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If parents have an attitude that violent behavior toward children, violent behavior such as shoving or spanking, is sometimes necessary, are they more likely to behave toward their children in that manner?
In a large sample of 2,143 American adults, Straus (1979) measured both attitude toward violent behavior and the incidence of actual violent behavior. As one would expect, there was a relationship, a positive correlation, between attitude and behavior.
However, the strength of this relationship was influenced by a number of other factors. This relationship was stronger for fathers than it was for mothers. Among fathers the relationship was stronger in low-income families than in high-income families.
The study concludes that consistency between attitude and behavior cannot be taken for granted in a study of family violence. Other factors, such as sex, income and patterns of family interaction modify the relationship.
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