Connor, a first grader who lives with his mother, aunt, and teenage cousin Brian, is exposed to aggression at home. Because of this home situation, Connor will most likely be

Connor, a first grader who lives with his mother, aunt, and teenage cousin Brian, is exposed to aggression at home. Because of this home situation, Connor will most likely be

• A. withdrawn and quiet
• B. aggressive with peers
• C. academically average
• D. socially skilled

Answer: (B)

Exposure to aggression teaches a child how to handle conflicts by watching others, and young children learn a lot by modeling what they see at home. When aggression is part of the family environment, a child is likely to imitate those behaviors with peers, using similar aggressive ways to interact and resolve problems. That pattern—externalizing aggressive behavior toward others—fits Connor’s situation best. Being withdrawn and quiet can occur in stressful settings, but the stronger, more direct link here is aggression as a learned response rather than a universal shift to internalizing behavior. Academic performance isn’t determined by exposure to aggression alone, and being socially skilled usually requires a consistent history of positive peer interactions, which is unlikely if aggression is being modeled at home.

Exposure to aggression teaches a child how to handle conflicts by watching others, and young children learn a lot by modeling what they see at home. When aggression is part of the family environment, a child is likely to imitate those behaviors with peers, using similar aggressive ways to interact and resolve problems. That pattern—externalizing aggressive behavior toward others—fits Connor’s situation best.

Being withdrawn and quiet can occur in stressful settings, but the stronger, more direct link here is aggression as a learned response rather than a universal shift to internalizing behavior. Academic performance isn’t determined by exposure to aggression alone, and being socially skilled usually requires a consistent history of positive peer interactions, which is unlikely if aggression is being modeled at home.