Contagion of aggression in day care classrooms as a function of peer and teacher responses

Abstract

The authors examined whether aggression is contagious in day care classrooms. In a low-income, urban day care center, it was hypothesized that aggression was more likely to occur immediately following an aggressive act than when no aggression occurred. This prediction was tested with a newly developed randomization procedure, and the hypothesis was supported. It was also found that aggression receiving a positive outcome was associated with more contagion than was aggression receiving an aversive response. Furthermore, aggressive acts receiving negative attention were associated with higher frequencies of contagion than were aggressive acts receiving other responses. In addition, aggressive acts directed at individuals were associated with higher rates of contagion than were impersonal aggressive acts. Finally, teachers' presence was associated with less contagion.