1. Introduction and Background
Research on student behaviours has a long tradition. Many studies tend to focus on student behaviours that impede the development of learning and instruction. These behaviours are impacted directly or indirectly by the particular persona of the learner [
1].
Personality traits are the universally constant characteristics of thought, behaviour, mentation, manner, and effect expressed by an organism in various situations [
2]. These characteristics have a persistent driving force on an organism's actions and thoughts, having this in mind, specific behaviour manifestations will change depending on the circumstances [
3]. Personality models differ in their overall knowledge of nature and the number of basic elements that influence behaviour [
4].
Recent theoretical developments have revealed that existing personality models include numerous qualities that fall into the broad approach dimension, such as extraversion for McCrae & Costa, the Behavioural Approach System for Corr, liveliness for Cattell, positive emotionality for Tellegen, neuroticism for McCrae and Costa, emotional stability for Cattell, the Behavioural Inhibition System for Corr, and negative emotionality for Tellegen [
5].
For decades, one of the most popular ideas in literature has been McCrae & Costa's methods. For instance, the Big Five personality factors refer to a hierarchical organization of five basic dimensions of personality features. These factors are [a] Neuroticism, [b] Extraversion, [c] Openness to Experience, [d] Agreeableness, and [e] Conscientiousness [
6].
McCrae and Costa stated the link between basic and characteristic trends, they stated that the core of their theory is "the distinction between fundamental tendencies and typical adaptations, the very difference we have to make on personality stability" [
7].
Human conduct reveals a particular endeavour that a person complies with to achieve their needs. The demands of the endeavour are various, and they might push the individual to commit acts that are socially unacceptable or, on the contrary, perform actions that are praise-worthy [
8].
There are growing appeals Human conduct. Aggression in teenagers nowadays is one of the most frequent concerns. In recent years, the degree of aggressiveness and violence among teenagers has dramatically grown [
9].
The current research focuses on identifying the relationship between the Big Five personality factors and aggressive among school students from the age category of [12-16 years] in the Jenin governorate.
To achieve the research study goals, a prior assessment of the Big Five personality factors and aggressive were tested. Then, the associations between them are examined.
Aggression
Schools seek to provide a secure learning environment and avoid mishaps. Inappropriate conduct, intimidation, bullying, stealing, and hostility are just a few examples of unwanted behaviours from students. That is why schools invest in a strong trusting connection, a nice working environment, and clear guidelines for how you should treat one another. But also, through recognizing and responding to unacceptable behaviour in a timely manner.
Several theoretical models have suggested a link between aggressive cognitions and violent conduct in the past, with aggressive cognitions seen as a link between furious emotions and aggressive action. [
16].
Aggressive cognitions relate to a mindset that involves a disdain for and unfavorable assessment of others, cynicism, and mistrust [
17], While stereotypes induce expectations about intergroup affect [emotional bias] and conduct [action readiness]. In like manner, emotions are the most important proximal effect on how stereotypes are converted into action [
18].
According to Karneli, Neviyarni & Yulidar [
19], aggressive conduct is physical or verbal behaviour that is meant to hurt or injure other people, causing pain and both physical and psychological discomfort. Over-aggression can range from verbal hostility to killing, and there have been several examples of physical and verbal abuse.
Aggressive behaviours have been a major focus in the health promotion of children and adolescents across the world. It has been proven that bully behaviours impact at least 8% of children worldwide, with around 50% of them including aggressiveness. Behavioural issues such as adolescent disobedience, adult aggression, and criminal activity may stem from early childhood exposures to aggressive behaviours [
20].
Aggressive behaviour of school-age children arises at the age of 6–14 years old in the form of anger, irritation, envy, greed, jealousy, and the desire to criticize [
21].
Failures in a child's formation as a person are one of the primary causes of aggressive conduct, whether he is 3-4 years old, 10, or a teenager [
22], The comparative studies identify the following economic, family, school, and social variables as the primary drivers of aggressive /violence. [
23]
There are many forms of aggressive behavior and vary according to the theoretical approaches that explain aggressive behavior, such as Delut in [
24] and Buss in [
21].
The researcher chose three manifestations of aggressive behavior in her research study, which are aggressive behavior towards oneself, aggressive behavior towards others, and aggressive behavior towards property.
