We’ve all witnessed an act of aggression at some point. Whether in real life, on television or even through a novel, violence is an element that continues to be part of our society even today. But we often make the mistake of identifying aggression with physical attack.

Although obviously an act of physical violence that is intentional and aimed at harming another is an aggression, we can also observe other types of acts that can be considered as such. We are talking about different types of aggression , which we are going to talk about throughout this article.

  • Related article: “The Neurological Basis of Aggressive Behavior”

Aggression: understanding the basic concept

In order to understand the existence of differences between different types of aggression, it is first necessary to know what this concept refers to and what implications it has.

We understand as aggression to all that act of violence characterized by provoking intentional damage to a person, be it direct or indirect. Although as we have indicated before it is traditionally associated with physical violence, aggression does not have to be limited to it or it is even possible that there is no physical element in the act of aggression.

The damage can be physical, psychological, sexual, property or symbolic, and can have a number of serious effects on the health or integrity of the victim.

It is possible to find a large number of classifications regarding the different types of aggression. Examples are according to their nature, target or victim.

1. Types of aggression according to their nature

There are many ways to classify the different types of aggressions that exist. One of the most common is that which takes into account the nature of the aggression. In turn, these can be classified into two large groups, although generally the categories are not totally exclusive of each other .

1.1. Direct aggression

Direct aggression is any type of aggression that is carried out in a way that is perceptible to the person being assaulted, whether on a physical or psychological level. This includes both the direct exercise of the aggression and the threat to carry it out, needing at least the aggressor and the assaulted person in that relationship. The aggrieved person is completely capable of identifying his/her aggressor . From adolescence onwards, it tends to be more frequent in boys.

1.2. Physical aggression

Any act that involves the voluntary and intentional cause of direct damage generated through any physical means and with the capacity to generate personal injury to the person attacked. The injuries caused may be temporary or permanent and appear both in the short and long term, with consequences that may even be fatal. Physical aggression tends to be more associated with the male sex.

1.3. Verbal/psychological aggression

It is understood as such all those acts and actions that, although they do not generate a damage at a physical level, they do cause or intend to cause in the person who suffers the aggression some type of mental or emotional damage . It includes insults, humiliation and devaluation. In this sense, this type of direct violence is usually more distributed between the sexes. Statistically, it is one of the most practiced by women.

1.4. Sexual assault

Type of assault in which the aggressor forces or coerces the aggrieved party to have some kind of sexual contact (whether or not there is penetration) or deprives him/her of the freedom to decide. Includes both rape and groping , pushing or pulling out of the condom without consent/knowledge of the fact. Although in recent years there has been an increase in female cases, the majority of sex offenders are male.

1.5. Indirect aggression

Indirect aggression is understood as any act of aggression that is carried out in an indirect manner, causing damage to the aggressor in an anonymous manner (although the latter may recognize the aggressor). This type of attack is becoming more and more widespread, and is the most frequent in women from adolescence onwards, both at the academic and work levels. It includes the dissemination of rumours and slander , anonymous or publication of websites and messages that are humiliating and ridiculous.

1.6. Relational aggression

Form of indirect aggression based on the social exclusion caused to the person attacked, or on causing damage to his reputation through slander . It is usually of a verbal or psychological nature.

1.7. Cyber-aggression

While it can be included in some of the above groups (both indirect and direct), the main distinguishing feature of cyber-aggression is the use of information and communication technologies. Through it we can find attacks on social networks, identity theft, coercion, account theft, defamatory publications, non-consensual recordings (including that of possible aggressions carried out with the victim), etc.

1.8. Assault on property

This type of assault is based on the destruction or damage to the possessions of the person being assaulted. It can also be seen as theft or usurpation. It may or may not be aimed at causing harm to the subject of the attack, especially if the possessions are of high emotional value or it has taken a great deal of effort to obtain them. In fact, it may be both indirect and direct (as the destruction may or may not be covert).

1.9. Symbolic aggression

Type of indirect aggression characterized by the fact that the attack is not carried out directly on the victim, but on elements that symbolize aspects linked to him or her such as religion, politics, sexual orientation or nationality.

2. According to your objective

In addition to the main aggressions mentioned above, we can also find other types of aggression depending on the objective they pursue.

2.1. Hostile Aggression

This type of aggression refers to all those actions mainly aimed at inflicting some kind of damage to a person, so that the damage is the main objective of the aggressor .

2.2. Instrumental aggression

On this occasion, the aggressive act is not intended to generate damage to the person attacked, not being the suffering or discomfort of the other what is intended , but what motivates the attack is the obtaining of some kind of gain or benefit from the attack. An example could be economic gain, social approval or the acquisition of a position of dominance and power.

2.3. Induced aggression

This is a type of aggressive act in which the aggressor acts moved by other people or by factors such as fear or the attempt to escape from some highly aversive situation.

3. Depending on the victim

Different types of aggression can also be observed depending on who the person to whom the act of violence is directed is.

3.1. Self-inflicted aggression

An act of aggression is defined as any act in which the victim is the same person who causes the aggression. That is to say, it is an attack on oneself that can be motivated by a great number of causes. This may include self-harm caused by persons with different pathologies or suicide.

3.2. Interpersonal aggression

This is the most classic and well-known type of aggression, in which one person voluntarily inflicts damage on another.

3.3. Collective aggression

A type of aggression characterized by inter-group attacks by one group on another. The objective of the aggression may be variable, in many cases there is hatred, stigmatization and attempts to eliminate the other group. In this type of aggression we could include events as serious as genocides.

4. Depending on the context in which it occurs

Another possible classification of attacks may come from the context in which they occur. In this sense, we can find among others the following

4.1. Domestic and partner violence

This type of interpersonal aggression can be separated from the rest by the fact that has the characteristic of occurring within the same family or between people who in principle maintain an affective bond. Domestic violence can take many forms, being mainly of a direct nature either at the level of physical, psychological or even sexual aggression.

4.2. Aggression in the workplace

All those acts of aggression produced in the context of work. We can include in it the presence of physical, verbal or even sexual aggressions between employees with the same rank or those that occur taking advantage of the difference in rank and position within the company.

4.3. School aggression

On this occasion we refer to acts of aggression carried out in the academic field between students or between students and teachers. We can observe among others the presence of bullying .