Expected Consequences of Male Violence Against Their Female Dating Partners

Abstract

We examined the expected consequences of male college students to their perpetration of physical violence against their female dating partners and the association of these expected consequences to the actual use of violence in the men's current dating relationships. Using a measure of expected consequences adapted from an instrument used in an earlier study of dating violence (Breslin, Riggs, O'Leary, & Arias, 1990), we found significant differences in the expected consequences of violent and nonviolent men. Specifically, violent men were significantly more likely than nonviolent men to expect that violence would result in their winning the argument, whereas nonviolent men were more likely than violent men to believe that the use of violence would result in an end to the relationship. Expected consequences were also associated with the frequency/severity of self-reported aggressive behavior within the aggressive group. Theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.

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