Final answer:
Women's aggression is more likely associated with relational aggression, which includes actions like spreading rumors or social exclusion, in contrast to men's aggression that often relates to dominance and status. c) relational aggression.
Step-by-step explanation:
Women's aggression is more likely to be focused on c) relational aggression.
Aggression in human behavior is a complex subject with various underlying motivations and forms. According to evolutionary psychology, men often display aggression as a response to perceived challenges to their dominance and status. This is believed to serve an evolutionary function of protecting mates and offspring, thereby ensuring the perpetuation of one's genes. Such aggression may manifest as sexual jealousy, with men working to prevent their mates from copulating with others. In contrast, studies have found that women are more inclined to engage in indirect or covert forms of aggression. Unlike the direct physical aggression typically observed in men, women's aggression often takes the shape of relational aggression—actions that hurt interpersonal relationships or social standing, such as spreading rumors or social exclusion (Dodge & Schwartz, 1997; Olweus, 1993). These gender differences in aggression patterns may be influenced by cultural and social factors, where the behaviors considered acceptable for men and women diverge, leading to different expressions of aggressive behavior.