What does conflict related aggression involve?

Conflict-related aggression refers to the aggressive behavior that occurs when an animal experiences a conflict between competing motivations or desires. This type of aggression can arise when an animal is faced with a situation that causes stress or indecision, leading it to display aggressive behaviors as a means to resolve the internal conflict.

When an individual learns that aggression can effectively avoid certain conflicts—such as when another animal poses a threat or interferes with a resource—their aggressive responses are reinforced. This learned behavior may develop from past experiences where displaying aggression successfully resolved a tense situation or discomfort, and thus the animal becomes more likely to use aggression as a conflict-avoidance strategy in the future.

In contrast, aggression used to obtain food typically falls under predatory or resource guarding behaviors, while exposure to a comfortable stimulus does not relate to aggression at all. A visceral response to loud noises is more reflective of fear-based reactions than aggression stemming from conflict. Therefore, recognizing the role of learned experiences in the development of conflict-related aggression is crucial to understanding this behavioral phenomenon in animals.