Tweens Behavior & Emotions Social Aggression By Rebecca Fraser-Thill Rebecca Fraser-Thill LinkedIn Twitter Rebecca Fraser-Thill holds a Master's Degree in developmental psychology and writes about child development and tween parenting. Learn about our editorial process Updated on June 06, 2021 Fact checked by Cara Lustik Fact checked by Cara Lustik LinkedIn Cara Lustik is a fact-checker and copywriter. She has more than 15 years of experience crafting stories in the branding, licensing, and entertainment industries. Learn about our editorial process Print ONOKY - Brooke Auchincloss / Brand X Pictures / Getty Images Social aggression refers to intentionally harming someone using nonphysical means. It is a nearly synonymous term to relational aggression. The following are the most common forms of social aggression used during the tween years. Relationship Manipulation One form of social aggression is relationship manipulation. Relationship manipulation tends to be subtle, with the tween doing things behind a friend's back that threaten the integrity of the friendship. For instance, a tween might tell a friend's secrets in order to gain new friends and to undercut the existing friendship. Meanwhile, she acts like everything is fine with the existing friend and may even attempt to elicit more secrets so that she can pass them along. Social Aggression in Teen Girls Social Exclusion Social exclusion can be verbal or nonverbal. Methods of nonverbal social exclusion include ignoring someone or deliberately leaving someone out of plans. Verbal social exclusion typically involves attempts to actively turn others against someone. A tween may even become friends with someone—usually an enemy—as an act of revenge and further exclusion against the former friend. Social Aggression Reputation Attacking Reputation attacking tends to be a particularly overt form of social aggression. Perhaps not coincidentally, it is the one type of relational aggression that boys tend to engage in more than girls. It can be done subtly, however, such as by spreading rumors and concealing their source. This may especially occur online since it's easier to remain anonymous in cyberspace than in person. Using Demeaning Gestures Social aggression also can take the form of demeaning facial and bodily gestures. For instance, a tween might imitate the person behind her back, roll her eyes, or give dirty looks to the person. Whether these gestures are noticed by the victim or simply seen by others, they have the effect of intentionally harming the individual. 5 Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Ehrenreich SE, Beron KJ, Underwood MK. Social and physical aggression trajectories from childhood through late adolescence: Predictors of psychosocial maladjustment at age 18. Dev Psychol. 2016;52(3):457-462. doi:10.1037/dev0000094 Leff SS, Waasdorp TE, Crick NR. A Review of Existing Relational Aggression Programs: Strengths, Limitations, and Future Directions. School Psych Rev. 2010;39(4):508-535. Lynn Mulvey K, Boswell C, Zheng J. Causes and Consequences of Social Exclusion and Peer Rejection Among Children and Adolescents. Rep Emot Behav Disord Youth. 2017;17(3):71-75. Smith RL, Rose AJ, Schwartz-Mette RA. Relational and Overt Aggression in Childhood and Adolescence: Clarifying Mean-Level Gender Differences and Associations with Peer Acceptance. Social Development. 2010;19(2):243-269. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9507.2009.00541.x Banny AM, Heilbron N, Ames A, Prinstein MJ. Relational benefits of relational aggression: adaptive and maladaptive associations with adolescent friendship quality. Dev Psychol. 2011;47(4):1153-1166. doi:10.1037/a0022546 By Rebecca Fraser-Thill Rebecca Fraser-Thill holds a Master's Degree in developmental psychology and writes about child development and tween parenting. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit