Code of the Invalidated? Anderson's Street Code, Emotional Invalidation, and Intimate Partner Violence

• In Event: Health, Well-being, and Emotions

Abstract

Elijah Anderson’s Code of the Street shows how “street-oriented” attitudes emphasizing respect and toughness foster violence. We argue, however, that beneath such behaviors sit deeper emotional wounds. Specifically, emotional invalidation, or perceiving one’s thoughts, feelings, or behaviors as dismissed or misunderstood, may leave marginalized communities in a cognitive state of survival rather than safety, thereby fueling aggression. Using survey data from 724 Black and Latino adults aged 18–35, we examine the relationship between street code beliefs and intimate partner violence (IPV), with attention to emotional invalidation. Consistent with past research, results indicate that street code beliefs are positively associated with IPV. Where this study departs from past studies is the finding that this relationship is fully attenuated when emotional invalidation is considered. These results suggest that the violence linked to the street code might not solely reflect an inevitable byproduct of structural disadvantage, but instead may be better understood as trauma-induced worldviews rooted in expectations of invalidation. We situate these results within a trauma-informed framework, emphasizing the importance of validation in reducing emotional intensity and perceived social threat.

Authors

• Christopher Richard Dennison, University at Buffalo

• Sirat Kaur, University at Buffalo

• Egbert Zavala, The University of Texas at El Paso