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Aggression is any observable behavior intended to cause physical or emotional harm to someone who does not want to be harmed. It occurs when people find themselves in unpleasant situations and act out to get what they want. The specific form depends on the perpetrator's motivation, which can be anger-driven or goal-oriented.

Hostile aggression is motivated by anger with intent to cause pain, such as shoving someone out of frustration. Instrumental aggression is motivated by achieving a goal, where harming another person is the means to an end, like a thief breaking a car window to steal valuables. Both represent aggression but differ fundamentally in their underlying motives.

According to frustration aggression theory, when humans are prevented from achieving an important goal, they become frustrated and aggressive. This explains why people in unpleasant situations, like arguments with siblings, are more likely to act out aggressively to obtain what they want or regain control.

Incompatible behaviors are actions that prevent an angered state from being sustained, such as taking a calm walk, playing with a pet, or watching a funny video. These tactics help lower arousal and allow individuals to view triggering situations from a more distant perspective, making aggression less likely.

From an evolutionary perspective, male aggression likely serves to display dominance over other males, protect mates, and perpetuate genes. Women typically display instrumental forms of aggression, often expressing it covertly through communication that impairs another person's social standing, serving as a means to achieve specific goals. Understanding these differences helps contextualize aggression across social situations and analyzing situations in helping behavior.

By reducing exposure to factors that induce aggression, individuals can leave their aggressive tendencies behind them. This strategy complements incompatible behaviors by limiting situations that trigger anger or frustration, allowing people to maintain lower arousal levels and avoid aggressive responses.

Instrumental aggression causes psychological harm to victims even when physical harm is not the primary goal. For example, when a thief steals from a car, the owner experiences psychological harm to their sense of safety and security, demonstrating that aggression's impact extends beyond physical injury.