Beyond the individual: A consideration of context for the development of aggression

Historically, the focus for research on children’s aggression primarily has been on the characteristics of aggressors with a relatively recent interest in the characteristics of the victims of aggression as well. The present paper urges for the examination of aggression at multiple levels of social complexity particularly in terms of relationships and groups. A conceptual framework for engaging in this analysis is offered and a selective review of research is provided to demonstrate the utility of considering broader contextual factors in the study of children’s aggression.