrounding female aggression, and the motivations for female aggression. The results indicated that female aggression impacts the couple relationship in several ways. First, female aggression is typically minimized by both partners. Another impact on the relationship is that it leads to further escalation of aggression, as well as leading the couple to question their commitment to each other. Female aggression also appeared to become part of the couples struggle for power. The study also identified substance abuse and a family history of abuse as two of the contextual factors present with female aggression. The motives for female aggression that were identified included frustration, wanting control over the relationship, abandonment and retribution. One couple identified self-defense as a motivation for female aggression. Implications for future research and for clinical practice are offered. / Master of Science

Family-of-origin aggression (FOOA) is an established risk factor for adult partner aggression. The research presented in this thesis tested a model proposing that (FOOA) is mediated through attachment and attributions to influence male and female partner aggression and withdrawal in early stage couple relationships. Study 1 tested the influence of FOOA, attachment, and attributions on partner aggression in a sample of 73 newlywed couples. FOOA was associated with male-to-female aggression, but not female-to-male aggression. Therefore the hypothesis that the influence of FOOA on partner aggression was mediated through attachment and attributions was tested only for men. Attachment was significantly associated with attributions, but there was no association between FOOA and attachment or between attributions and male partner aggression. Study 2 tested the influence of FOOA, attachment, and attributions on partner aggression and withdrawal in a sample of 101 dating couples. Structural equation model analyses found different results for men and women. For male partner aggression, the influence of FOOA was partially mediated through attachment and attributions. For male withdrawal, the influence of FOOA on withdrawal was fully mediated through attachment and attributions. The association between FOOA and withdrawal was also mediated through attachment independent of attributions, and through attributions independent of attachment. For female partner aggression and female withdrawal, the predicted associations were found for the attachment anxiety models but not for the attachment avoidance models. The current findings suggest that attachment and attributions should be intervention targets for improving relationship outcomes. The gender differences in model fit emphasise the importance of investigating risk factors for partner aggression and withdrawal separately for men and women.