Beware of the In Crowd
Time
Aug. 13, 2000
By MICHELE ORECKLIN
It's possible that all these years we've been blaming the wrong kids for
stealing our milk money. The image of the schoolyard bully as a disaffected
social outcast or a hulking denizen of shop class is a familiar one and a staple
of teenage lore. But as researchers and teachers grow increasingly sensitive
to the issue of school violence, they are studying bullying more closely and
finding that the stereotypes are often misleading.
In fact, bullies are likely to be among the most popular kids in school, admired
by peers and teachers alike, according to a report presented last week at a
meeting of the American Psychological Association (A.P.A.). "These are the
kids that other students look up to, the ones everybody wants to hang out
with," says Dorothy Espelage, an assistant professor at the University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who co-authored the study. It defines bullying
as persistent teasing, name calling or social exclusion; Espelage did not
include overt physical acts, since she found they were rare and typically used
by students with more serious problems.
Espelage focused on students in the sixth, seventh and eighth grade, when
the problem is most acute. "As kids transition into middle school, they are
negotiating new settings, establishing power within peer groups," she says. In
this confusing period, denigration of others often proves a successful route to
prominence. In boys this generally manifests itself through taunting or threats
of violence, while girls are more apt to spread rumors or inflict social
ostracism. The study shows bullying tapering off as kids advance into the
eighth grade.
William Pollack, a psychologist who examines bullying in his book Real Boys'
Voices, agrees that intimidation is too often rewarded. "Aggression,
homophobia and violent behavior are looked up to in boys," he says. "Being
artistic or musical is not." He cautions, however, that not all child bullies are
the cool kids--some are among the most depressed students in a class and
may be reacting to being bullied themselves. Pollack is also worried that the
phenomenon is on the rise, partly because families spend less time together,
which leaves boys fewer outlets for productive communication. "It's a national
epidemic," he says. "Both the amount of teasing and the intensity of it have
increased over time, and the stakes are higher. We're talking AK-47s now, not
just a shove." While Espelage acknowledges that it is difficult to know whether
bullying is growing more common, she says that recognition of its
consequences is certainly on the rise. Both agree that while bullying has been
around since the one-room schoolhouse, it should no longer be dismissed as
a mere adolescent rite of passage.
An estimated 160,000 children each day miss school for fear of being picked
on, according to the National Association of School Psychologists. Typically,
these students are different in dress or appearance or seem unlikely to
defend themselves. In addition to academic failings, they suffer such physical
ailments as stomachaches and headaches as well as psychological troubles
that in extreme cases include suicidal tendencies.
Though bullies commonly have high self-esteem, they tend to be victims of
psychic damage as well. Most come from homes in which discipline is
administered inconsistently or through physical means. They often fail to learn
effective methods of problem solving, and by some estimates 1 in 4 chronic
bullies will have a criminal record by age 30.
Awareness of the dangers is spurring school systems across the U.S. to
implement antibullying programs, which have proved effective in other
countries. In Massachusetts, the Executive Office of Public Safety has set
aside $1 million in federal money to help schools identify potential bullies and
aid their victims. Beginning this fall, teachers statewide will use a curriculum
created at Wellesley College that tackles bullying as early as kindergarten.
Administrators at Liberty Middle School in Ashland, Va., started a similar
program last year. Each week teachers meet with a group of 14 students and
perform activities designed to promote interpersonal skills. Administrators
have also created zero-tolerance disciplinary guidelines.
A major objective of these efforts is to encourage bystanders to speak out. "If
you target one kid, you're missing the point," says Espelage.
"So much enabling is given by bystanders who remain passive."
Espelage also suggests eliciting the support of peer-group leaders.
"If they take a stand," she says, "the rest will fall in behind. They have
leadership skills that could be rechanneled." Evidence of this comes
from another study presented at the A.P.A. conference last week, which
found, perhaps not surprisingly, that some of our best Presidents, including
F.D.R., were not above "bullying and manipulating" if necessary.
With reporting by Rebecca Winters
Time
Aug. 13, 2000
By MICHELE ORECKLIN
It's possible that all these years we've been blaming the wrong kids for
stealing our milk money. The image of the schoolyard bully as a disaffected
social outcast or a hulking denizen of shop class is a familiar one and a staple
of teenage lore. But as researchers and teachers grow increasingly sensitive
to the issue of school violence, they are studying bullying more closely and
finding that the stereotypes are often misleading.
In fact, bullies are likely to be among the most popular kids in school, admired
by peers and teachers alike, according to a report presented last week at a
meeting of the American Psychological Association (A.P.A.). "These are the
kids that other students look up to, the ones everybody wants to hang out
with," says Dorothy Espelage, an assistant professor at the University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who co-authored the study. It defines bullying
as persistent teasing, name calling or social exclusion; Espelage did not
include overt physical acts, since she found they were rare and typically used
by students with more serious problems.
Espelage focused on students in the sixth, seventh and eighth grade, when
the problem is most acute. "As kids transition into middle school, they are
negotiating new settings, establishing power within peer groups," she says. In
this confusing period, denigration of others often proves a successful route to
prominence. In boys this generally manifests itself through taunting or threats
of violence, while girls are more apt to spread rumors or inflict social
ostracism. The study shows bullying tapering off as kids advance into the
eighth grade.
