Aggression: Behavior aimed at harming others

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• Aggression Behavior aimed at harming others

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• Categories of Aggressive Behavior
• Hostile Aggression
• Goal is to harm or injure a victim (physically,
  psychologically, or by destroying work/property)

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• Instrumental Aggression
• Goal is to gain access to objects, space, or
  privileges
• Ex Knocking a child over and taking a toy away

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• Developmental Trends in Aggression
• Conflicts between infants over objects are common
  between 12 and 18 months, but most do not involve
  aggression
• At around 18 months of age, physical aggression
  begins and increases in frequency until about age
  2 or 3
• Exs hitting, pushing

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• Beginning at about 3 years, physical aggression
  decreases and verbal aggression increases (as
  language skills increase)
• Exs insults, taunting

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• During the preschool years (3-5), conflict over
  possessions is one of the most common causes of
  aggression
• Typically instrumental aggression
• Preschoolers sometimes also use relational
  aggression (one type of verbal aggression)
• Intent to harm others by damaging their peer
  relations
• Ex excluding peers from a play activity or group

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• Stability of Aggression
• Aggression is moderately stable over time

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• Factors Related to Individual Differences in
  Aggression in Young Children
• Temperament
• Infants and toddlers who are high in distress and
  demanding are more likely to have higher levels
  of problem behaviors from the preschool years on
• Preschoolers who are high in activity level, high
  in distress, and low in attention
  span/persistence are more likely to show
  aggressive behavior and other problem behaviors
  later in life

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• Parental punitiveness
• Frequent harsh (but nonabusive) physical
  punishment is related to problem behaviors
  including aggression
• Especially true if parents are also low in
  sensitivity/ responsiveness and use other forms
  of power-assertive discipline frequently
• Form of discipline in which an adult relies on
  his/her greater power over the child
• Ex physical punishment statements like
  Because I said so!

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• Parental Conflict
• Children exposed to frequent verbal conflict
  and/or physical violence between parents are more
  likely to show aggressive behavior, especially
  if
• Parents attack each other and then withdraw (no
  resolution)
• Parental conflict affects parenting behavior
  negativelyparents are less sensitive/responsive
  to children