3. Results
3.1. The level of aggression
The researcher used One Sample T-Test to calculate levels of aggression, [See
Table 3]
The research found that, on average, the level of aggression among school students in the age group [12-16 years] in Jenin Governorate; t [308] = 3.4, p = .001.
From table [3], it is clear that the manifestations of aggressive behaviour as seen by the sample members appeared among middle school students aged [12–16] in Jenin governorate, with an arithmetic mean of [1.93] and a standard deviation of [.67] on the total score of the domains and its Low. Where the arithmetic averages of the study indicated that individuals' responses to the domains ranged between [2.19-1.6]
With regard to the ranking of the domains, the highest average of individuals’ responses to the domain of Verbal and physically aggressive behaviour towards oneself, where the arithmetic means were [2.19, SD = .81] and are Low grade, and in the second rank, Aggressive behaviour towards others, where the arithmetic mean was [1.88, SD = .78] and are low grade, while in the third rank, the area of aggressive behaviour towards the property, where it had arithmetic mean of [1.69, SD = .67] and are very low grade.
3.2. The most common major personal factors
The researcher used Mauchly's Test of Sphericity to adjust the degrees of freedom for the averaged tests of significance. Mauchly’s test indicated that the assumption of sphericity had been violated, χ2 [9] = 52.351, p < .05. Therefore, degrees of freedom were corrected using Huynh–Feldt estimates of sphericity [ε = .940].
The difference between the means is statistically significant, F = [6.76, 1161.7] = 19.57, p = 0.000 The statistically significant differences between the arithmetic averages of the Big Five personality traits [p = 0.000].
Table 4.
Tests of Within-Subjects Contrasts.
Table 4.
Tests of Within-Subjects Contrasts.
Source |
Per |
Type III Sum of Squares |
df |
M S |
F |
P. |
Per |
N vs. C |
.686 |
1 |
.686 |
1.959 |
.163 |
E vs. C |
13.455 |
1 |
13.455 |
39.147 |
.000 |
O vs. C |
8.611 |
1 |
8.611 |
35.107 |
.000 |
A vs. C |
16.109 |
1 |
16.109 |
46.543 |
.000 |
Error(per) |
N vs. C |
108.210 |
309 |
.350 |
|
|
E vs. C |
106.205 |
309 |
.344 |
|
|
O vs. C |
75.792 |
309 |
.245 |
|
|
A vs. C |
106.947 |
309 |
.346 |
|
|
When the four factors are compared, it is evident that the conscientiousness component is the most prevalent, followed by the neurotic factor by a tiny difference, and the other three factors are the least common.
the most common five major personality factors among middle school students aged 12–16 in Jenin Governorate are the Conscientiousness factor, with arithmetic, a mean of [3.70]. Then it is followed by the Neuroticism factor, with an arithmetic mean of [3.65]. In the third place, Openness [3.53] was followed by the Extraversion factor in the fourth place, with an arithmetic mean of [3.49], and in the fifth and last place was the Agreeableness factor, with an arithmetic mean of [3.47].
3.3. The Relationship between the Big Five Personality Factors and Aggression due to the Demographic Variables.
In order to know the relationship between aggression and the Big Five factors, gender, place of residence, and academic achievement, using the regression models in table [
5] were used. [The Big Five factors, gender, place of residence, and academic achievement] were considered as explanatory variables and aggression as a dependent variable.
Table 5.
Regression Result [stepwise].
Table 5.
Regression Result [stepwise].