William Pollack, a psychologist who examines bullying in his book Real Boys'
Voices, agrees that intimidation is too often rewarded. "Aggression,
homophobia and violent behavior are looked up to in boys," he says. "Being
artistic or musical is not." He cautions, however, that not all child bullies are
the cool kids--some are among the most depressed students in a class and
may be reacting to being bullied themselves. Pollack is also worried that the
phenomenon is on the rise, partly because families spend less time together,
which leaves boys fewer outlets for productive communication. "It's a national
epidemic," he says. "Both the amount of teasing and the intensity of it have
increased over time, and the stakes are higher. We're talking AK-47s now, not
just a shove." While Espelage acknowledges that it is difficult to know whether
bullying is growing more common, she says that recognition of its
consequences is certainly on the rise. Both agree that while bullying has been
around since the one-room schoolhouse, it should no longer be dismissed as
a mere adolescent rite of passage.
An estimated 160,000 children each day miss school for fear of being picked
on, according to the National Association of School Psychologists. Typically,
these students are different in dress or appearance or seem unlikely to
defend themselves. In addition to academic failings, they suffer such physical
ailments as stomachaches and headaches as well as psychological troubles
that in extreme cases include suicidal tendencies.
Though bullies commonly have high self-esteem, they tend to be victims of
psychic damage as well. Most come from homes in which discipline is
administered inconsistently or through physical means. They often fail to learn
effective methods of problem solving, and by some estimates 1 in 4 chronic
bullies will have a criminal record by age 30.
Awareness of the dangers is spurring school systems across the U.S. to
implement antibullying programs, which have proved effective in other
countries. In Massachusetts, the Executive Office of Public Safety has set
aside $1 million in federal money to help schools identify potential bullies and
aid their victims. Beginning this fall, teachers statewide will use a curriculum
created at Wellesley College that tackles bullying as early as kindergarten.
Administrators at Liberty Middle School in Ashland, Va., started a similar
program last year. Each week teachers meet with a group of 14 students and
perform activities designed to promote interpersonal skills. Administrators
have also created zero-tolerance disciplinary guidelines.
A major objective of these efforts is to encourage bystanders to speak out. "If
you target one kid, you're missing the point," says Espelage.
"So much enabling is given by bystanders who remain passive."
Espelage also suggests eliciting the support of peer-group leaders.
"If they take a stand," she says, "the rest will fall in behind. They have
leadership skills that could be rechanneled." Evidence of this comes
from another study presented at the A.P.A. conference last week, which
found, perhaps not surprisingly, that some of our best Presidents, including
F.D.R., were not above "bullying and manipulating" if necessary.
With reporting by Rebecca Winters
2 studies show bullies are likely to be
popular--but not the most popular
Bullies, whether they are students or teachers, are likely to have the
respect and affection of their peers.
popular--but not the most popular
Bullies, whether they are students or teachers, are likely to have the
respect and affection of their peers.
 |
 |
 |
 |
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Stutz Artiano Shinoff
& Holtz v. Maura
Larkins defamation
SDCOE
CVESD
Castle Park Elem
Law Enforcement
CTA
CVE
Stutz Artiano Shinoff
& Holtz
Silence is Golden
Schools and Violence
Office Admin Hearings
Larkins OAH Hearing
Why This Website
Stutz Artiano Shinoff
& Holtz v. Maura
Larkins defamation
SDCOE
CVESD
Castle Park Elem
Law Enforcement
CTA
CVE
Stutz Artiano Shinoff
& Holtz
Silence is Golden
Schools and Violence
Office Admin Hearings
Larkins OAH Hearing
Lack of Knowledge
Stymies Efforts to Stop
Bullying
By Dakarai Aarons
Education Week
August 12, 2010
Despite increased attention
to the bullying of school-age
children, researchers, school
leaders and federal
education and health officials
say more research is needed
to pinpoint effective anti-
bullying practices.
Phillip C. Rodkin, an
associate professor of
educational psychology at
the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign, told the
Department of Education's
first summit on bullying
prevention Wednesday that
the reason school officials
and other adults don't know
more about bullying is simple:
"They didn't ask. They didn't
want to know."
He said adults need to spend
more time talking to children
about the social ecology of
relationships to understand
who is being bullied by whom
and what factors in the
school—including classroom
management—create
conditions for bullying
relationships to persist.
One challenge that a number
of presenters brought up at
the Washington, D.C., summit
was the lack of agreement
about what constitutes
bullying. Bullying is defined in
some of the 43 state laws
banning it, but the definition
varies, as does the way
researchers ask students
and others about incidences
of bullying and other
aggressive behavior in
schools.
Another set of challenges
also stymies the work, said
Dr. Joseph L. Wright, a
pediatrician who is a senior
vice president and head of
the Child Health Advocacy
Institute at Children's National
Medical Center in
Washington.
