SITUATIONAL INFLUENCES ON DESTRUCTIVE ACTS

Social psychological approaches to destructive behavior have stressed the importance of environmental factors, but, the range of potentially important life events has not been identified. Using a personality-ba sed model of destructiveness, a pool of relevant biodata items were ge nerated. A sample of 285 college students completed the situational-ba sed biodata measure, the CPI, and two standardized integrity screening measures. A factor analysis of the biodata items resulted in seven fa ctors: alienation, nonsupportive family, negative adult models, life s tressors, competitive pressures, negative peer group and financial nee d. In a series of blocked regressions the situational scales produced significant increases in prediction over the personality variables on the measures of integrity, socialization and delinquency. The implicat ions of these findings for selection and research are discussed.