Model |
Unstandardized Coefficients |
t |
P |
R |
R Square |
F |
P |
B |
Std. Error |
1 |
(Constant) |
3.360 |
.199 |
16.919 |
.000 |
.471 |
.222 |
56.419 |
.000 |
Conscientiousness |
-.033- |
.004 |
-7.511- |
.000 |
2 |
(Constant) |
2.386 |
.269 |
8.884 |
.000 |
.537 |
.289 |
43.833 |
.000 |
Conscientiousness |
-.042- |
.005 |
-9.193- |
.000 |
Neuroticism |
.031 |
.006 |
5.154 |
.000 |
3 |
(Constant) |
2.869 |
.273 |
10.527 |
.000 |
.580 |
.337 |
41.431 |
.000 |
Conscientiousness |
-.032- |
.005 |
-6.526- |
.000 |
Neuroticism |
.035 |
.006 |
5.979 |
.000 |
Agreeableness |
-.027- |
.005 |
-5.358- |
.000 |
4 |
(Constant) |
2.778 |
.264 |
10.509 |
.000 |
.601 |
.361 |
38.713 |
.000 |
Conscientiousness |
-.032- |
.005 |
-6.899- |
.000 |
Neuroticism |
.032 |
.006 |
5.522 |
.000 |
Agreeableness |
-.029- |
.005 |
-5.854- |
.000 |
place of residence |
.254 |
.054 |
4.692 |
.000 |
5 |
[27] |
2.991 |
.267 |
11.188 |
.000 |
.611 |
.373 |
34.357 |
.000 |
Conscientiousness |
-.029- |
.005 |
-6.232- |
.000 |
Neuroticism |
.033 |
.006 |
5.774 |
.000 |
Agreeableness |
-.029- |
.005 |
-6.147- |
.000 |
place of residence |
.234 |
.054 |
4.375 |
.000 |
academic achievement |
-.108- |
.032 |
-3.401- |
.001 |
6 |
[27] |
3.081 |
.268 |
11.499 |
.000 |
.618 |
.381 |
30.023 |
.000 |
Conscientiousness |
-.024- |
.005 |
-4.641- |
.000 |
Neuroticism |
.035 |
.006 |
6.177 |
.000 |
Agreeableness |
-.026- |
.005 |
-5.183- |
.000 |
place of residence |
.217 |
.054 |
4.045 |
.000 |
academic achievement |
-.096- |
.032 |
-3.002- |
.003 |
Openness |
-.014- |
.006 |
-2.387- |
.018 |
7 |
[27] |
2.972 |
.272 |
10.932 |
.000 |
.393 |
.155 |
26.606 |
.000 |
Conscientiousness |
-.026- |
.005 |
-4.931- |
.000 |
Neuroticism |
.037 |
.006 |
6.449 |
.000 |
Agreeableness |
-.029- |
.005 |
-5.557- |
.000 |
place of residence |
.201 |
.054 |
3.724 |
.000 |
academic achievement |
-.091- |
.032 |
-2.856- |
.005 |
Openness |
-.020- |
.007 |
-3.032- |
.003 |
Extraversion |
.011 |
.005 |
2.050 |
.041 |
The regression model results showed a statistically significant relationship between aggressiveness and the explanatory variables.
This can be inferred from the value of t and its associated significance. It shows the strength of the relationship between the dependent variable [aggressive] and the explanatory variables. And it takes into account the beta value, which shows the relationship between the aggressive variable and the explanatory variables.
When looking at the value of F and its significance, it can be concluded that the model is valid and that there is a correlation between aggressiveness and explanatory variables.
Thus, the results refer to the following equation:
Aggressive = 3.360 + -.033 * b + 2.386 *c + 2.869 * d + 2.778 * e + 2.991 * f + 3.081 * g + 2.972 * h
c. Predictors: [
27], C, N
d. Predictors: [
27], C, N, A
e. Predictors: [
27], C, N, A, place of residence
f. Predictors: [
27], C, N, A, place of residence, academic achievement
g. Predictors: [
27], C, N, A, place of residence, academic achievement, O
h. Predictors: [
27], C, N, A, place of residence, academic achievement, O, E
According to correlation between aggression and big five factors personality, proved to be negatively correlated with Extraversion [r = -.232; p < 0.01] and Openness [r = -.376; p < 0.01] and negatively with Agreeableness [r = -.385; p < 0.01] and Conscientiousness [r = -.393-; p < 0.01].
The researcher notes that the Neuroticism factor entered the regression equation, indicating the relationship with aggression. It did not have a statistically significant correlation in the correlation table, but in the regression results, the effect was positive and statistically significant [B = .031; p < 0.05].
Looking at Table [
5] [the variables included in the regression model], the gender variable is excluded because it does not affect the average responses of individuals on the scale.