Many of his fellow
pediatricians lack knowledge
about bullying and its
connection to serious health
risks for children. Wright said
he has used his leadership
positions in groups such as
the American Academy of
Pediatrics to help raise
awareness. He also is
working to convince another
group of people to take the
physical and other
consequences of bullying
more seriously: the parents
of his young patients who
often write off the injuries as
part of "kids being kids."
"Many of us grew up with a
different ethos around these
behaviors and what they
mean," Wright explained.
The two-day summit, put
together through the
leadership of the federal
Education Department and
the Health Resources and
Services Administration, is
also a vehicle for federal
agencies to show off the tools
built from their collaboration.
One national tool is the
website Find Youth Info, a
project of the Interagency
Working Group on Youth
Programs. As an extension of
that site, the working group
has created BullyingInfo.org.
The sites bring together just
about everything every
federal department and
agency has available to help
administrators, teachers,
students, and parents
understand and deal with
bullying. To have it all in one
place is nothing short of a
bureaucratic miracle.
Dr. Regina M. Benjamin, the
U.S. Surgeon General, called
bullying a "public health
issue" and said local
advocates and educators
have to build on the policy
work of the federal
government to get others to
take bullying just as seriously
as other health issues
affecting youngsters.
Education Secretary Arne
Duncan, who kicked off the
summit by talking about "the
plague of bullying," said the
department and its Office of
Safe and Drug-Free Schools
are stepping up enforcement
of civil rights violations and
will issue policy guidance to
schools about their
responsibilities to make sure
violations of civil rights law
are addressed. Some of the
bullying of children, with its
sexist, homophobic and racist
roots, can be considered
violations of harassment law.
That said, Duncan was clear
that his goal is "not to lock up
America's youth," but rather
to balance a hard-line
approach with a need to get
bullies the help they need
and to emphasize
preventative programs and
interventions...
Stymies Efforts to Stop
Bullying
By Dakarai Aarons
Education Week
August 12, 2010
Despite increased attention
to the bullying of school-age
children, researchers, school
leaders and federal
education and health officials
say more research is needed
to pinpoint effective anti-
bullying practices.
Phillip C. Rodkin, an
associate professor of
educational psychology at
the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign, told the
Department of Education's
first summit on bullying
prevention Wednesday that
the reason school officials
and other adults don't know
more about bullying is simple:
"They didn't ask. They didn't
want to know."
He said adults need to spend
more time talking to children
about the social ecology of
relationships to understand
who is being bullied by whom
and what factors in the
school—including classroom
management—create
conditions for bullying
relationships to persist.
One challenge that a number
of presenters brought up at
the Washington, D.C., summit
was the lack of agreement
about what constitutes
bullying. Bullying is defined in
some of the 43 state laws
banning it, but the definition
varies, as does the way
researchers ask students
and others about incidences
of bullying and other
aggressive behavior in
schools.
Another set of challenges
also stymies the work, said
Dr. Joseph L. Wright, a
pediatrician who is a senior
vice president and head of
the Child Health Advocacy
Institute at Children's National
Medical Center in
Washington.
Many of his fellow
pediatricians lack knowledge
about bullying and its
connection to serious health
risks for children. Wright said
he has used his leadership
positions in groups such as
the American Academy of
Pediatrics to help raise
awareness. He also is
working to convince another
group of people to take the
physical and other
consequences of bullying
more seriously: the parents
of his young patients who
often write off the injuries as
part of "kids being kids."
"Many of us grew up with a
different ethos around these
behaviors and what they
mean," Wright explained.
The two-day summit, put
together through the
leadership of the federal
Education Department and
the Health Resources and
Services Administration, is
also a vehicle for federal
agencies to show off the tools
built from their collaboration.
One national tool is the
website Find Youth Info, a
project of the Interagency
Working Group on Youth
Programs. As an extension of
that site, the working group
has created BullyingInfo.org.
The sites bring together just
about everything every
federal department and
agency has available to help
administrators, teachers,
students, and parents
understand and deal with
bullying. To have it all in one
place is nothing short of a
bureaucratic miracle.
Dr. Regina M. Benjamin, the
U.S. Surgeon General, called
bullying a "public health
issue" and said local
advocates and educators
have to build on the policy
work of the federal
government to get others to
take bullying just as seriously
as other health issues
affecting youngsters.
Education Secretary Arne
Duncan, who kicked off the
summit by talking about "the
plague of bullying," said the
department and its Office of
Safe and Drug-Free Schools
are stepping up enforcement
of civil rights violations and
will issue policy guidance to
schools about their
responsibilities to make sure
violations of civil rights law
are addressed. Some of the
bullying of children, with its
sexist, homophobic and racist
roots, can be considered
violations of harassment law.
That said, Duncan was clear
that his goal is "not to lock up
America's youth," but rather
to balance a hard-line
approach with a need to get
bullies the help they need
and to emphasize
preventative programs and
interventions...
February 8, 2011
Study Disputes Myth of School Bullies' Social
Status
By Nirvi Shah
Education Week
In the movie “Mean Girls,” head plastic Regina George tortures her North
Shore High classmates of all stripes, including her supposed best friends. At
Springfield Elementary, where Bart Simpson goes to school, Nelson Muntz, the
oversized dimwit with the distinctive laugh, is the cartoon series’ bully.
