Relational Aggression and the "Mean Boy": Re-gendering Concepts of Aggressive and Dangerous Behaviour

Title
Relational Aggression and the "Mean Boy": Re-gendering Concepts of Aggressive and Dangerous Behaviour
Publication Date
2018
Author(s)
Page, Angela
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9857-9054
Email: apage31@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:apage31
Jones, Marguerite A
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9420-2495
Email: mjones46@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:mjones46
Charteris, Jennifer
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1554-6730
Email: jcharte5@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:jcharte5
Nye, Adele
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1603-2643
Email: anye@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:anye
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
International Academic Forum
Place of publication
Japan
DOI
10.22492/ijpbs.4.1
UNE publication id
une:23214
Abstract
Relational aggression has long been considered the "weapon of choice" for young women seeking to harm others through persistent manipulation or damage to relationships. However, in recent media articles in Australia, young men have been reported to use the same aggressive strategies to target young women. This article explores the themes drawn from a content analysis of 30 newspaper articles that report an Internet website established to "trade" sexual images of teenage girls. We argue that the prevalent forms and functions of girls' relational aggression, as described in the literature, are also evident in the perpetrating behavior of boys. We contend that the expression of such behavior prompts discussion of a gendered alternative to what is considered as "mean". The reported actions of young men can be recognized as aggressive and dangerous. It is damaging to dismiss "mean boys" subjectivities as merely "boys being boys".
Link
Citation
IAFOR Journal of Psychology and the Behavioral Sciences, 4(1), p. 55-74
ISSN
2187-0675
Start page
55
End page
74

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