The regression equation "academic achievement" was inserted, and the relationship was negative [B = -.108-, SE = .032, P < 0.05] statistically significant functions on the scale score at the p<.05. Given the data entered statistically from "weak" academic achievement to "excellent" academic achievement, the relationship is negative with aggression. Therefore, the higher the academic average, the less aggressive the student is.
The regression equation " place of living " was inserted, and the relationship was positive [B = .254, SE = .054, P < 0.05] statistically significant functions on the scale score at the p<.05. Given the data entered statistically from "camp" place of living to "city" place of living, the relationship is positive with aggression. Therefore, the higher the place of living, the most aggressive the student is.
4. Discussion
The results revealed that the conscientiousness factor was more prevalent among school students in the age range [12–16] in Jenin Governorate than the other five factors, with the neurotic factor ranking second. This shows that most students are motivated to succeed and endure in completing numerous assignments with merit and tenacity. However, some of the pupils exhibit neuroticism [impulsivity and hostility].
The results revealed that concerning the ranking of the domains, the highest average of individuals is responses to the domain of verbal and physically aggressive behaviour towards themselves and others. The third rank was the area of aggressive behaviour towards a property.
The findings indicated that Jenin Governorate middle school pupils had a very low level of aggressiveness on the overall scale in the three areas of aggression [aggressive behaviour against oneself, violent behaviour towards others, and hostile conduct towards property]. The findings are nearly identical to those of Saleh's [
8] study, which found moderate hostility among the [6–15] age range in the northern West Bank.
The study attributes this to parents who do everything in their efforts to raise their children correctly and soundly. Also, families' efforts to protect their children from anything that may cause behavioural deviation as well as to protect them from Israeli occupation practices in light of the conditions under which the Palestinian people live. School also aims to raise a conscious generation educated on good behaviour. The emergence of results about the family and the school may result from the existing cooperation between these two environments [the family and the school] because the school and the home are complementary to each other, and the school's keenness on behaviour before education.
Whereas animosity against oneself was higher than in the other groups, students are hiding psychological discomfort, which might be due to a lack of psychological unloading mechanisms in their lives.
When considering the correlations between the five factors of personality and aggression found in this study, there were significant positive relationships between neuroticism and aggression. As a result, people with high neuroticism scores are more likely to exhibit aggressive emotions and aggressive behaviour. In addition, it concurred with some of the findings of the Cavalcanti and Pimentel [
28] study. Their study found a positive association between aggression and neuroticism. It also stated that there is a negative relationship between aggression and conscientiousness. At the same time, the results differed with a positive relationship between aggressiveness, extroversion, and openness.
The relationship with the other four [extraversion [-], agreeableness [-], openness [-], and conscientiousness [-]] associated factors was inverse. This is to say, the higher the level of the factor in the personality, the less aggressive it was. This agrees with Gitonga, Chege, and Karuku's [
29] study, which showed a negative correlation between personality factors and aggression and agreed with Ang et al. [2004] study. According to the findings of Barlett and Anderson [
30], there are both direct and indirect correlations between violent behaviour and the five characteristics. The present study confirms this.
It agrees with Antoanzas's [
31] study of the existence of a correlation and the effect of the five major personality factors on aggression.
Results also stated that there is an inverse relationship between extroversion and aggression. In other words, the higher the extroversion, the less aggressive the person is, so that the person is introverted and their level of aggression increases. The researcher attributed this to psychological pressures experienced by the student, whether at home or school.
It is tied to the student's self-esteem; the lower his self-esteem, the more violent sentiments and hostile conduct he shows against himself, others, or his belongings.
According to social and educational culture, extroverted people are defined by friendliness, social politeness, and a degree of emotional equilibrium accompanying the situation and managing its actions, according to Bakhshi and Sharma's [
32] study.
However, to describe the three components of extroversion, openness, and conscientiousness that are adversely connected with aggressiveness, it may be stated that people with low extroversion scores are non-social and inactive. They do not wish to speak and express their feelings correctly.
People who lack openness do not embrace moral and social traits concepts and therefore have poorer health and behavioural stability. Furthermore, those who lack conscientiousness are non-purposeful, irregular, less conscientious, and less successful in managing their conduct [
33]. It agreed with the study of Kokkinos, Karagianni, & Voulgaridou [
27] that adolescents with poor conscientiousness were more likely to engage in reactive relational aggression when they made hostile attributions to relational provocations.