A new study suggests that, in reality, neither of those students would
be the aggressors on campus.
Robert W. Faris, an assistant sociology professor at the University of
California, Davis, spent several years surveying students at middle and high
schools in rural and suburban North Carolina. The results of his research are
published in this month’s edition of the American Sociological Review.
He found that students in the middle of the social hierarchies at their
schools, rather than the most popular or the most socially outcast, are
more likely to be bullies.
“I think there’s kind of a simple explanation: These kids view aggression as
one tactic for gaining or maintaining their social status,” Mr. Faris said.
“This is not the only way that kids climb socially. There are a lot of
other ways—much more effective ways: being good in sports, being
pretty, being rich, if you’re funny, if you’re nice.”
Mr. Faris and UC-Davis colleague Diane Felmlee mapped social networks,
based on students’ responses to surveys about who their friends were and
whether those students listed them in turn, allowing the researchers to discern
which students were at the center of a particular school’s social web. Then
they asked which classmates treated them aggressively, discounting playful
teasing. The surveys showed that the students from whom the spokes of
school popularity emanated were less likely to harass classmates verbally,
spread rumors, engage in cyber-bullying, or use physical violence against their
peers.
“Our interpretation is, kids view this as a means to an end. Once they get to
the top, they no longer need to be aggressive. Aggression could be
counterproductive: It could signal insecurity,” Mr. Faris said.
But, he added, “there are definitely some kids who were socially marginal and
highly aggressive. There’s always going to be exceptions.”
The researchers, whose longitudinal study followed 3,722 students from 2002
through 2005, found that regardless of their backgrounds, race or ethnicity, or
grade levels, the patterns of aggressors’ places in the social spectrum were
the same...
“I’ve always had an interest in general terms in the relationship between power
and violence. On a more personal level, in 4th grade, I used to come
home with a bloody nose almost every day,” he said.
Two older students sought out the future sociologist, regardless of whether he
changed bus stops or went out of his way to avoid them, looking to beat him
up. He never knew why he was their frequent target. “I remember it
being kind of a mystery.”
Mr. Faris and Ms. Felmlee’s findings jibe with what bullying-prevention and -
support groups have found: Old stereotypes of school bullies are dangerous in
the modern world...
The Olweus approach is used in more than 7,000 schools nationwide and is
named after a Norwegian researcher who began studying bullying behavior in
his country more than 40 years ago. In the United States, Ms. Snyder and the
Olweus program are based at Clemson University in South Carolina.
“We have been very careful in our training not to spend too much time on who
might be the aggressor or who might be the child who is being victimized,” Ms.
Snyder said. “Some of the early stuff [in bullying prevention] talked about
personal characteristics. You can be pretty. You can be smart—anything
that is different from the group—that someone in the group decides is
not OK.’’...
Study Disputes Myth of School Bullies' Social
Status
By Nirvi Shah
Education Week
In the movie “Mean Girls,” head plastic Regina George tortures her North
Shore High classmates of all stripes, including her supposed best friends. At
Springfield Elementary, where Bart Simpson goes to school, Nelson Muntz, the
oversized dimwit with the distinctive laugh, is the cartoon series’ bully.
A new study suggests that, in reality, neither of those students would
be the aggressors on campus.
Robert W. Faris, an assistant sociology professor at the University of
California, Davis, spent several years surveying students at middle and high
schools in rural and suburban North Carolina. The results of his research are
published in this month’s edition of the American Sociological Review.
He found that students in the middle of the social hierarchies at their
schools, rather than the most popular or the most socially outcast, are
more likely to be bullies.
“I think there’s kind of a simple explanation: These kids view aggression as
one tactic for gaining or maintaining their social status,” Mr. Faris said.
“This is not the only way that kids climb socially. There are a lot of
other ways—much more effective ways: being good in sports, being
pretty, being rich, if you’re funny, if you’re nice.”
Mr. Faris and UC-Davis colleague Diane Felmlee mapped social networks,
based on students’ responses to surveys about who their friends were and
whether those students listed them in turn, allowing the researchers to discern
which students were at the center of a particular school’s social web. Then
they asked which classmates treated them aggressively, discounting playful
teasing. The surveys showed that the students from whom the spokes of
school popularity emanated were less likely to harass classmates verbally,
spread rumors, engage in cyber-bullying, or use physical violence against their
peers.
“Our interpretation is, kids view this as a means to an end. Once they get to
the top, they no longer need to be aggressive. Aggression could be
counterproductive: It could signal insecurity,” Mr. Faris said.
But, he added, “there are definitely some kids who were socially marginal and
highly aggressive. There’s always going to be exceptions.”
The researchers, whose longitudinal study followed 3,722 students from 2002
through 2005, found that regardless of their backgrounds, race or ethnicity, or
grade levels, the patterns of aggressors’ places in the social spectrum were
the same...
“I’ve always had an interest in general terms in the relationship between power
and violence. On a more personal level, in 4th grade, I used to come
home with a bloody nose almost every day,” he said.
