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Aggressive Behavior: Clinical Aspects

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Encyclopedia of Psychopharmacology
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Synonyms

Aggressiveness; Aggressive behavior; Agonistic behavior; Impulsive aggression; Violence

Definition

Behavior by an individual directed at another person or object in which either verbal force or physical force is used to injure, coerce, or express anger.

Role of Pharmacotherapy

Types of Clinical Aggression

Human aggression constitutes a multidetermined act that results in physical or verbal injury to self, others, or objects. It appears in several forms and may be defensive, premeditated (e.g., predatory), or impulsive (e.g., nonpremeditated) in nature. Defensive aggression is generally seen as dictated by particular external realities and within the normal range of human behavior. Premeditated and impulsive aggressive behaviors are commonly viewed as pathological. Specific acts of aggression may be situational, but the tendency to behave aggressively represents a behavioral trait. While the frequency of aggressive acts tends to decrease with advancing age, numerous studies...

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References

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Correspondence to Emil F. Coccaro .

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© 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Coccaro, E.F. (2010). Aggressive Behavior: Clinical Aspects. In: Stolerman, I.P. (eds) Encyclopedia of Psychopharmacology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-68706-1_55

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