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... > social science subjects > psychology > behavior mechanisms > behavior (psychology) > antisocial behavior > cruelty > mental cruelty
... > social science subjects > criminology and criminal justice > crimes and offenses > antisocial behavior > cruelty > mental cruelty
... > social science subjects > psychology > behavior mechanisms > human development > mental health, mental disorders, and special groups > antisocial behavior > cruelty > mental cruelty
... > social science subjects > psychology > social psychology > antisocial behavior > cruelty > mental cruelty
social science subjects > sociology > social problems > cruelty > mental cruelty
... > contexts > demography > family characteristics > marital status > divorce > cultural sociology of divorce > risks for and causes of divorce > mental cruelty
... > contexts > population characteristics > health > public health > epidemiologic measurements > demography > family characteristics > marital status > divorce > cultural sociology of divorce > risks for and causes of divorce > mental cruelty
... > contexts > population characteristics > demography > family characteristics > marital status > divorce > cultural sociology of divorce > risks for and causes of divorce > mental cruelty
... > contexts > population characteristics > socioeconomic factors > family characteristics > marital status > divorce > cultural sociology of divorce > risks for and causes of divorce > mental cruelty

Preferred term

mental cruelty  

Definition

  • In the early 1800s, families were viewed as the foundation of social order, and a husband or wife seeking divorce by claiming mental agony would need physical proof to substantiate that violent acts had occurred. In the mid-1800s, courts recognized that any harsh behavior, whatever its nature, that destroyed the health of a spouse constituted cruelty. [Source: Cultural Sociology of Divorce: An Encyclopedia; Mental Cruelty]

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URI

https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/mental_cruelty

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