Can Bullies Be Popular? Developmental Insights

描述(申请人提供)：童年欺凌是美国公众日益关注的问题，长期调整健康关系到侵略者和受害者的严重问题。最近的研究中最令人不安的发现之一是，欺凌弱小的人很受欢迎。如果欺负者很受欢迎，孩子们可能更有可能内化关于攻击性的积极信息，并容忍或促进同龄人的受害。被广泛使用的反欺凌计划往往认为欺凌弱小的人不受欢迎，并被不具攻击性的同龄人拒绝。因此，目前的反欺凌计划没有识别出受欢迎的欺凌弱者，也没有为这些儿童提供有效的治疗。这项调查将对“大众欺凌”假说进行全面评估。这项研究的目的是：(A)引入新的概念和方法来评估受欢迎程度，(B)详细说明欺负者与他们的同龄人形成的各种关系，以及(C)绘制欺凌与受欢迎之间关系的发展趋势。样本将包括600名三四年级儿童，他们就读于八所不同种族的学校。之所以选择这个年龄段，是因为在有关欺凌行为的主要调查中，青少年前期往往被忽视，但欺凌行为的发展起源如果不是在更早的话，也是在童年中期。数据将通过社会计量调查、教师关于参与的儿童及其课堂社会动态的信息以及学校人口统计和纪律记录来收集。三组研究问题推动了这项调查：(1)受欢迎程度比受欢迎程度更重要吗？过去的研究可能低估了欺凌弱者的受欢迎程度，因为他们过分强调讨人喜欢，而不是被认为很酷或有影响力。(2)欺负者是否与无攻击性的儿童形成关系？欺凌弱小的人经常被描绘成离经叛道的同龄人团体的成员，但受欢迎的欺凌弱小者可能会与不具攻击性的孩子组成友谊和从属关系。(3)发展问题至关重要。随着童年中期的进行，欺凌弱小的人是更受欢迎还是更不受欢迎？变得更受欢迎的孩子是更欺负人，还是更少欺负人？成为欺凌弱小的孩子是赢得了人气还是失去了人气？这项调查的目的是了解受欢迎程度和同伴关系是如何加强欺凌行为的。将认真注意男孩和女孩团体内部和之间的欺凌行为。长期目标是开始建立干预措施的进程，对那些很好地融入同龄人社会生活的欺凌弱小者有效。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Bullying in childhood is a growing American public concern, long-term adjustment heath related to serious problems for aggressors and victims. Among the most troubling findings from recent research is the claim that bullies are popular. If bullies are popular, children may be more likely to internalize positive messages about aggression and to tolerate or promote peer victimization. Widely-used anti-bullying programs tend to assume that bullies are unpopular and rejected by their nonaggressive peers. As a result, current antibullying programs do not identify bullies who are popular or provide these children with effective treatments. This investigation will provide a comprehensive evaluation of the "popular bully" hypothesis. The study aims to: (a) introduce new concepts and methods for assessing popularity, (b) detail the variety of relationships that bullies form with their peers, and (c) chart developmental trends in the relationship between bullying and popularity. The sample will consist of 600 third and fourth grade children attending eight ethnically diverse schools. This age group was selected because preadolescents are often passed by in favor of adolescents in major investigations of bullying, but the developmental origins of bullying lie in the middle childhood years if not before. Data will be collected through sociometric surveys, teacher information about participating children and their classroom social dynamics, and school demographic and disciplinary records. Three sets of research questions drive this investigation: (1) Is there more to popularity than likeability? Past research may have underestimated the popularity of bullies by overemphasizing likeability as opposed to being perceived as cool or influential. (2) Do bullies form relationships with nonaggressive children? Bullies are often portrayed as members of deviant peer groups, but popular bullies may form friendships and affiliate in groups with nonaggressive children. (3) Developmental questions are critical. Are bullies more or less likely to be popular as middle childhood proceeds? Do children who become more popular then bully more, or less? Do children who become bullies gain or lose popularity? The goal of this investigation is to understand how popularity and peer relationships can enhance bullying behavior. Careful attention will be paid to bullying within and between boys' and girls' groups. The long-term objective is to begin the process of building interventions that can be effective for bullies who are well-integrated into peer social life.