Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Attitudes and Family Violence: Linking Intergenerational and Cultural Theories

  • Published:
Journal of Family Violence Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Drawing on intergenerational transmission and cultural (attitudinal) theories, this study examines the extent to which attitudes help explain (1) the relationship between experiencing violence while growing up and subsequent violence against one amp apose;s children and spouse, and(2) demographic differences in violence. Structural equation modeling techniques are used to examine data from a representative sample of the general population and a sample of ex-offenders. The findings indicate that experiencing violence while growing up is related to favorable attitudes towards violence against spouses. The experience of violence while growing up and attitudes are related to violence against both children and spouses. The relationship between experiencing violence while growing up and engaging in violence against spouses is mediated by attitudes. The results also suggest that men and nonwhites are more approving of violence towards spouses. However, attitudes do not account for demographic differences in violence against children and spouses.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • Alexander, P. C., Moore, S., and Alexander, E. (1991). What is transmitted in the intergenerational transmission of violence. J. Marr. Fam. 53: 657–668.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, E. (1994). The code of the streets. Atlantic Monthly 273: 80–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, J. C., and Gerbing, W. D. (1988). Structural equation modeling in practice: A review and recommended two-step approach. Psychol. Bull. 103: 411–423.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ball-Rokeach, S. J. (1973). Values and violence: A test of the subculture of violence thesis. Am. Sociological Rev. 38: 736–749.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bureau of Justice Statistics. (1995a). Criminal Victimization in the United States, 1994, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bureau of Justice Statistics. (1995b). Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics, 1994, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernard, T. (1990). Angry aggression among the “truly disadvantaged. ” Criminology 28: 73–96.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bollen, K. (1989). Structural Equations With Latent Variables, Wiley, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bridges, G. S., and Weis, J. G. (1989). Measuring violent behavior: Effects of study design on reported correlates of violence. In Weiner, N. A., and Wolfgang, M. E. (eds.), Violent Crime, Violent Criminals, Sage, Beverly Hills, CA, pp. 14–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cao, L., Adams, A., and Jensen, V. J. (1997). A test of the black subculture of violence thesis: A research note. Criminology 35: 367–379.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cazenave, N. A., and Straus, M. A. (1990). Race, class, network embededness, and family violence: A search for potent support systems. In Straus, M. A., and Gelles, R. J. (eds.), Physical Violence in American Families: Risk Factors and Adaptations to Violence in 8,145 Families, Transaction, New Brunswick, NJ, pp. 321–339.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, A. K. (1955). Delinquent Boys, Free Press, Glencoe, IL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Curtis, L. A. (1975). Violence, Race, and Culture, D.C. Heath, Lexington, MA.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeMaris, A. (1987). The efficacy of a spouse abuse model in accounting for courtship violence. J. Fam. Iss. 8: 291–305.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dobash, R. P., Dobash, R. E., Wilson, M., and Daly, M. (1992). The myth of sexual symmetry in marital violence. Soc. Prob. 39: 71–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dodge, K. A., Bates, J. E., and Pettit, G. S. (1990). Mechanisms in the cycle of violence. Science 250: 1678–1683.

    Google Scholar 

  • Doumas, D., Margolin, G., and John, R. (1994). The intergenerational transmission of aggression across three generations. J. Fam. Viol. 9: 157–175.

    Google Scholar 

  • Egeland, B. (1993). A history of abuse is a major risk factor for abusing the next generation. In Gelles, R. J., and Loseke, D. R. (eds.), Current Controversies on Family Violence, Sage, Newbury Park, CA, pp. 197–208.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elliot, D. S., and Ageton, S. S. (1980). Reconciling race and class differences in self-reported and official estimates of delinquency. Am. Sociol. Rev. 45: 95–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erlanger, H. S. (1974a). The empirical status of the subculture of violence. Soc. Prob. 22: 280–292.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erlanger, H. S. (1974b). Social class and corporal punishment in childrearing: A reassessment. Am. Sociol. Rev. 39: 68–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Felson, R. B. (1984). Patterns of aggressive interaction. In Mummendey, A. (ed.), Social Psychology of Aggression: From Individual Behavior to Social Interaction, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp. 107–126.

