Experiences of indirect aggression: a systemic investigation
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Authors
Preininger, D. T.
Issue Date
2009-08
Type
Dissertation
Language
en
Keywords
Indirect aggression , Covert aggression , Adolescents , Systemic epistemology , Social constructionism , Post-modernism , Qualitative research , Hermeneutics
Alternative Title
Abstract
The past 20 years have seen a growing interest amongst researchers into indirect forms of aggression and bullying. The evidence suggests that covert forms of aggression are largely used by adolescent girls as a means of inflicting harm on another and that the effects of such interactions can be detrimental to the individual's psychological and emotional well-being. This study aims to explore the social experiences of four adolescent girls, with particular reference to indirect aggression practices that they may have encountered. Data was collected in the form of unstructured interviews, which were conducted with each participant separately. Prominent themes were then identified and explored by the researcher. This was done from a systemic epistemological stance within the post-modern paradigm. A qualitative methodological design was followed allowing for the personal experiences and meaning attributions of each participant to come to the fore. The study's results were presented in the form of descriptive text with particular reference to the systemic processes that came to the fore. Overall, the study explicated the unique experiences of four adolescent girls with indirect aggression and how these experiences are interwoven with systemic processes that take place in social groups.
Description
Citation
Preininger, D. T. (2009) Experiences of indirect aggression: a systemic investigation, University of South Africa, Pretoria, <http://hdl.handle.net/10500/1632>