Final answer:
Physical aggression involves bodily harm, verbal aggression uses harmful words, and relational aggression harms someone's social standing. Boys typically engage more in physical aggression, while girls are more likely to exhibit relational aggression due to cultural and social norms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The difference between physical, verbal, and relational aggression involves the way harm is inflicted upon others. Physical aggression is about causing bodily harm or pain, such as hitting or pushing. Verbal aggression involves the use of words to insult, threaten or otherwise cause emotional or psychological harm. Relational aggression refers to damaging someone's social relationships or social status, often through social exclusion or spreading rumors.
Historically and across cultures, boys engage more in physical aggression than girls. Girls, on the other hand, tend to exhibit relational aggression more frequently. This is believed to be influenced not only by biological factors but also by cultural and social norms, which dictate different behaviors and roles for males and females, such as boys being encouraged to be more physically assertive, while girls are socialized to value relationships and thus may engage in more covert forms of aggression.