Mayor Bloomberg (left) character from BeetleJuice movie (right)
Posted on 06/20/2011 1:47:15 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Typically, we think of the class bully as having low self-esteem, a kid with social phobias in need of an ego boost. Maybe we think bullies are mean as a way of acting out. But new research suggests that most aggressive behavior in children is actually not the result of psychological or social problems, but rather a desire to maintain one’s social position in the group. In fact, new studies reveal that most bullies actually have excellent self-esteem; the higher one’s social ranking in school, the more likely he/she is to have been involved in an aggressive incident. That’s right, if it’s true that being class president is just a popularity contest, then perhaps the class president is actually the class bully.
Since the victims of bullies commonly experience depression and social anxiety, this new data supports the implementation of anti-bullying programs in schools. These programs provide students with an environment where they can openly discuss the effects of aggressive behavior and learn conflict resolution skills from adults and peers.
The study collected data from 3,772 students across 19 middle and high schools. Students were asked to name five kids who had physically or verbally abused them, as well as five kids who they had picked on. The study revealed that the desire to achieve or maintain popularity was directly proportional with aggressive behavior. In fact, the more popular a student was, the more likely he/she had been involved in an aggressive situation. Based on the responses from children about their closest peer group, researchers studied how aggressive behavior effects cross-gender friendships, as well as the social networks at large.
On average, 33% of students had exhibited some form of aggressive behavior. Female students exhibited more hostility and placed more importance on social popularity, whereas males were more physically aggressive. In gender-segregated schools, the correlation between social status and aggression was even higher than in mixed gender schools.
Researchers believe administrators, teachers and parents need to work collaboratively to change the peer culture that encourages bullying. If you’re a parent of a school-aged child, it’s crucial to keep the lines of communication open so your child feels safe discussing peer dynamics, which will allow you to help combat aggressive behavior.
According to a recent study involving 5th and 6th graders, it’s not the bullies who are disliked by their classmates, but the kids being bullied.
Both of my kids had parental approval to knock the snot of anyone bullying them and they knew if they bullied anyone they’d get the snot knocked of them either me or their mom.
Any parent who sides with schools and scolds a kid for defending themselves against a bully is doing a disservice to their child.
I don’t know anyone who loves bullies. But then again, I don’t hang in liberal circles.
I agree. I think in addition to the disparity in size/strength, viciousness gives a bully an unfair advantage over a ‘normal’ kid who has the capacity for empathy and, thankfully, lacks a predatory mindset. Even a child who is larger but not a vicious thug-in-training can be bested by a smaller, ambitious young thug. And children should not have to ‘become’ (act out aggression) as vicious as the bullies just to get through their day.
Human society is somewhat like that of wolves. Recent studies show that wolves in nature do not live in packs of unrelated individuals who battle for dominance; that's a myth based on studies of unrelated wolves in captivity. Real wolves live in family groups; the leader is the father, who is authoritarian but benevolent and is hardly ever challenged. That's how people lived for much of human history. Kids learned from their parents or other close relatives.
The bullies aren't insecure or lacking in a feeling of self-worth. They look like they have self-esteem to an excessive degree.
The kids who cheer the bully on or don't get involved may be the ones who are insecure and afraid.
You and I are exactly on the same page.
It is because she is rarely left with other children without one of her parents nearby that we are able to watch for certain behaviors and nip them in the bud.
What I didn't make clear is that school settings lead to this “sorting out” and are harmful to both those being picked on and those who are doing the bullying. It is a parent's responsibility to cultivate a respect for others by training their children and being honest about their little darling's sinful nature.
You sound like great parents! Keep up the great work!
Nope.
That’s why I have told my kids that, if they fight in self defense, I’ll back them up all the way. They might get punished, but not by me...
Their only goal in life is winning. They will do anything to win and even act against their own self-interest to force their will upon others.
Various studies have shown they represent about 4% of the general population. They are responsible for most of the world's interpersonal misery and they actually have a brain scan different from normal human beings.
If these individuals were quickly identified and physically isolated, the world would be a demonstrably better place.
They cannot be "cured" as they see absolutely nothing wrong with themselves. They do not have normal emotions and cannot feel love or guilt as would a normal human with a conscience.
They are not necessarily violent criminals but are a scourge upon the human population because of their complete absence of connection to the basic social contract most humans respect and follow.
Thanks!
You know, he looks a little bit like Jeff Dunham’s Akmed (sp?) the dead terrorist in that picture.
Mayor Bloomberg (left) character from BeetleJuice movie (right)
There is an educational theory that to my knowledge has never been intentionally tried.
If you look at a wolf pack, its puppies continually vie for position until a hierarchy has been established. But calling it a hierarchy is something of a human construct, because while there are alpha and beta, all the way to omega wolves, once wolves have found their place in the pack, they perform a *specialized* purpose for that role. And even the omega dog purpose is important to the pack as a whole.
So instead of trying to push all children to all be “alphas”, what would happen if they were not just permitted to establish their own pecking order, but facilitated in establishing their role among their peers?
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