Journal article
When is violence honorable? Honor attitudes and aggression
Journal of criminal justice, Vol.97, 102383
03/2025
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102383
Abstract
Men who adhere to an honor code are more likely to view aggression as an appropriate response to provocations. Previous research typically examines aggression in general, but not all adversaries are the same. This research examines whether honor attitudes have as strong of a role in aggression against women and family members as it does in aggression between unrelated men. Our analyses use original survey data from male inmates and community members (N = 723) who reported about their aggression towards female partners, acquaintances, and strangers. Respondents described their recent verbal and violent disputes, including their adversary's gender and social relationship. Results suggest that men with stronger honor attitudes are more likely to engage in violence and verbal aggression against strangers and familiar (but non-intimate) adversaries, and more likely to use verbal aggression against female partners but are no more likely to use violence against them. Our incident analysis disentangles the effects of adversary gender and social relationship, and it suggests that honor attitudes have a weaker relationship with aggression against women and family members than with aggression against unrelated men. Our research clarifies the scope of honor attitudes by identifying the types of aggression they best explain.
•Men's honor attitudes are associated with verbal aggression and violence against strangers and familiar adversaries.•Men's honor attitudes are associated with their verbal aggression against intimate partners, but not their violence.•The importance of honor for men's aggression depends on the adversary's characteristics.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- When is violence honorable? Honor attitudes and aggression
- Creators
- Andrew T. Krajewski - The University of Texas at DallasRichard B. Felson - Pennsylvania State UniversityMark T. Berg - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of criminal justice, Vol.97, 102383
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102383
- ISSN
- 0047-2352
- eISSN
- 1873-6203
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 03/2025
- Academic Unit
- Sociology and Criminology; Center for Social Science Innovation; Injury Prevention Research Center
- Record Identifier
- 9984798361902771
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