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Honor endorsement in male youth: general risk factor for aggressive behavior?

Marie Kollek, University of Hildesheim; Helge Schlueter, University of Hildesheim, Renate Soellner, University of Hildesheim

When predicting violent crimes in males with a migration background, prognostic instruments based on common risk and protective factors show reduced predictive quality. Thus, culturally sensitive research on crime prognoses and their influencing factors is of utmost importance. One factor that has often been discussed is a traditional sense of honor. In this context, honor refers to an external valuation of self-worth. In cultures with a high sense of honor, a person's value depends on their reputation and is strongly determined by interpersonal relationships. These relationships are characterized by strong reciprocity norms. Normative violations are often followed by direct retaliation. The effect of internalized honor norms on aggressive behavior has not yet been studied for groups with different migration status. The present study investigates a)whether there is a main effect of honor endorsement on aggressive behavior in male youth and b) whether this effect is moderated by the migration status. Data stem from the 2021/2022 Communities That Care (CTC) Youth Survey (a representative, school-based online survey with 6th to 11th graders in Lower Saxony, Germany). A moderation analysis using Honor endorsement as a predictor of Self-reported Aggressive Behavior with Migration Status as a moderator on this relationship was performed, while Socioeconomic Status was controlled for. Results indicate a significant main effect of Honor endorsement, but no interaction with Migration Status. Thus, the slope between approval of honor norms and aggressive behavior is equivalent for male adolescents with and without a migration background. Implications for future research are discussed.

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