Physical Abuse Contributes to Appetitive Aggression but Socioeconomic Status and Religiosity Matters

Abstract

Appetitive aggression represents the enjoyment of aggression for its own sake and is widely associated with people who have experienced extreme violence. Extant literature on this phenomenon has mostly focused (ex)combatant and forensic samples, with traumatic experiences considered the top risk factor. Studies exploring appetitive aggression in noncombatant samples are rare. Using a Nigerian community sample of young people in secondary education, we explored if physical abuse could be associated with the predisposition to cruelty, and if this is mediated by socioeconomic status and religiosity. Three hundred and six secondary school students (154 males and 152 females, M = age 15.32, SD = 1.90) completed measures of childhood trauma, socioeconomic status and appetitive aggression.

Mediation pathways were explored using Hayes Process macros. Results revealed that physical abuse positively predicted appetitive aggression among youngsters (Total effect ? = .83). Socioeconomic status and religiosity mediated the association between physical abuse and appetitive aggression. It seemed that higher socioeconomic status protected against cruelty while strong religiosity promoted the enjoyment of aggression. Improving the socioeconomic conditions of people who have suffered abuse could help in severing the cycle of aggression. Our finding suggests that the sub-Saharan region where resources are scare and many people strongly identify with religious beliefs, the inclination to cruelty could be indeed popular. Interventions to cut the cycle of violence could benefit from considering the roles of socioeconomic conditions and religiosity.