Two older students sought out the future sociologist, regardless of whether he
changed bus stops or went out of his way to avoid them, looking to beat him
up. He never knew why he was their frequent target. “I remember it
being kind of a mystery.”
Mr. Faris and Ms. Felmlee’s findings jibe with what bullying-prevention and -
support groups have found: Old stereotypes of school bullies are dangerous in
the modern world...
The Olweus approach is used in more than 7,000 schools nationwide and is
named after a Norwegian researcher who began studying bullying behavior in
his country more than 40 years ago. In the United States, Ms. Snyder and the
Olweus program are based at Clemson University in South Carolina.
“We have been very careful in our training not to spend too much time on who
might be the aggressor or who might be the child who is being victimized,” Ms.
Snyder said. “Some of the early stuff [in bullying prevention] talked about
personal characteristics. You can be pretty. You can be smart—anything
that is different from the group—that someone in the group decides is
not OK.’’...
San Diego
Education Report
Education Report
Brain Scans
Show Bullies
Enjoy Other's Pain
Neurological 'reward
centers' lit up as
they watched injuries
occur, study found
November 7, 2008
HealthDay News
Bullies may actually
enjoy the pain they
cause others, a new
study using brain
scans suggests.
The part of the brain
associated with
reward lights up when an
aggressive teen
watches a video of
someone hurting
another person, but not
when a
non-aggressive youth
watches the same
clip, according to the
University of
Chicago study,
published in the current
Biological Psychology.
"Aggressive adolescents
showed a
specific and very strong
activation of the
amygdala and ventral
striatum (an area
that responds to feeling
rewarded) when
watching pain inflicted on
others, which
suggested that they
enjoyed watching
pain," researcher Jean
Decety, a
professor in psychology
and psychiatry at
the University of
Chicago, said in a
university news release.
"Unlike the
control group, the youth
with conduct
disorder did not activate
the area of the
brain involved in
self-regulation (the
medial prefrontal cortex
and the
temporoparietal
junction)."
The study compared
eight 16- to
18-year-old boys with an
aggressive
conduct disorder to a
group that didn't
show unusual signs of
aggression. All
participants underwent
functional
magnetic resonance
imaging (fMRI) while
watching videos in which
people endured
pain accidentally, such
as when a heavy
bowl was dropped on
their hands, and
intentionally, such as
when a person
stepped on another's
foot.
Bullies are popular
Fred Kamper case
[Blogger's comment:
Perhaps teachers
should be required to
take a brain scan
before they get a
credential--to see if
they enjoy causing pain.]
Aggression on Job More
Harmful
Than Sexual Harassment
Study finds bullied
workers had more
stress, less commitment
and higher levels
of anxiety
3/8/08
HealthDay News
Persistent criticism,
belittling comments,
bullying and other forms
of workplace
aggression may inflict
more harm on
employees than sexual
harassment,
according to a Canadian
study.
"As sexual harassment
becomes less
acceptable in society,
organizations may
be more attuned to
helping victims, who
may therefore find it
easier to cope. In
contrast, non-violent
forms of workplace
aggression such as
incivility and bullying
are not illegal, leaving
victims to fend for
themselves," lead author
M. Sandy
Hershcovis, of the
University of Manitoba,
said in a prepared
statement.
In their work, the
researchers reviewed
110 studies conducted
over 21 years.
They found that both
workplace
aggression and sexual
harassment create
negative work
environments and
unhealthy consequences
for workers, but
aggression has more
severe
consequences.
Workers faced with
bullying, incivility or
interpersonal conflict
were more likely to
quit their jobs, have a
lower level of
well-being, be less
satisfied with their jobs,
and have less satisfying
relationships with
their bosses than
workers who were
sexually harassed, the
researchers
concluded.
In addition, bullied
employees reported
more job stress, less job
commitment and
higher levels of anger
and anxiety.
"Bullying is often more
subtle and may
include behaviors that
do not appear
obvious to others,"
Hershcovis said. "For
instance, how does an
employee report to
their boss that they have
been excluded
from lunch? Or that they
are being
ignored by a co-worker?
The insidious
nature of these
behaviors makes them
difficult to deal with and
sanction."
The study was to be
presented Saturday
in Washington, D.C., at
the International
Conference on Work,
Stress and Health,
co-sponsored by the
American
Psychological
Association, the U.S.
National Institute of
Occupational Safety
and Health, and the
Society for
Occupational Health
Psychology.
Show Bullies
Enjoy Other's Pain
Neurological 'reward
centers' lit up as
they watched injuries
occur, study found
November 7, 2008
HealthDay News
Bullies may actually
enjoy the pain they
cause others, a new
study using brain
scans suggests.
The part of the brain
associated with
reward lights up when an
aggressive teen
watches a video of
someone hurting
another person, but not
when a
non-aggressive youth
watches the same
clip, according to the
University of
Chicago study,
published in the current
Biological Psychology.
"Aggressive adolescents
showed a
specific and very strong
activation of the
amygdala and ventral
striatum (an area
that responds to feeling
rewarded) when
watching pain inflicted on
others, which
suggested that they
enjoyed watching
pain," researcher Jean
Decety, a
professor in psychology
and psychiatry at
the University of
Chicago, said in a
university news release.
