ABSTRACT
Despite a great deal of research, the prevailing controversy about sex differences in the nature, causes, and course of aggressive behavior is far from resolved. More important, the mechanisms by which sociocultural factors interface with individual differences in the development of female aggression remains poorly understood. The authors of the two preceding studies provide valuable and diverse perspectives on some of the current issues relevant to the study of girlhood aggression. Giving voice to girls who engage in aggressive behavior, the studies by Xie and the Cairns (chap. 5) as well as by Artz (chap. 6) touch on key issues in our conceptualization of what female aggression is all about and how it develops from childhood through adolescence. Their contributions highlight a complex interplay of interpersonal and social factors influencing girls’ life experiences.
