By Jay Foster
It's been in the news a lot lately, but the reality of bullying is as old as the human race. The impact on the victim can be quite serious, including loss of self-esteem, shame, poor performance in school, depression, physical manifestations of stress, and suicide. Social and emotional development can be badly affected, problems which can persist into later life.
It can be thought of as a social phenomenon, in that it is often participated in by groups, and supported by the behaviors of other people. There are six roles that can be described when looking at these situations: the victim, the bully, the bully's reinforcer, the bully's assistant, the defender of the victim, and the outsider.
Reinforcers are those who support the bully by cheering, laughing, or drawing attention to the situation, but who do not actively join in. The assistant, sometimes called the henchman, participate but do not take a leadership role. The defender speaks out openly in defense of the victim, and may come to his or her aid. The outsider does not get involved on either side, believing that it is none of his or her business.
Both genders may be bullies, but their techniques vary. Girls tend to be more verbally abusive, while boys more often use physical intimidation. Both boys and girls are more likely to bully within their own gender. In terms of the other participant roles, one study found that girls were more often defenders and outsiders, while boys were more often bullies, reinforcers, and assistants. However, no generalization can apply to any specific instance, and
These social factors are relevant because it is becoming increasingly clear that bullying is most successfully combated by empowering kids to stand up to bullies, both when being bullied themselves and when they see other kids being bullied. By focusing on the social aspect, a broader, social-based approach to regulation can be achieved, which is more effective than targeting individual bullies and victims for intervention. Of course, there should be consequences for bullies, and victims should receive whatever assistance they need, including counseling. A shift in attitude, however, can only come from within the peer group.
Bullies seek to earn or maintain a certain status, so if other kids refuse to assign them that status, the behavior is less likely to continue. Outsiders and defenders can be better influenced to change their behavior than active participants, and, as the largest element of the social group, a change from them carries a lot of weight in shifting attitudes. The lack of support may not lead to a change in the bully's actions, but the feeling of support can be quite beneficial to the victim.
When the victim feels supported by his or her peers, he or she will begin to feel more empowered to stand up to the bully. If outsiders can become defenders, and if reinforcers cease to encourage the behavior, then a change in culture results that is inhospitable to bullies. In order for this change to take place, kids need to feel that they won't lose their own status in the group. Adults can help by providing clear, firm rules that bullying will not be tolerated.
Are you looking for more information regarding bullying? Visit http://www.mississippibjj.com/ today!
It's been in the news a lot lately, but the reality of bullying is as old as the human race. The impact on the victim can be quite serious, including loss of self-esteem, shame, poor performance in school, depression, physical manifestations of stress, and suicide. Social and emotional development can be badly affected, problems which can persist into later life.
It can be thought of as a social phenomenon, in that it is often participated in by groups, and supported by the behaviors of other people. There are six roles that can be described when looking at these situations: the victim, the bully, the bully's reinforcer, the bully's assistant, the defender of the victim, and the outsider.
Reinforcers are those who support the bully by cheering, laughing, or drawing attention to the situation, but who do not actively join in. The assistant, sometimes called the henchman, participate but do not take a leadership role. The defender speaks out openly in defense of the victim, and may come to his or her aid. The outsider does not get involved on either side, believing that it is none of his or her business.
Both genders may be bullies, but their techniques vary. Girls tend to be more verbally abusive, while boys more often use physical intimidation. Both boys and girls are more likely to bully within their own gender. In terms of the other participant roles, one study found that girls were more often defenders and outsiders, while boys were more often bullies, reinforcers, and assistants. However, no generalization can apply to any specific instance, and
These social factors are relevant because it is becoming increasingly clear that bullying is most successfully combated by empowering kids to stand up to bullies, both when being bullied themselves and when they see other kids being bullied. By focusing on the social aspect, a broader, social-based approach to regulation can be achieved, which is more effective than targeting individual bullies and victims for intervention. Of course, there should be consequences for bullies, and victims should receive whatever assistance they need, including counseling. A shift in attitude, however, can only come from within the peer group.
Bullies seek to earn or maintain a certain status, so if other kids refuse to assign them that status, the behavior is less likely to continue. Outsiders and defenders can be better influenced to change their behavior than active participants, and, as the largest element of the social group, a change from them carries a lot of weight in shifting attitudes. The lack of support may not lead to a change in the bully's actions, but the feeling of support can be quite beneficial to the victim.
When the victim feels supported by his or her peers, he or she will begin to feel more empowered to stand up to the bully. If outsiders can become defenders, and if reinforcers cease to encourage the behavior, then a change in culture results that is inhospitable to bullies. In order for this change to take place, kids need to feel that they won't lose their own status in the group. Adults can help by providing clear, firm rules that bullying will not be tolerated.
Are you looking for more information regarding bullying? Visit http://www.mississippibjj.com/ today!
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