The Social Context of Children’s Aggression

Researchers and philosophers have long pondered the nature and origins of aggression among humans, but it is only recently that we have begun to understand the diverse forms that aggressive behavior can take as well as the complexity of its development. The goal of this chapter is to review current conceptualizations of aggression, with particular interest in how aggression varies as a function of both gender and development. Against this backdrop, we argue for a broader perspective on the socialization of aggression, which more fully considers the social context in which it develops and the influence of peers.