Identification of Violent Behavior in Romantic Relationships by Young Brazilians

Abstract

Dating violence is a recurrent phenomenon among Brazilian youth and occurs in the context of social contingencies that adapt violent practices and behaviors, which are also influenced by gender biases. Understanding that the process of identifying these behavioral patterns is mediated by socio-verbal learning, the Relational Frame Theory was chosen to achieve the objectives of this work, which were (1) to investigate the discrimination of violent behavior in romantic relationships between adolescents and (2) to identify contextual variables that may influence this process. Thus, a questionnaire composed of 18 vignettes was applied to a sample of 80 students from Fortaleza, northeast Brazil, aged between 14 and 18 years old. Each vignette varied between the type of violence committed (moral, psychological, physical, or sexual), the age of the characters (13 or 17 years old), and the aggressor (male or female). The stories were based on typical cultural interactions, but with some violent behavior, except for two control vignettes. The findings showed that, in general, psychological violence behaviors are less discriminated against than other types of violence. Physical and sexual violence behaviors were more discriminated against. Girls recognized and correctly identified violent behaviors more frequently than boys, particularly sexual and psychological violence. Furthermore, the entire sample had greater difficulty recognizing violent behaviors emitted by female characters. The vignettes with the highest correct identification rate involved moral and sexual violence committed by male characters. The variable of character age had no significant impact on the discrimination of violence. A single significant difference was observed when comparing two vignettes of moral violence committed by a female character, aged 13 and 17. It is argued that the discrimination of behaviors considered violent is a process mediated by arbitrarily applicable relations taught by the verbal community and that these relations influence how individuals of different genders behave. It is therefore clear how much these relational learnings, arbitrarily organized by a verbal community belonging to a patriarchal culture, can be detrimental to the development of young people who are still experiencing their first emotional and sexual experiences. However, new arbitrary relationships can be learned, and violent behavioral patterns can be replaced by assertive ones as interventions aimed at preventing dating violence are designed. Thus, although behavior-analytic theory suggests that merely describing behavior and its controlling variables is insufficient for change (Medeiros, 2010), transforming the aversive function of the verbal stimulus “violence” into violent behaviors, reinforced by patriarchal culture, can contribute to reducing the occurrence of problem behaviors “normalized” by members of this culture. It can also increase the likelihood of escape/avoidance behaviors on the part of the victim—that is, behaviors that distance them from violent relationships and the aggressor, whenever this is possible for the woman’s well-being and safety. Therefore, it is essential to establish legislation and public policies that provide psychosocial support for young people and women experiencing violence.