A child who purposefully goads another child into tears is exhibiting which type of aggression?

A child who purposefully goads another child into tears is exhibiting which type of aggression?

• A. Relational aggression
• B. Instrumental aggression
• C. Hostile aggression
• D. Prosocial behavior

Answer: (C)

Understand that this question is about why a child’s aggression is driven by anger and the wish to hurt another, rather than by getting something or shaping relationships. Goading someone into tears shows a clear intent to cause emotional harm. That fits hostile aggression, which is aggression driven by anger and aimed at hurting someone else. It’s not primarily about achieving a concrete goal (that would be instrumental aggression), nor is it primarily about damaging social connections or status (that would be relational aggression). And it isn’t prosocial behavior, which is help or cooperative action. So the action described reflects hostile aggression.

Understand that this question is about why a child’s aggression is driven by anger and the wish to hurt another, rather than by getting something or shaping relationships.

Goading someone into tears shows a clear intent to cause emotional harm. That fits hostile aggression, which is aggression driven by anger and aimed at hurting someone else. It’s not primarily about achieving a concrete goal (that would be instrumental aggression), nor is it primarily about damaging social connections or status (that would be relational aggression). And it isn’t prosocial behavior, which is help or cooperative action. So the action described reflects hostile aggression.