Free Custom «School Bullying» Essay Paper

Bullying is a repetitive act of aggressions, coercion and intimidation against a weaker victim. An aggressor or perpetrator may have the advantage resulting from physical size, psychological or social power or other factors, which leads to power differentiation. Key features are determined as harm and repetitive action of aggressions. The effects manifest differently depending on the intent. There are various reasons for the perpetrators to initiate the action. In most cases, such behavior presents significant consequences to the school life development. For example, bullies are at risk of delinquency, crime and substance abuse. Consequently, victims also face adverse effects during their school life, which may continue afterwards. For example, victims are at risk of depression and lower self-esteem in their adult life. Researches suggest that bullying witnesses have a specific role in bullies’ behavior. For example, they reinforce the act, and hence motivate the perpetrators. Therefore, bullying is a hostile behavior of one student towards another one, when students have different roles resulting from both psychological and social challenges.

 

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Bullying presents different forms of behavior. Physical bullying hurts an individual in a direct manner. However, indirect bullying, such as stealing or damaging another person’s belonging, hurts emotionally. Verbal acts of aggression are also a form of indirect bullying. It includes name-calling and insults that humiliate the victim (Rivers & Poteat, 2009). Relational or social bullying is a behavior that interrupts the victim’s relationship with peers. It means social exclusion that may result in the spread of gossip.

There are various factors that motivate bullying. Such factors include religion, race, culture, gender and sexuality. For example, sexual harassment may involve sexual acts or demands. Also, new development in technology has led to appearance of cyber bullying. With the increasing number of smartphones among school students, cyber bullying becomes a common trend. It involves aggression and acts of coercion through electronic mediums. For example, bullies may post compromising pictures or spread rumors about their victims (Merell & Isava, 2009).

Bullies exhibit poor psychological functioning. They are aggressive, hostile, impulsive, antisocial, domineering and uncooperative towards peers. Additionally, they demonstrate little anxiety or insecurity. For example, when in control, they feel confident. At the same time, they make friends more easily since they can coerce, or peers may feel secure around them. As a result, they establish support from classmates. The aim of bullies is to achieve success through aggression, and inflicting pain on others (Merell & Isava, 2009). However, to win peer support, they seek any form of provocation from victims or attributes that they do not like. For example, they may bully an individual based on his capability or limitation, such as an illness or social background. Additionally, bullies show poor school adjustments, both in achievements and well‑being. For instance, they lack social support from teachers, and therefore, often have difficulties with studying. Researches show that such children come from homes where members prefer physical discipline, hostility or lack skills in addressing the issue (De Winter et al., 2005).

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Bullying victims also show poor psychological functioning. They show signs of withdrawal, depression, anxiety and insecurity among others. They report feeling of loneliness, are less happy at school, and have fewer friends than their classmates (De Winter et al., 2005). They usually explain it saying that they “do not fit”. Similarly, other students avoid victims because of fear of bullies or losing social status among peers. Although victims respond differently to bullying, they exhibit similar behavior, such as school avoidance. Additionally, they tend to avoid social places, such as entertainment centers or activities with a significant audience. Furthermore, children with disabilities are at risk of victimization (Rivers & Poteat, 2009).

Studies focused on the relationship between parenting and bullying suggest that overprotection and poor relationship with parents result in victimization by peers. For example, reports on victimization show its association with perceived maternal protection for boys or rejection by girls (De Winter et al., 2005). Additionally, parents’ excessive interest in school may lead to victimization. For example, when parents try to overly defend their children from the teachers or school regulations, they reduce independence of their children. Friendship is a protective factor. For instance, having close friends may reduce the risk of victimization. Other factors may include social competence, little anxiety and aggression. Some victims of childhood bullying experience depression, poor self-esteem, and interpersonal conflicts in their adult lives. Additionally, they are at risk of suicidal thoughts or acts of retribution (Merell & Isava, 2009).

Another distinct group of the school bullying is bully/victims. They are provocative bullies, who face aggression towards other individuals and also themselves. The groups are more common in elementary rather than high schools (James, 2010). They exhibit poor social skills and act divergent from peers. For example, they may be aggressive or interruptive to other children. They have low self-esteem, attention difficulties, social maladjustments and poor problem-solving skills. Researches suggest that their parenting background is inconsistent, abusive or includes bad relationship with members. As a result, they may lack social support, and therefore, are at risk of severe psychological problems (Rivers & Poteat, 2009).

Bullying occurs in the presence of peer groups and is a social process. As a result, peers influence response and perception of self and safety of victims. However, some groups are not just bullies or victims; they are the third party that assists in motivating the action. For example, they act as lookouts, or encourage the act. Additionally, they may defend the bullies, or prevent barriers, such as bystanders (James, 2010). Therefore, it is necessary to change the behavior of such individuals and make them defend the victims (Rivers & Poteat, 2009).