In a school, a few middle school girls bully two primary school girls by commanding them to tear the books of their classmates while the class was out, for music/dance period. This kind of aggression is known as:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Proactive aggression
Children with conduct disorder show many types of aggressive behaviour.
Option (1) Verbal aggression — Incorrect. Verbal aggression is aggression in words, name-calling and swearing. The older girls give orders, but the harm lies in making the younger girls tear books, not in insulting words.
Option (2) Physical aggression — Incorrect. Physical aggression means hitting and fighting. No one is hit or attacked in the case.
Option (3) Hostile aggression — Incorrect. Hostile aggression is directed at inflicting injury to others. The books are damaged, but the older girls are not out to injure anyone; their act is one of control over the younger girls.
Option (4) Proactive aggression — Correct. Proactive aggression is dominating and bullying others without provocation. The middle school girls, unprovoked, bully two primary school girls and command them to tear their classmates’ books.
NCERT (2025-26): “Disruptive, Impulse-Control and Conduct Disorders … The terms conduct disorder and antisocial behaviour refer to age-inappropriate actions and attitudes that violate family expectations, societal norms, and the personal or property rights of others. The behaviours typical of conduct disorder include aggressive actions that cause or threaten harm to people or animals, non-aggressive conduct that causes property damage, major deceitfulness or theft, and serious rule violations. Children show many different types of aggressive behaviour, such as verbal aggression (i.e. name-calling, swearing), physical aggression (i.e. hitting, fighting), hostile aggression (i.e. directed at inflicting injury to others), and proactive aggression (i.e. dominating and bullying others without provocation).…” |