# Reactive vs. Proactive Aggression **Domain:** Behavioral science **Doc Type:** Developed Distinction Node **Maturity:** Developed **Collection:** [[collections/Gamification|Gamification Collection]] ## Definition **Reactive aggression** is impulsive, affectively “hot,” and commonly triggered by threat or provocation. **Proactive aggression** is planned, goal-directed, and instrumentally “cold.” They overlap in behavior but are partly separable in motivation, development, and neural organization. ## Significance The distinction prevents one substitute from being assumed to work for every form of violence. A fast contest may absorb arousal while leaving grievance, planning, coalition, and desired real-world consequence untouched. Screening should therefore track trajectories and conduct rather than equating calmness with safety or anger with operational intent. ## Sources - Richard Wrangham, [Two types of aggression in human evolution](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.03.007) ## Routes [[wiki/Richard Wrangham|Richard Wrangham]] · [[wiki/Non-Substitutability|Non-Substitutability]] · [[wiki/Coalitionary Aggression|Coalitionary Aggression]]