    Google Scholar 

  • Felson, R. B. (1996). Big people hit little people: Sex differences in physical power and interpersonal violence. Criminology 34: 433–452.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foo, L., and Margolin, G. (1995). A multivariate investigation of dating violence. J. Fam. Viol. 10: 351–375.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gelles, R. J. (1987). The Violent Home, Sage, Newbury Park, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gelles, R. J. (1990). Domestic criminal violence. In Wolfgang, M. E. (ed.), Criminal Violence, Sage, Beverly Hills, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gil, D. (1970). Violence Against Children: Physical Child Abuse in the United States, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harer, M. D., and Steffensmeier, D. J. (1996). Race and prison violence. Criminology 34: 323–355.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heimer, K. (1997). Socioeconomic status, subcultural definitions, and violent delinquency. Soc. Forces 75: 799–833.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hindelang, M., Hirschi, T., and Weis, J. (1981). Measuring Delinquency, Sage, Beverly Hills, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hotaling, G. T., and Sugarman, D. B. (1986). An analysis of risk markers in husband to wife violence: The current state of knowledge. Viol. Vict. 1: 101–124.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaccard, J., and Wan, C. K. (1996). LISREL Approaches to Interaction Effects in Multiple Regression, Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jöreskog, K. and Sörbom, D. (1993). LISREL 8, Scientific Software, Chicago, IL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalumss, D. (1984). The intergenerational transmission of marital aggression. J. Marr. Fam. 46: 11–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaufman, J., and Ziegler, E. (1993). The intergenerational transmission of abuse is overstated. In Gelles, R. J., and Loseke, D. (eds.), Current Controversies on Family Violence, Sage, Newbury Park, CA, pp. 209–221.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy, L.W., and Forde, D. R. (1996). Pathways to aggression: A factorial survey of routine conflict. J. Quantitat. Criminol. 12: 417–438.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luckenbill, D. F. (1977). Criminal homicide as a situated transaction. Soc. Prob. 25: 176–186.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luckenbill, D. F., and Doyle, D. P. (1989). Structural position and violence: Developing a cultural explanation. Criminology 27: 801–818.

    Google Scholar 

  • Markowitz, F. E., and Felson, R. B. (1998). Social-demographic differences in attitudes and violence. Criminology 36: 117–138.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCord, J. (1983). A forty-year perspective on effects of child abuse and neglect. Child Abuse Negl. 7: 265–270.

    Google Scholar 

  • Messner, S. F. (1988). Research on cultural and socioeconomic factors in criminal violence. Psychiat. Clin. N. Am. 11: 511–525.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, W. B. (1958). Lower class culture as a generating milieu of gang delinquency. J. Soc. Iss. 14: 5–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nettler, G. (1978). Explaining Crime, McGraw-Hill, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Keefe, M. (1998). Factors mediating the link between witnessing interparental violence and dating violence, J. Fam. Viol. 13: 39–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Owens D. J., and Straus, M. A. (1975). The social structure of violence in childhood and approval of violence as an adult. Aggress. Behav. 1: 193–211.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pagelow, M. D. (1984). Family Violence, Praeger, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simons, R. I., Whitbeck, L. B., Conger, R. D., and Wu, C. I. (1991). Intergenerational transmission of harsh parenting. Develop. Psych. 27: 159–171.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steadman, H. J., and Felson, R. B. (1984). Self-reports of violence: Ex-mental patients, exoffenders, and the general population. Criminology 22: 321–342.

    Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A. (1983). Ordinary violence, child abuse, and wife-beating. In Finkelhor, D., Gelles, R. J., Hotaling, G. T., and Straus, M. A. (eds.), The Dark Side of Families: Current Family Violence Research, Sage, Newbury Park, CA, pp. 213–234.

    Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A. (1991). Discipline and deviance: Physical punishment of children and violence and other crime in adulthood. Soc. Prob. 38: 133–154.

    Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A., Gelles, R. J., and Steinmetz, S. K. (1980). Behind Closed Doors: Violence in the American Family, Doubleday/Anchor, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A., and Gelles, R. J. (1990). Physical Violence in American Families: Risk Factors and Adaptations to Violence in 8,145 Families, Transaction, New Brunswick, NJ.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sykes, G., and Matza, D. (1957). Techniques of neutralization:Atheory of juvenile delinquency. Am. Sociol. Rev. 22: 664–670.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tedeschi, J. T., and Felson, R. B. (1994). Violence, Aggression, and Coercive Actions, American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vold, G., Bernard, T. J., and Snipes, J. (1998). Theoretical Criminology, Oxford, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Widom, C. S. (1989). Does violence beget violence? A critical examination of the literature. Psychol. Bull. 106: 3–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolfgang, M. E., and Ferracuti, F. (1967). The Subculture of Violence: Towards an Integrated Theory of Criminology, Tavistock, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zaidi, L. Y., Knutson, J. F., and Mehm, J. G. (1989). Transgenerational patterns of abusive parenting: Analog and clinical tests. Aggress. Behav. 15: 137–152.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, Northern Illinois University, Illinois

    Fred E. Markowitz

Authors
  1. Fred E. Markowitz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fred E. Markowitz.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Markowitz, F.E. Attitudes and Family Violence: Linking Intergenerational and Cultural Theories. Journal of Family Violence 16, 205–218 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011115104282

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011115104282

Search

Navigation