Ursula Wagner: Child training practices and violent conflict
Tab. 1
SCCS-Codebook Variables Pearson’s r Significance Sample
Var. # (p) (N)
Frequency of violent conflict
453 Corporal Punishment 25 .02 69
(Early Boyhood)
455 Corporal Punishment 34 «01 «69
(Late Boyhood)
Tab. 2
SCCS-Codebook Variables Pearson's r Significance Sample
Var. # (P) (N)
Frequency of violent conflict
298 Inculcation of Aggression 37 001 65
(Early Boyhood)
300 Inculcation of Aggression .50 < 01 71
(Late Boyhood)
The question following from that is: How do these strong differences in effect size
With respect to early and late boyhood come about?
An examination of the societies of the SCCS gives the following results: The
Stronger effect size in late boyhood is produced from cases where boys during early
childhood are treated with great indulgence and where, however, socialization prac-
tices become harsher the older children get.
Let me turn to the second theory:
Rohner (1975) predicts *...that parental rejection 1s universally associated with
(...) hostility and aggression" (op. cit.: 50). *Rejection is a form of parental behavior
that is characterized by the absence or withdrawal of warmth and affection. Rejecting
Parents often dislike, disapprove of, or resent their child" (op. cit.: 45).
From this theory the following hypothesis was derived: a lack of warmth and af-
fection during childhood produces more aggressive adults, who engage in war more
readily.
For the statistical test I used the variable “Affection” of Barry III et al. (1977),
Which measures the degree of verbal and physical affection directed to children.
My statistical calculations provide some support for the proposed relationship
(s. Tab. 3).
Here is hardly any difference in effect size with respect to early and late boyhood. This
lesult is not very unexpected as an examination of the cases of the SCCS shows:
Here an overall tendency becomes clear that in those societies where children are
refused warmth and affection during early childhood this socialization practice does
hot change for older children (there are cases where older children receive even less af-
ection than younger ones).