Relational Aggression and Interpersonal Influence Tactics

Abstract: Relational aggression functions as a strategy for achieving social goals (e.g., fending off danger or competing for resources) in a covert manner. Although relationally aggressive people use instrumental social influence tactics (e.g., threats, punishments), we know less about the associations between relational aggression and the use of interpersonal influence tactics. Using an online survey ( N = 398; 206 women), we measured the frequency with which people engaged in different interpersonal influence tactics (e.g., cold, dominant, calculating), peer-directed and romantic partner-directed forms of relational aggression. Individuals likely to endorse relationally aggressive behavior were also more likely to use influence tactics. Individuals who were more likely to use proactively aggressive acts were also more willing to use cold and calculating influence tactics. Men were more proactively relationally aggressive toward peers than women, whereas both men and women who were aggressive by damaging interpersonal relationships of others used more influence tactics. Proactive and reactive relational aggression toward peers was preferred by women who had cold and calculating motivations of influence tactics. Studying relational aggression in the framework of interpersonal influence tactics may open new opportunities for understanding this covert form of aggression.