"Unlike the
control group, the youth
with conduct
disorder did not activate
the area of the
brain involved in
self-regulation (the
medial prefrontal cortex
and the
temporoparietal
junction)."
The study compared
eight 16- to
18-year-old boys with an
aggressive
conduct disorder to a
group that didn't
show unusual signs of
aggression. All
participants underwent
functional
magnetic resonance
imaging (fMRI) while
watching videos in which
people endured
pain accidentally, such
as when a heavy
bowl was dropped on
their hands, and
intentionally, such as
when a person
stepped on another's
foot.
Bullies are popular
Fred Kamper case
[Blogger's comment:
Perhaps teachers
should be required to
take a brain scan
before they get a
credential--to see if
they enjoy causing pain.]
Aggression on Job More
Harmful
Than Sexual Harassment
Study finds bullied
workers had more
stress, less commitment
and higher levels
of anxiety
3/8/08
HealthDay News
Persistent criticism,
belittling comments,
bullying and other forms
of workplace
aggression may inflict
more harm on
employees than sexual
harassment,
according to a Canadian
study.
"As sexual harassment
becomes less
acceptable in society,
organizations may
be more attuned to
helping victims, who
may therefore find it
easier to cope. In
contrast, non-violent
forms of workplace
aggression such as
incivility and bullying
are not illegal, leaving
victims to fend for
themselves," lead author
M. Sandy
Hershcovis, of the
University of Manitoba,
said in a prepared
statement.
In their work, the
researchers reviewed
110 studies conducted
over 21 years.
They found that both
workplace
aggression and sexual
harassment create
negative work
environments and
unhealthy consequences
for workers, but
aggression has more
severe
consequences.
Workers faced with
bullying, incivility or
interpersonal conflict
were more likely to
quit their jobs, have a
lower level of
well-being, be less
satisfied with their jobs,
and have less satisfying
relationships with
their bosses than
workers who were
sexually harassed, the
researchers
concluded.
In addition, bullied
employees reported
more job stress, less job
commitment and
higher levels of anger
and anxiety.
"Bullying is often more
subtle and may
include behaviors that
do not appear
obvious to others,"
Hershcovis said. "For
instance, how does an
employee report to
their boss that they have
been excluded
from lunch? Or that they
are being
ignored by a co-worker?
The insidious
nature of these
behaviors makes them
difficult to deal with and
sanction."
The study was to be
presented Saturday
in Washington, D.C., at
the International
Conference on Work,
Stress and Health,
co-sponsored by the
American
Psychological
Association, the U.S.
National Institute of
Occupational Safety
and Health, and the
Society for
Occupational Health
Psychology.
US Dept Health and Human Services
So, you aren't someone who bullies others, and you haven't been bullied
yourself. But if you see it
happening to others, you can help put a stop to it. In order to stop bullying,
everyone needs to lend a
hand and get involved! And even though it might be easier to stand by and
watch (or try to ignore the
bullying), just remember, we all need a little help from time to time! Think
about how you might feel if the
bullying was happening to YOU. There are all kinds of great things you can do
to help. So the next time
you see someone being bullied, try one (or more) of these ideas and make a
real difference!
Report the bullying to an adult. Many kids who are bullied are scared to tell an
adult about it (especially
a teacher or principal), because they are afraid the person bullying them will
find out and the bullying
will just get worse. That's where you come in. Even if it's a little scary for you to
tell an adult about
bullying that you see, it's the right thing to do. It's not tattling—you're helping
someone out. Who should
you tell? You could tell your teacher, school counselor, school nurse, parents,
coach, or any adult you
feel comfortable talking with. It might be a little less scary if you ask a friend to
go along with you. Be
sure to tell the adult exactly what happened—who was bullied, who did the
bullying, and where and
when it happened. If you're not sure if another kid is being bullied but you
think they probably are—it's
good to report that, too. Most adults really care about bullying and will be
VERY glad that you told them
about it. If you told an adult and you don't think they did anything about the
bullying (or if it isn't getting
any better), find another adult to tell.
For ideas on how to report bullying, see what K.B. and Melanie do when they
witness Cassandra
spreading rumors about Mimi in the school hallway.
Support someone who is being bullied. Sometimes the best thing you can do
for a person who is being
bullied is just to be there for him or her and be a friend. Whether this means
agreeing to walk home with
him or her after school, sitting with him or her on the bus or at lunch, trying to
include him or her in your
school or social activities, or just spending some time with him or her and
trying to understand what he
or she is going through, it will make a huge difference! Although these may
seem like small things to
you, they will show a kid who is being bullied that you care about him or her
and the problems he or she
is facing. And that can be a BIG help!
Josh stands up for Hal, his teammate, after being bullied by Brick on the way
to the locker room. Listen
in on his cool approach to lend a hand by talking with Coach Cruncher.
