Synonyms
Definition
Physical aggression is behavior causing or threatening physical harm towards others. It includes hitting, kicking, biting, using weapons, and breaking toys or other possessions.
Description
Developmental Course
Most children display their highest levels of physical aggression in toddlerhood and show a decline in these behaviors with age. Physical aggression seems to be present as early as 12 months of age in at least half of children, and shows a normative increase in the second year of life that persists through the third year and begins to decrease around age 4 years [1]. In fact, research generally shows four distinct trajectories of physical aggression. In the two most common trajectories, making up as many as 80% of children, physical aggression is either high or moderate early on and declines to a low or almost zero level. A third trajectory includes children who...
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Kaye, A.J., Erdley, C.A. (2011). Physical Aggression. In: Goldstein, S., Naglieri, J.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_2156
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_2156
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