AGGRESSION IN HIGH SCHOOL 1

Perceptions of Aggression Among High School Athletes

Elizabeth M. Planalp
Edgewood College
EDU734: Data Analytics in Education Spring 2025

Research on aggression in youth has largely focused on bullying, a maladaptive form of

hostility. National data show that a significant portion of students—25% of elementary and high

schoolers and 40% of middle schoolers—report being bullied weekly. Despite this, little

attention has been given to specific subgroups, such as high school athletes. While bullying is

socially condemned, aggression can also manifest in more accepted forms, such as competitive

sports. Studies suggest that athletes, particularly those in high-contact sports, may exhibit higher

levels of aggression both on and off the field. This is especially true for male athletes, whose

sport-related aggression often correlates with increased real-life aggression.

Bullying is defined by repeated harmful behavior, intent to cause harm, and a power

imbalance. Studies reveal high rates of bullying and aggression among school-aged children,

with relational aggression—such as name-calling and social exclusion—being especially

prevalent. These forms of aggression are often underreported due to their subtlety and the

historical focus on physical aggression.

Gender and age play significant roles in both the expression and perception of aggression.

Boys are more likely to engage in overt aggression, while girls more often use relational tactics.

Girls are also more likely to recognize and be affected by relational aggression.

Developmentally, younger children tend to use overt aggression, while older children and

adolescents increasingly use relational forms as their social awareness grows.

Given that sports may either channel or amplify aggressive tendencies, this study aims to

explore how athletic participation and gender influence perceptions and prevalence of aggression
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among high school students. By examining athletes in high-, medium-, and low-contact sports,

the study seeks to understand how these variables shape attitudes toward both overt and

relational aggression.

The Current Study

will examine how high school students perceive aggression based on gender and the type

of sports we play—whether high-, medium-, or low-contact. The study will use a non-

experimental, correlational design. It will examine gender, sport contact level, and self-reported

aggression and victimization as predictor variables. No variables will be manipulated. Instead,

participants’ responses to aggression vignettes—evaluating type, harmfulness, and

acceptability—will serve as the outcome measures.

Hypotheses

I expect that girls will recognize relational aggression and view it as more harmful and

unacceptable than boys. I also believe that our personal experiences with aggression shape how

we see it. Specifically, those who have experienced peer victimization might be more sensitive to

recognizing and judging aggression, and those who have perpetrated aggression may see it as

more acceptable. The type of sport in which students engage in will also affect how they identify

aggressive behaviors, such that those in high-contact sports may recognize or interpret

aggressive behavior differently than those in low-contact sports.

Method

Participants

Data will be collected from 94 high school students (grades 9–12) at a Midwestern public

school. Participants will be recruited through required classes, with approximately 220 students

expected to express interest and 94 anticipated to complete the study. The sample will likely be
AGGRESSION IN HIGH SCHOOL 3

predominantly Caucasian, with a near-even gender split and an average age of 16.7. Students

will participate in low-, medium-, or high-contact sports, or none. Materials will include a

demographic sheet, the Children’s Social Behavior Scale, and aggression perception vignettes.

Participation will be voluntary and anonymous, with consent obtained beforehand. The study

will follow APA ethical guidelines and offer a gift card lottery as incentive.

Measures

Demographics

The demographic sheet collected basic information such as age, grade, gender, and sports

involvement. Sports were categorized by contact level: high (e.g., football, wrestling), medium

(e.g., basketball, soccer), and low (e.g., tennis, swimming), following Bredemeier et al. (1986).

Aggression and victimization

The Children’s Social Behavior Scale (CSBS-S), developed by Crick and Grotpeter

(1995), was used to assess students’ self-reported peer interactions. It includes 20 items across

six subscales: relational aggression, overt aggression, peer inclusion, peer isolation, prosocial

behavior, and negative affect. Responses are rated on a 5-point Likert scale. For this study, the

CSBS-S was modified to also assess victimization by rephrasing items to reflect how often

students experienced these behaviors. Reliability analyses showed acceptable internal

consistency for both perpetration and victimization subscales. Mean scores were calculated for

relational and overt aggression, with higher scores indicating greater involvement. Items were

grouped by type: relational aggression (e.g., exclusion, rumor-spreading) and overt aggression

(e.g., hitting, yelling).

Perception of Aggression Vignettes

To assess perceptions of aggression, the study used 11 vignettes adapted from Basow et

al. (2007), originally based on relational and physical aggression scenarios. These included five

relational aggression scenarios (e.g., exclusion, rumor-spreading), three overt aggression

scenarios (e.g., hitting, shoving), and three neutral ones. Each vignette was followed by five

questions measuring perceived acceptability, aggression, harmfulness, intent to harm, and victim

distress, rated on a 0–4 Likert scale. A sixth question asked participants to identify the type of

aggression, yielding accuracy scores for relational and overt aggression.

Reliability analyses showed strong internal consistency for harmfulness ratings (α = .91

for relational, α = .79 for overt aggression). Acceptability ratings were less consistent,

particularly for overt aggression (α = .48), but improved to α = .63 after removing one

problematic item. The study focused on participant gender rather than the gender of vignette

characters, using a consistent set of scenarios for all participants.

Procedures

Participants will be recruited from a public high school through required classes across

all grade levels. After obtaining administrative and faculty approval, the researcher will

distribute consent and assent forms. Students who return signed forms will receive a packet

including instructions, a demographic sheet, the CSBS-S, and aggression perception vignettes.

Vignette order will be counterbalanced. Students will complete the materials independently and

return them anonymously. No names will be collected, and participation will be voluntary.

Completion is expected to take 30 minutes. Participants will be entered into a drawing for one of

two $50 movie gift cards.