Stand up to the person doing the bullying. If you feel safe doing this, tell a
person who is bullying that
what he or she is doing is wrong and that he or she should stop. Keep it
simple. You could just say,
"Ben, cut it out. Nobody thinks that's funny." If you can, get some friends to
join you. When kids who
bully see that other kids don't think it's cool, they are more likely to stop. Just
be sure you don't bully
them back! It's not easy to stand up to kids who may be bigger and stronger
than you or really popular,
so if you're not comfortable doing this, that's OK. (But be sure to tell an adult!)
After he fails to stop kids in the neighborhood from bullying his little sister,
Milton finds that it is best to
involve your parents. Take some tips from his example.
So, you aren't someone who bullies others, and you haven't been bullied
yourself. But if you see it
happening to others, you can help put a stop to it. In order to stop bullying,
everyone needs to lend a
hand and get involved! And even though it might be easier to stand by and
watch (or try to ignore the
bullying), just remember, we all need a little help from time to time! Think
about how you might feel if the
bullying was happening to YOU. There are all kinds of great things you can do
to help. So the next time
you see someone being bullied, try one (or more) of these ideas and make a
real difference!
Report the bullying to an adult. Many kids who are bullied are scared to tell an
adult about it (especially
a teacher or principal), because they are afraid the person bullying them will
find out and the bullying
will just get worse. That's where you come in. Even if it's a little scary for you to
tell an adult about
bullying that you see, it's the right thing to do. It's not tattling—you're helping
someone out. Who should
you tell? You could tell your teacher, school counselor, school nurse, parents,
coach, or any adult you
feel comfortable talking with. It might be a little less scary if you ask a friend to
go along with you. Be
sure to tell the adult exactly what happened—who was bullied, who did the
bullying, and where and
when it happened. If you're not sure if another kid is being bullied but you
think they probably are—it's
good to report that, too. Most adults really care about bullying and will be
VERY glad that you told them
about it. If you told an adult and you don't think they did anything about the
bullying (or if it isn't getting
any better), find another adult to tell.
For ideas on how to report bullying, see what K.B. and Melanie do when they
witness Cassandra
spreading rumors about Mimi in the school hallway.
Support someone who is being bullied. Sometimes the best thing you can do
for a person who is being
bullied is just to be there for him or her and be a friend. Whether this means
agreeing to walk home with
him or her after school, sitting with him or her on the bus or at lunch, trying to
include him or her in your
school or social activities, or just spending some time with him or her and
trying to understand what he
or she is going through, it will make a huge difference! Although these may
seem like small things to
you, they will show a kid who is being bullied that you care about him or her
and the problems he or she
is facing. And that can be a BIG help!
Josh stands up for Hal, his teammate, after being bullied by Brick on the way
to the locker room. Listen
in on his cool approach to lend a hand by talking with Coach Cruncher.
Stand up to the person doing the bullying. If you feel safe doing this, tell a
person who is bullying that
what he or she is doing is wrong and that he or she should stop. Keep it
simple. You could just say,
"Ben, cut it out. Nobody thinks that's funny." If you can, get some friends to
join you. When kids who
bully see that other kids don't think it's cool, they are more likely to stop. Just
be sure you don't bully
them back! It's not easy to stand up to kids who may be bigger and stronger
than you or really popular,
so if you're not comfortable doing this, that's OK. (But be sure to tell an adult!)
After he fails to stop kids in the neighborhood from bullying his little sister,
Milton finds that it is best to
involve your parents. Take some tips from his example.
Bullying may accompany drive to be popular
Feb 08, 2011
By Jenifer Goodwin
HealthDay News
Teens who are already popular but trying to become even more so are the
most likely to bully other kids, new research suggests.
The kids seem to think that antagonizing others will raise their own status in
the eyes of their peers, according to the study, published in the February
issue of the American Sociological Review.
Researchers asked about 3,700 students in 8th, 9th and 10th grades from
three counties in North Carolina about their behavior toward others and how
often they were the target of physical aggression, verbal aggression (such as
teasing or threats), rumors or indirect bullying (such as ostracism). Teens
were also asked how often they did this to a classmate.
The study team, which followed students over one school year, also asked
kids to name their top five friends, then used that data to determine which
kids were the most popular and at the center of the school's social network.
Kids who were at the top of the social pecking order, but not at the very top,
were the most likely to tease or be aggressive toward others.
"Status increases aggression," said lead study author Robert Faris, an
assistant professor of sociology at University of California, Davis. "For a long
time, people perceived aggression as a maladjusted reaction to problems at
home or mental health issues, but our research is consistent with the idea it's
a nasty underbelly to social hierarchies. Aggression is perceived to be a way
of getting ahead."
In fact, bullying peaked at the 98th percentile of popularity and then dropped
for the most popular kids -- the top 2 percent -- perhaps because they no
longer feel the need to put others down to improve their own status.
The average aggression rate, or the number of classmates they teased or
bullied, for kids at the 98th percentile was 28 percent greater than for
students at the very bottom and 40 percent greater than for students at the
very top.
"Aggression could be counterproductive when you've reached the top," Faris
said. "It could signal insecurity with their social position. If you are at the top,
you may get much more benefit from being nice."
Kids at the very lowest end of the popularity spectrum also did little bullying,
possibly because they did not have the power to even attempt it, Faris said.
