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Cultural influences on attitudes toward aggression : a comparison between Spanish, Japanese and South African students

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The primary aim of the present study was to examine whether the culture of a society influences
the way in which people justify certain aggressive behaviours in certain situations. A total of 756
students from Spain, Japan and South Africa participated in completing the CAMA, a measure of
justification of aggression. The results showed that there were significant differences within the
countries. There were differences in the levels of acceptance of certain acts between these
countries. Further fmdings also indicated that there was a difference between the males of the
countries and between the females of these countries. It was found that cultural influences and
the norms within these countries bring about differences in justification of aggression in different
situations. There were also some general trends of acceptance, with direct and indirect verbal
acts e.g. sarcasm, hindering and shouting being more acceptable than physical acts such as
hitting, killing and torture. It is hoped that the present findings of this research will make
members of society more aware of their responsibility to help reduce aggressive acts by teaching
and reinforcing norms against it. It is also hoped that the international community will gain better
insight into the fact that South-Africa faces unique challenges because of the political and social
changes in the country. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die primêre doel van die huidige studie was om vas te stelof 'n samelewing se kultuur 'n rol
speel by die regverdiging van sekere aggressiewe gedrag in bepaalde omstandighede. 'n Totaal
van 756 studente van Spanje, Japan en Suid Afrika het die CAMA vraelys voltooi. Die vraelys
meet die regverdiging van aggressie in sekere omstandighede. Betekenisvolle verskille is tussen
die lande gevind. Daar is ook betekenisvolle verskille tussen die mans van die drie lande asook
tussen die vrouens van die drie lande gevind. Daar is gevind dat kulturele verskille en die norme
binne 'n samelewing meebring dat daar verskille is in die mate waarin samelewings sekere
aggressiewe gedrag aanvaarbaar vind in sekere situasies. Daar was ook 'n groter algemene
aanvaarbaarheid van verbale aggressie bv. sarkasme, verhindering en skreeu as fisiese aggressie
soos slaan, om dood te maak en marteling. Hopelik maak hierdie navorsing mense meer bewus
van elkeen in die samelewing se verantwoordelikheid om die norme teen geweld te versterk
asook om die norme aan hulle nageslagte oor te dra. Verder sal die internasionale gemeenskap
hopelik beter insig kry oor die unieke uitdagings wat Suid-Afrika bied as gevolg van die
politieke en sosiale veranderinge in die land.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/53341
Date January 2003
CreatorsBeirowski, Karin
ContributorsTheron, W. H., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Format48 p.
RightsStellenbosch University

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