As a result, people with less control over their conduct are more prone to exhibiting violence. They also had a weak propensity to experience fear, a combination of low empathy, contempt for, and lack of intimate ties with others, leading to excessive proactive aggressiveness.
Neurotic people can have excessive emotional and behavioural responses. Because they are worried and easily agitated, they are predisposed to mental disease when emotional stress increases. As a result, they are more aggressive than people who exhibit emotional equilibrium. According to the findings of Gitonga, Chege and Karuku [
29], various personality types would react to circumstances in either an aggressive or non-aggressive manner. People who are unable to resist their urges and temptations and engage in aggressive conduct are considered to have high degrees of neurosis. Furthermore, excessive flexibility can occasionally lead to violent conduct [
33].
The agreeableness component describes people who are inclined toward interpersonal interactions and the needs of others. Trust, straightforwardness, altruism, compliance, humility, and tender-heartedness are all aspects of agreeableness. Antagonism is the polar opposite of agreeableness. Furthermore, people with high antagonism tend to mistrust and have a poor regard for others, and as a result, they act in ways that exclude or snub those who are despised or inferior. Antagonistic people may lack emotional expressiveness and interpersonal attachment—"they are frigid or cold, disdainful, heartless, and unfeeling." [
34].
Surprisingly, data suggests that the existence of high neuroticism may not be sufficient on its own to encourage aggressive and violent conduct but must be combined with low agreeableness. Thus, one interpretation of the interaction between neuroticism and agreeableness is that high neuroticism makes the individual more sensitive to situational triggers such as provocations or perceived insults, which may facilitate hostile and aggressive behaviour when combined with low agreeableness. In turn, this might contribute to the detrimental influence on mental health associated with high neuroticism, since frequent aggressive and confrontational encounters with others may negatively reinforce the propensity to view the world and others' motives [
35].
The findings revealed no statistically significant differences [a = 0.05] in the averages of students' replies on the overall scale based on gender. The result agreed with the study of Al-Damour [
36].
The researcher attributes this reason to the fact that both genders have relatively complete freedom in expressing their feelings and behaviour. Also, they have openness to the world. Education helps in that, no matter how different the manifestations of aggressive behaviour between the sexes are, it eventually falls under aggressive behaviour.
It can be said that the similarity of the social environment and the public policy in which both sexes live helped ensure that there was no difference between them.
The findings revealed an effect statistically significant of the Big Five personality factors on aggression at the significance level [α = 0.05] among school students from the age category of [12-16 years] in the Jenin governorate due to the variable academic achievement.
The impact favoured low academic achievement, and aggressiveness rates were lower among kids with high academic achievement. The study by Barthelemy and Lounsbury [2009] demonstrates this and is consistent with Barthelemy's [
37] study on the relationship between aggressiveness and student achievement scores.
Studies confirm the positive predictive relationship between school refusal and high levels of aggressive behaviour. As a result of these behaviours, characterized by a lack of emotional control, violent conduct may arise as a method of escape. How an individual responds in different situations may impact the expression of emotions such as rage or aggression, raising the chance of impulsive or violent conduct that may result in school rejection. As a result, emotionally susceptible children may behave aggressively to cope with difficult school settings. They exhibit symptoms of anxiety and depression [
38].
In terms of predictive analysis, school refusal serves as a positive and statistically significant predictor of violence. The link between the two variables implies that, in most cases, the various causes of school rejection operate as predictors of high aggressiveness scores.
The findings revealed a favourable association between the averages of the students' responses and the overall score on the scale in favour of the city's pupils. The results showed high levels of aggressive behaviour among the students of the city's residents compared to the students of the camp and the village.
This may be attributed to the peculiarity of the city of Jenin in the face of repeated attacks by the occupation on a frequent basis.
Where the occupation stormed the city of Jenin and abused its residents, made its youth prisoners, and caused the martyrdom of others.
In fact, when such confrontations occur between the occupation and the youth in general, especially those aged 11–14, the temperamental, volatile, and unbalanced moods are exacerbated in some different situations in everyday life.
The loss and martyrdom of a person affect individuals as a whole from pent-up grief that comes out in a negative way in one way or another.