Physical aggression includes hitting, kicking, punching, taking or damaging belongings. Verbal aggression includes teasing, taunting, and threatening. Both these are usually direct or face-to-face types of aggressive expressions. In the 1980s, aggression and bullying were primarily seen as direct physical or verbal attacks.
During the 1990s, the range was broadened to include indirect aggression. Indirect aggression is done via a third party. There is also relational aggression, where damage is done to someone’s peer relationships or social aggression where someone’s self-esteem and social status is tarnished. Indirect aggression, such as spreading nasty stories, and social aggression or exclusion, such as telling others not to play with someone, as forms of bullying.
The latest form of aggression or bullying has emerged, labelled “cyberbullying”, in which the aggression occurs through modern technological devices, specifically mobile phones or the internet.
Children are learning earlier and earlier how to direct the information freeway of the internet. The internet provides entertainment in the form of colouring pages, games, and clubs, as well as educational information for children.
