ABSTRACT
In order to examine questions of whether and to what degree aggression is adaptive or maladaptive, an important consideration is why the aggression is enacted. As we describe in more detail in the following section, researchers have described various forms of aggression (i.e., the act itself) as well as their functions (i.e., why it was enacted). The most common function-related distinction is that between instrumental and reactive aggression. Instrumental aggression generally refers to agonistic acts that are planful and goal-oriented. Reactive aggression generally refers to agonistic acts that are enacted in response to perceived threats and is characterized by a degree of emotional dysregulation.
