[Phenomenologic and functional variability of violence among children]

Examination of ten-year old children's everyday interactions with peers observed in natural settings of a school demonstrates that violence was present in many situations of help, sanctions, and rough-and-tumble play. Thorough analysis reveals diverse functions of violence in children's interactions: affirmation of reciprocity and justice, experience of agency and control, preservation of territories against intruders, clear messages, compensations of lacking capacities, and defense of the self.