Childhood Aggression as a Symbolic Configuration in the Child’s Identity

Abstract

Undertaking research into human aggression—and specifically childhood aggression—is a complex and multifaceted 
process; the conditions and manifestations involved span biological, psychological, and sociocultural realms, ultimately 
extending into the anthropological. Consequently, this study proposes exploring the concept of childhood aggression 
through a qualitative, interpretive approach. By employing educational ethnography and symbolic interactionism 
as methodological frameworks, the study examines this phenomenon among Colombian schoolchildren aged 5 to 
8 from fresh pedagogical perspectives, recognizing the child as a subject of language, emotion, and thought who 
actively constructs their identity. The findings suggest that aggression should be viewed not merely as a problem to 
be countered, but as an opportunity for personal growth and symbolic shaping within the child’s identity formation. 
Furthermore, the study justifies why pedagogy should address such phenomena by acting as a mediator in settings that 
foster freedom and the development of the child’s consciousness. In this regard, the study aims to offer an alternative, 
situated concept of aggression, preceded by a historical overview that traces the evolution of how this phenomenon 
has been understood.