Although theoretical and empirical evidence suggests that cognitions play a significant role in shaping aggressive responses, causal relations between cognitions and other predictors of aggression (e.g., past behavior, arousal, personality traits) are unclear. This study attempted to predict aggression in an experimental setting, using the Ajzen-Fishbein Theory of Reasoned Action. Fifty-one patients in a federal forensic hospital role-played aggressive behavior. Independent measures included cognitive components of the Ajzen-Fishbein model (attitude toward the behavior, subjective norm, and intention); personality measures of aggressiveness; self-report measures of anger and arousal; and indices of past behavior collected from archival data. Results from path analysis and multiple regressions suggested that (a) cognitive variables only partially mediated aggressive behavior; (b) arousal and trait anger exerted significant effects on aggression, independent of the cognitive components of the Ajzen-Fishbein model. Implications for theory and research are discussed.
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