What is the term for hostile behavior towards others?

Aggression is defined as hostile or violent behavior toward others. It encompasses a range of actions and attitudes that are intended to harm or intimidate another individual, either physically or emotionally. In the context of veterinary practice, understanding aggression is crucial, as it helps veterinary professionals identify and manage aggressive behaviors in animals during examinations or treatments.

Hostility, while closely related, is a broader term that can refer to feelings of animosity or unfriendliness rather than specifically indicating actions taken against others. Antagonism generally refers to active resistance or opposition but may not carry the same connotation of behavioral intent to harm as aggression does. Retaliation specifically refers to acts taken in response to a perceived wrong or injury and is not necessarily indicative of a baseline hostile behavior towards others without provocation. Thus, aggression is the most precise term reflecting the idea of hostile behavior directed at others.