Reaktivna agresija predstavlja obrambenu reakciju na stvarnu ili doživljenu prijetnju. Proaktivna
agresija se ne javlja kao reakcija na prijetnju, već uslijed anticipacije agresije kao sredstva
ostvarivanja određenog cilja. Navedeni tipovi agresije pojavljuju se u otvorenom i relacijskom
obliku, a razlikuju se s obzirom na biološke i obiteljske etiološke čimbenike. Reaktivna agresija
povezuje se s visokom osjetljivosti na kaznu i odrastanjem unutar niskog roditeljskog
prihvaćanja. Proaktivna agresija povezuje se s visokom osjetljivosti na nagradu i odrastanjem
unutar niske roditeljske bihevioralne kontrole, tj. visoke popustljivosti. Cilj ovog istraživanja je
utvrditi povezanosti između osjetljivosti na potkrepljenje, dimenzija roditeljstva i tipova agresije
(H1). Moderacijskim modelima ispitalo se: (H2) je li povezanost između osjetljivosti na nagradu
i proaktivne agresije najveća u slučaju niske bihevioralne kontrole/visoke popustljivosti i (H3) je
li povezanost između osjetljivosti na kaznu i reaktivne agresije najveća u slučaju niskog
roditeljskog prihvaćanja. Medijacijskim modelima ispitalo se: (H4) je li osjetljivost na nagradu
medijator povezanosti između bihevioralne kontrole/popustljivosti i proaktivne agresije i (H5) je
li osjetljivost na kaznu medijator povezanosti između prihvaćanja i reaktivne agresije. Ispitanici
su bili učenici trećih razreda srednjih škola grada Zagreba (N=656). Podatci su se prikupili
metodom samoiskaza ispunjavanjem upitnika. U obradi podataka korištene su analize za
dobivanje pokazatelja deskriptivne statistike, testiranje značajnosti razlika, korelacije,
eksploratorna faktorska analiza, višestruka standardna te hijerarhijska regresijska analiza. Smjer
povezanosti između varijabli je u skladu s hipotezama. Ispitivani moderacijski učinci nisu
utvrđeni. Dobiveni su značajni medijacijski učinci osjetljivosti na nagradu u povezanosti između
popustljivosti i proaktivno otvorene, kao i proaktivno relacijske agresije te značajni medijacijski
učinci osjetljivosti na kaznu u povezanosti između prihvaćanja i reaktivno relacijske agresije.
Dobiveni rezultati objašnjeni su u okviru teorije osjetljivosti na potkrepljenje, dimenzionalnog
pristupa u istraživanju roditeljstva, teorije socijalnog učenja i teorije frustracijske agresije.
Teorijski doprinos ovoga rada je taj što je ovo do sada prvo istraživanje koje povezuje etiološke
čimbenike proaktivne i reaktivne agresije u jedan teoretski model.Introduction
A multidimensional approach to studying aggressive behaviour is based on a distinction between
the various forms and various functions of aggressive behaviour (Kempes, Matthys, Vries,
Engeland, 2005). The forms of aggressive behaviour include open and relational aggressive
behaviour (Little, Jones, Henrich, Hawley, 2003). The function of aggressive behaviour is related
to the motive of the perpetrator. Therefore, a distinction is made between reactive and proactive
aggressive behaviour (Tuvblad, Raine, Zheng, Baker, 2009). Reactive aggression is a reaction of
defence from a real or perceived threat. Proactive aggression does not appear as a reaction to a
threat but as anticipated aggressive behaviour that serves as a means to achieve a particular goal
(Dodge and Coie, 1987). Functional types of aggressive behaviour appear both in an open and
relational form. Hence we make a distinction between proactive open, proactive relational,
reactive open, and reactive relational aggressive behaviour. Proactive and reactive aggressive
behaviour differ in terms of biological and familial etiological factors. Reactive aggressive
behaviour is connected to a disposition for anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and high emotional
reactivity to aversive stimuli (Vitaro, Brendgen, Tremblay, 2002). Proactive aggressive behaviour
is related to low anxiety, lesser sensitivity to aversive stimuli, callous personality traits and
proneness to reward-motivated behaviour (Frick and White, 2008). Furthermore, reactive
aggressive behaviour is formed under the influence of low parental acceptance, while proactive
aggressive behaviour is formed under the influence of low parental control, i.e. high leniency
(Dodge, 1991).
