Research Report on enclosed Willer & Cupach

Research Report
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Abstract
This paper constitutes a research report on a study by Erin K. Willer and William R. Cupach titled ‘When “sugar and spice” turn to “fire and ice”: Factors affecting the adverse consequences of relational aggression among adolescent girls.’ In their study, Willer and Cupach explored issues influencing the relative detriment of sensibly destructive deeds among girls of adolescent age. The researchers encompassed a hundred and twenty-seven girls in the survey. The purpose of the participants who were high school students was to describe events where they were hurt by other apprentices. They also described the extent to which these hurtful acts threatened their happiness and resulted in negative feelings. The findings confirmed the hypothesis that upsetting actions perpetrated by students who were more famous than the victims had more effects than those associated with committers with less or equal popularity to the targets. The report presents the purpose of the study, pertinent hypotheses, findings and the relevance of the study results. The study purposed to investigate the elements influencing the relative harm attributable to relationally aggressive behavior or actions among female adolescents.
Keywords: Study, hypotheses, findings, results.

Research Report
Willer, E. K., & Cupach, W. R. (2008). When “sugar and spice” turn to “fire and ice”: Factors affecting the adverse consequences of relational aggression among adolescent girls.

 Communication Studies, 59(4), 415-429.
Purpose of the Study
The study was conducted to investigate the elements influencing the relative harm attributable to relationally aggressive behavior or actions among female adolescents.
Hypotheses
Aggrieved parties will regard aggression perpetrated by comparatively more popular individuals as being more threatening than similar acts perpetrated by girls at the same level of popularity as the victims or lower
Aggrieved parties will regard aggression perpetrated by comparatively more popular girls as being associated with higher negativity than similar acts perpetrated by girls at the same level of popularity as the victims or lower
Aggrieved parties will regard aggression committed with witnesses around bigger threats than aggression committed in an environment with no witnesses
Aggrieved parties will regard aggression committed with witnesses around as leading to higher negative affect levels than aggression perpetrated with no witnesses present
Aggrieved parties will regard aggressive acts perpetrated by a group of people as more threatening than similar acts perpetrated by an individual
Aggrieved parties will regard aggression perpetrated by a group of people as resulting in higher negativity than similar acts perpetrated by an individual
Method
The study incorporated a survey which was used to collect data at a Midwest public high school. 571 parental consent forms were distributed to potential participants and only 179 girls returned with signed forms. The 179 girls were given minor assent forms as well as survey questionnaires; 128 girls in this lot returned the minor assent forms and completed surveys (Willer & Cupach, 2008). However, one of the participants reported an event that was not relevant to the study and was disqualified as a participant. Therefore, the study involved 127 girls who successfully participated in the survey assigned to them and described a situation in which another girl hurt or acted aggressively towards them. The participants also completed measures attributable to the degree to which the pertinent aggression affected their wellbeing as well as the degree to which the same action resulted in negative affect.
Findings
Pertinent findings confirmed the hypothesis that aggression perpetrated by individuals who are more popular compared to the aggrieved party results in greater threat as well as negative affect than similar acts perpetrated by individuals of equal or less popularity. The findings also supported the hypothesis that aggression in the presence of witnesses result in greater negative affect and threat. However, the findings showed that the extent of interpersonal relations between the aggressor and the victim just before the aggression was not linked to the pertinent threat or extent of distress; this is contrary to the study’s prediction.
Relevance of the Findings
The study results are crucial especially for researchers interested in a deeper insight of relational aggression among girls. In most cases, girls act aggressively towards each other to gain acceptance or to fit in with their peers. This study provides more information regarding the trigger factors associated with relational aggression among adolescent girls. For instance, 9 percent of the study’s participants indicated that the perpetrator was aggressive towards them in order to ruin the victim’s relationship with a male peer (Willer & Cupach, 2008). This finding denotes romantic interest as a key propagating factor of relational aggression among girls. Therefore, the findings expound on the existing knowledge of the factors influencing relational aggression among adolescent girls thus informing future research.

Reference
Willer, E. K., & Cupach, W. R. (2008). When “sugar and spice” turn to “fire and ice”: Factors affecting the adverse consequences of relational aggression among adolescent girls. Communication Studies, 59(4), 415-429.