Transgenerational transmission of hostility bias from father to son. How to effectively reduce hostile interpretations of social encounters? information about the research project

Abstract

Making hostile attributions, that is, interpreting the behaviour of others as intentional and hostile, increases the likelihood of aggression. Hostile attributional style begins to form in childhood and is related, among others, to the quality of the parental relationship. The aim of the current project is to examine: whether the fathers attributional style predicts the sons attributional style; what role perceived personality resemblance plays in the transmission of the tendency to make hostile attributions from father to son; and whether there are effective ways to reduce hostile attributions. The project involves research with diverse methods and techniques. The final goal of the research is not only to improve knowledge of hostile attributions but also to provide practitioners with effective tools for working with adolescents displaying a tendency to make them.