Gender Differences in Perception and Behaviour of Aggression Among 13-16 Year Olds.

The investigation combined qualitative and quantitative methods, involving questionnaire, focus groups and diaries. The general aim of the overall investigation was to elicit whether responses were gendered within social representations of acceptable reactions and to examine the possibility of prescribed social representations defining the boundaries of acceptable female behaviour through gender socialisation. The aim of the questionnaire was to explore whether any relationship existed between sex and situation response. Primarily it looked at whether males would respond more physically aggressive and females more verbally aggressive in an anger inducing situation. Other concepts including deindividuation were investigated through the questionnaire also. With both hypotheses eventually being supported through the subsequent analysis results. The focus groups and diaries aimed to provide a deeper understanding of females’ perceptions and beliefs about anger and aggression, with particular reference to their gender and its’ effect on these areas of emotion and expression. It appeared that the generality of responses within the sexes supported the notion of prescriptive social representations being in evidence within the two groups in relation to their chosen responses to anger inducing situations. Within the focus groups and diaries it appeared as though social representations control the gender identity of today through that of yesterday, so whilst it may be true that the perception of women may be changing, their behaviour still seems to follow the pattern that the most acceptable form of response for them to partake in is verbal aggression