HOSTILE ATTRIBUTIONAL BIAS IN ADULTS

This study tested the validity of hostile attributional bias as a cogn itive correlate of anger/aggression in adults. Findings generalized ho stile attributional bias into adult populations in ambiguous situation s, and extended the construct into benign and hostile situations. Supp ort was seen for the notion that hostile attributional bias is a separ ate functional entity from simple attribution of intentionality in neg ative social interactions, with some indication of a tiered cognitive process - attributing first intentionality then hostility of intent. F orced cognitive mediation was seen to have greater effect on angry res ponse in ambiguous situations for aggressive than nonaggressive subjec ts. The findings are discussed in light of relevant cognitive-behavior al and social information processing theories.