Indirect Aggression
"...social manipulation, attacking the target in circuitous ways" (from: here)
Here are a few links:
A Cross-Cultural Investigation of Sex Differences and Developmental Trends in Regard to Direct and Indirect Aggression: An On-Going Research Project, by Kaj Björkqvist
...indirect aggression is a type of hostile behavior more typical of females than of males...aggressive behavior tends to appear in the following order: 1) direct physical, 2) direct verbal, and 3) indirect aggression. Gross aggressive techniques are gradually replaced by more refined ones, over age...Among adults, the sex difference in regard to indirect aggression appears to diminish or almost disappear (Björkqvist et al, 1994), with the males "catching up" the female advantage. However, males and females display indirect aggression in different ways, with a male preference for what we have referred to as rational-appearing aggression, rather than social manipulation in the traditional sense...
Child Outcomes: Income and Child Well-being: A new perspective on the poverty debate by David P. Ross and Paul Roberts
As Chart 12 shows, nearly 40 per cent of children in low-income families demonstrate high levels of indirect aggression, compared to 25 to 29 per cent of children in families whose incomes are $30,000 or higher.
Gender Differences In AggressionWithin Adolescent Peer Groups , by Laura Murphy
What Form of Direction Do Girls Typically Use?
The nature of girls’ relationships involves intimate conversations between friends and, as a result, girls are more invested in their social status and friendships compared to boys (Berndt, 1982, Paquette et al., 1999). The choice of girls to use relational aggression to enforce social norms more often than physical aggression, can be attributed to the desire for adolescents to “damage what the same-gender peer group most values” (Paquette et al., p. 244, 2000). Girls view relational aggression as hurtful because it harms the intimate relationships that girls value. Because of the high levels of intimacy in girls’ relationships, relational aggression enables girls to gain control over their friends (Grotpeter & Crick, 1996)...
Girls view relational aggression as equally harmful as physical aggression, but girls tend to react more to the experience of being a victim of relational aggression than boys (Paquette et al., 2000). Regardless of tendencies, the choice of strategy is dependent on the situation. It is not uncharacteristic for a girl to use physical aggression if under direct physical attack (Björkqvist, 1994). It is apparent that girls choose their aggressive strategy according to the situation, but relational aggression is most commonly effective.
Girls bully -- boys bully -- we all bully - a collection of quotes, including:
“make a careful choice about which indicators are going to be applied, because you want the indicators to reflect the gendered approach you are developing.“ [In: “Diversity and Justice: Gender Perspectives. A Guide to Gender Equality Analysis, 1998. IV. Gender Equality Analysis in Research and Statistics.” Department of Justice Canada.] http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/dept/pub/guide/research.htm
‘Woman’s Inhumanity to Woman’ by Phyllis Chesler - comments on the book, plus an excerpt, including:
Scientists have only recently begun to study what has been termed “indirect aggression.” Female indirect aggression can be very painful psychologically, socially, and economically. Such aggression is both verbal and nonverbal and includes reputation-wrecking gossip and shunning, which may lead to social “death” and, in some cultures, to real death as well.
Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls, by Rachel Simmons - editorial reviews at amazon.com
Stuart Birks, 9 August 2002