Research problems
The aim of this research is to establish: (1) the predictive value of sensitivity to reward,
sensitivity to punishment, acceptance, behavioural control and leniency in explaining proactive
and reactive aggressive behaviour; (2) whether there is a moderating effect of behavioural
control/leniency in the relations between sensitivity to reward and proactive aggressive
behaviour; (3) whether there is a moderating effect of acceptance in the relations between
sensitivity to punishment and reactive aggressive behaviour; (4) whether there is a mediating
effect of sensitivity to reward in the relations between behavioural control/leniency and proactive aggressive behaviour; (5) whether there is a mediating effect of sensitivity to punishment in the
relations between acceptance and reactive aggressive behaviour.
Methodology
The respondents were students of the third grade of secondary schools in the City of Zagreb
(N=656). The data were collected through the method of a self-completion questionnaire.
Proactive and reactive aggressive behaviour was measured through the Peer Conflict Scale
(Marsee and Frick, 2007) questionnaire; sensitivity to reward and sensitivity to punishment were
measured through the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire for
Children (Luman, van Meel, Oosterlaan, Geurts, 2012); the dimensions of parental behaviour
were measured through the Parental Behaviour Questionnaire (Keresteš, Brković, Kuterovac
Jagodić, Greblo, 2012). The data were processed by using the following analyses to obtain
statistics indicators: testing for significant differences, correlations, an exploratory factor
analysis, a multiple standard and hierarchical regression analysis.
Results and discussion
The direction of the relations between variables is consistent with the hypotheses. Sensitivity to
reward is a significant positive predictor of proactive aggressive behaviour. However, it is also a
positive predictor of reactive aggressive behaviour, which was not expected. High sensitivity to
reward is related to high expectations of a reward, which is related to a higher degree of negative
effect when the gaining of the reward is prevented (Corr, 2002). Thus, the relation between
sensitivity to reward and reactive aggressive behaviour is explained by aversive motivation
caused by the system of sensitivity to reward. However, a trend was observed of a better
prediction of the variance of proactive rather than reactive aggressive behaviour, and of open
rather than relational aggressive behaviour. Sensitivity to punishment is a positive predictor of
relational forms of aggressive behaviour, while it is a negative predictor of open forms of
aggressive behaviour. It is also a significant negative predictor of proactive open aggressive
behaviour and a significant positive predictor of reactive relational aggressive behaviour.
Behavioural control did not appear to be a significant predictor, while acceptance is a significant
negative predictor of proactive aggressive behaviour, which was not expected. The explanation is based on connecting the social learning theory, the process of identification, and the acceptance
of the carer.
The studied moderating effects were not established. Namely, a significant moderating effect is
difficult to establish through statistical means.
A significant and full mediating effect of sensitivity to reward was obtained in the relations
between leniency and proactive open aggressive behaviour and a significant partial mediating
effect of sensitivity to reward in the relation between leniency and proactive relational aggressive
behaviour. A significant partial mediating effect of sensitivity to punishment was also obtained
with regard to the relation between acceptance and reactive relational aggressive behaviour. Since
sensitivity to punishment correlates only with relational forms of aggressive behaviour, the
mediating sensitivity to punishment can only be explained with regard to the relational form of
aggressive behaviour.
The results of the study allow for a more complex insight into the aetiology of proactive and
reactive aggressive behaviour and set new problems for future research. The obtained results are
explained within the reinforcement sensitivity theory, the dimensional approach in studying
parenting, the theory of social learning and the frustration aggression theory.
The theoretical contribution of this paper lies in the fact that, up to now, this is the first study that
connects aetiological factors of proactive and reactive aggressive behaviour into one theoretical
model
