Psychophysiology Indicators of Relational Aggression

Mounting evidence implicates psychophysiological processes in the development of relational aggression. This review discusses the state of the field regarding associations between physiological stress systems—including the sympathetic nervous system, the parasympathetic nervous system, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis—and relational aggression. The theoretical significance of these processes is discussed, and potential moderators of associations, such as functions of relational aggression, contextual risk, and gender, are considered. Finally, critical next steps in this research area, including the incorporation of additional physiological indicators, are reviewed. This research has the potential to advance our understanding of many of the significant questions in relational aggression research, such as who engages in relational aggression and why, and whether these behaviors result in negative or positive developmental outcomes.