Ethnicity,gender, and evaluations of aggression

In order to investigate some of the ways in which ethnicity and gender influence interpretations of aggression, 363 Anglo and Hispanic university students responded to a questionnaire soliciting their evaluations of aggression in three situations. Consistent with previous research and with the stereotype of machismo, Hispanics, particularly Hispanic males, were more likely to endorse some aggressive behaviors than Anglos. However, the same pattern of gender influences emerged for both ethnic groups. As predicted, males were more aggressive and more supportive of fighting back and punishing an aggressor than females, whereas females were more likely to show self-control about aggression and to endorse restraint. Respondents, particularly males, said that they would behave more aggressively toward a male, and they encouraged a male to behave more aggressively. These results are consistent with the social constructionist view that performance and evaluations of aggression are largely influenced by cultural factors. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.