WAR, SOCIALIZATION, AND INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE - A CROSS-CULTURAL-STUDY

This cross-cultural study investigates why some societies have more in terpersonal violence (homicide, assault) than others. Multiple regress ion analysis suggests that socialization for aggression in boys in lat e childhood is by far the strongest socialization predictor of higher rates of homicide and assault. But why socialize boys for aggression? Other analyses suggest that socialization for aggression is a likely c onsequence, not a cause, of war. The theory of violence suggested here is that war is the major cause of more homicide/assault. We suggest t hat the effect of war is mostly indirect, by motivating parents to soc ialize for aggression. In addition, war may have some direct effect by legitimizing violence. According to the theory suggested here, high r ates of homicide/assault are inadvertent (unintended) consequences of the need to produce effective and unambivalent warriors.