APA Dictionary of Psychology

in animal behavior, a conflict that arises when parents cease providing care for current offspring and invest in producing the next set of offspring. The parents will benefit in terms of reproductive success by breeding again as soon as the current offspring have a high probability of surviving independently. The offspring, however, will gain more by continued investment from their parents, creating the conflict. Parent–offspring conflict is manifested through regressive behavior, including tantrums, by the older offspring and through sibling rivalry.