Demetra and Sophia walk down the hallway of the school talking about their last class. As they pass Mr. Simoneâs class, Nash knocks Demetra down for the fourth time that week. Sophia quickly walks down the hallway away from both of them. As Nash kicks her, