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Aggression, according to social psychology, describes any behavior or act aimed at harming a person or animal or damaging physical property. A few examples of aggressive acts:
You’ll often come across “aggression and violence” sandwiched together as one inseparable term. It’s true that aggression and violence often coincide, but they are, in fact, two different things. Violence refers to extreme physical aggression intended to cause serious harm. To put it another way, aggression doesn’t always involve violence, but violence always involves aggression. Say that you get angry with your brother during an argument and throw your book across the room in frustration. You didn’t mean to hit him, but the book smacks his head, leaving a bruise. That would be an act of physical aggression, but not necessarily violence. On the other hand, if you shove your brother into a wall and then hit him with the goal of hurting him, that would be an act of violence. Aggressive behavior doesn’t just violate social boundaries. It can also affect relationships and even have professional or legal consequences. Recognizing the ways aggression shows up in your life can help you take steps toward addressing it, along with anger and any other emotions that might play a part. Below, we’ll explore the types and potential causes of aggression, plus offer some guidance on when it’s time to get support. Aggression is usually divided into two categories. Impulsive aggressionThis type of aggression, also known as emotional or affective aggression, tends to stem directly from emotions you experience in the moment. It might instead feel uncontrollable or seem to come from nowhere. If you can’t access the person or thing upsetting you, then you might redirect this aggression toward something or someone you can access — including yourself. Examples of impulsive aggression:
Instrumental aggressionThis type of aggression, also known as cognitive aggression, involves planning and intent, typically to achieve a specific desire or goal. All aggression involves a degree of intent to harm someone that doesn’t want to be harmed. But acts of instrumental aggression generally involve more calculation and purpose, without any loss of control. Examples of instrumental aggression:
As you may have noticed, aggression can take many forms. Sometimes it’s more secretive and subtle than obvious and direct. So, you might not even realize certain behaviors count as aggression. Aggression does often involve physical or verbal harm, but it can also involve coercion or manipulation:
You might notice aggressive behavior happens when:
Where does anger come in? Signs of aggression in children and teensChildren and teenagers won’t always show aggression in the same ways as adults. Along with physical actions like kicking, hitting, and pushing, aggression in a child might involve:
Aggression in teenagers might involve:
While there’s a lot of overlap between aggression and abuse, these are two different concepts. Abuse involves a desire to take and hold power and control. It also:
Learn the signs of emotional abuse. Aggression generally wouldn’t be considered abusive when the aggressive behavior:
That said, aggressive behavior can certainly count as abuse. Think of it this way: Not all aggression is abuse, but all abuse is aggression. Aggression usually doesn’t have one single specific cause. Rather, evidence suggests a number of factors can contribute to aggressive behavior. Biological factorsBrain chemistry and other biological factors that might play a part in aggression include:
Psychological factorsAggressive behavior can sometimes happen as a symptom of certain mental health conditions, including: Of course, aggression doesn’t always mean you have a mental health condition, nor does having a mental health diagnosis automatically mean you’ll behave aggressively toward others. Environmental factorsCircumstances and challenges in your everyday life and environment can also contribute to aggressive behavior. Aggression can happen as a natural response to stress, fear, or a sense of losing control. You might also respond with aggression when you feel frustrated, mistreated, or unheard — especially if you never learned how to manage your emotions effectively. You might also be more likely to behave aggressively if your upbringing exposed you to aggression and violence. This could happen if you:
What causes aggression in children and teens?While most of the above causes can also apply to young children and adolescents, other factors can also contribute to childhood aggression. Children often have trouble expressing emotions in words, for one, so a child who feels afraid, suspicious, or frustrated might lash out aggressively instead of clearly communicating how they feel. It’s also worth keeping in mind that young children haven’t fully learned to respect boundaries and the rights of others. Children who witness aggression, then, might learn to express themselves through aggression and violence. Mental health conditions that commonly affect children, including ADHD and autism, can also play a part in aggressive behavior. Children and teens with these conditions might:
Children and teens with depression also often experience anger and irritability as the main symptoms. You might notice these feelings in their everyday mood, but anger and irritability can also show up as aggressive behavior toward others. It’s human to become frustrated and upset from time to time, and these emotions could easily lead you to respond with aggressive behavior in certain situations. Working to develop and practice stronger emotion regulation skills can make a big difference, absolutely. But reaching out to a mental health professional is always a good option when aggressive behavior:
Getting help for aggression sooner rather than later is essential because aggressive behavior can easily cause lasting physical or emotional harm to other people, animals, and even you. The best treatment for aggressive behavior depends on the underlying cause, but a therapist can always offer more guidance with identifying triggers and contributing factors. Therapy offers a safe, judgment-free space to: Types of therapy for aggressionA therapist might recommend different therapy approaches, depending on any underlying mental health symptoms you experience.
In some cases, a therapist might also recommend working with a psychiatrist to explore medication options for aggression. Some psychotropic medications may help ease aggressive thoughts and behaviors that happen with mental health conditions. These include antipsychotics like risperidone (Risperdal) and haloperidol and mood stabilizers like carbamazepine (Tegretol), lithium, and valproic acid. If you don’t experience any mental health symptoms, your therapist may suggest connecting with a healthcare professional who can help rule out health concerns and other medical causes of aggression. In most cases, aggressive behavior happens for a reason. Identifying the main causes of aggression can make it easier to avoid potentially triggering situations, which can certainly make a difference. Keep in mind, though, that you can’t avoid every possible trigger. That’s why taking steps to directly change your behavior may do more to help prevent aggression in the future. A therapist can teach strategies to better manage your emotions and maintain control, which can lead to more helpful and productive communication. Last medically reviewed on March 3, 2022 Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. Mar 3, 2022 Medically Reviewed By Bethany Juby, PsyD Sep 18, 2019 By Amber Erickson Gabbey, Crystal Raypole Copy Edited By Stassi Myer - CE |