Perhaps the good news is that about 67 percent of kids were not aggressive
or mean toward anyone. Of the 33 percent who were, they picked on an
average of about two classmates.
The maximum number of kids any one bully targeted was nine, but targeted
children were picked on by as many as 17 of their classmates, the
researchers found.
"Aggression can be concentrated on a few kids," Faris said.
Girls and boys were equally as likely to bully. Kids who moved higher on the
social hierarchy also increased their aggression.
So what to do about it? Rather than focus only on the bullies or their victims,
programs should also include the silent majority who aren't involved, but
whose tacit support may encourage bullying. "The bystanders give people
their status, and they can decide to reward aggression or scorn it," Faris said.
Richard Gallagher, director of the Parenting Institute at New York University
Child Study Center, said this research fits with prior studies linking popularity
and bullying.
"Other studies have indicated that popular children are the ones more likely
to get involved with teasing and sometimes bullying," Gallagher said. "It
establishes their status, and many times the kids that observe it will think that
it's deserved and justified."
Whether such abuse actually succeeds in raising status was not measured in
this study. What's notable is that students believe it works, the authors wrote.
However, they noted that the findings, which were based on 19 small-town
and or rural schools, may not be replicated in other areas.
Bullying causes about 160,000 U.S. students to skip school each day,
according to background information in the study. Kids who are being
targeted should be taught to be assertive, but also to notify their parents and
school authorities if the bullying gets out of hand, experts say.
"Parents need to recognize this is going to happen. They need to teach their
kids to stand up for themselves and not be so fragile when it comes to
teasing," Gallagher said. "At the same time, we need to watch out for its
excesses."
...The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has more on
preventing and stopping bullying.
Feb 08, 2011
By Jenifer Goodwin
HealthDay News
Teens who are already popular but trying to become even more so are the
most likely to bully other kids, new research suggests.
The kids seem to think that antagonizing others will raise their own status in
the eyes of their peers, according to the study, published in the February
issue of the American Sociological Review.
Researchers asked about 3,700 students in 8th, 9th and 10th grades from
three counties in North Carolina about their behavior toward others and how
often they were the target of physical aggression, verbal aggression (such as
teasing or threats), rumors or indirect bullying (such as ostracism). Teens
were also asked how often they did this to a classmate.
The study team, which followed students over one school year, also asked
kids to name their top five friends, then used that data to determine which
kids were the most popular and at the center of the school's social network.
Kids who were at the top of the social pecking order, but not at the very top,
were the most likely to tease or be aggressive toward others.
"Status increases aggression," said lead study author Robert Faris, an
assistant professor of sociology at University of California, Davis. "For a long
time, people perceived aggression as a maladjusted reaction to problems at
home or mental health issues, but our research is consistent with the idea it's
a nasty underbelly to social hierarchies. Aggression is perceived to be a way
of getting ahead."
In fact, bullying peaked at the 98th percentile of popularity and then dropped
for the most popular kids -- the top 2 percent -- perhaps because they no
longer feel the need to put others down to improve their own status.
The average aggression rate, or the number of classmates they teased or
bullied, for kids at the 98th percentile was 28 percent greater than for
students at the very bottom and 40 percent greater than for students at the
very top.
"Aggression could be counterproductive when you've reached the top," Faris
said. "It could signal insecurity with their social position. If you are at the top,
you may get much more benefit from being nice."
Kids at the very lowest end of the popularity spectrum also did little bullying,
possibly because they did not have the power to even attempt it, Faris said.
Perhaps the good news is that about 67 percent of kids were not aggressive
or mean toward anyone. Of the 33 percent who were, they picked on an
average of about two classmates.
The maximum number of kids any one bully targeted was nine, but targeted
children were picked on by as many as 17 of their classmates, the
researchers found.
"Aggression can be concentrated on a few kids," Faris said.
Girls and boys were equally as likely to bully. Kids who moved higher on the
social hierarchy also increased their aggression.
So what to do about it? Rather than focus only on the bullies or their victims,
programs should also include the silent majority who aren't involved, but
whose tacit support may encourage bullying. "The bystanders give people
their status, and they can decide to reward aggression or scorn it," Faris said.
Richard Gallagher, director of the Parenting Institute at New York University
Child Study Center, said this research fits with prior studies linking popularity
and bullying.
"Other studies have indicated that popular children are the ones more likely
to get involved with teasing and sometimes bullying," Gallagher said. "It
establishes their status, and many times the kids that observe it will think that
it's deserved and justified."
Whether such abuse actually succeeds in raising status was not measured in
this study. What's notable is that students believe it works, the authors wrote.
However, they noted that the findings, which were based on 19 small-town
and or rural schools, may not be replicated in other areas.
Bullying causes about 160,000 U.S. students to skip school each day,
according to background information in the study. Kids who are being
targeted should be taught to be assertive, but also to notify their parents and
school authorities if the bullying gets out of hand, experts say.
"Parents need to recognize this is going to happen. They need to teach their
kids to stand up for themselves and not be so fragile when it comes to
teasing," Gallagher said. "At the same time, we need to watch out for its
excesses."
...The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has more on
preventing and stopping bullying.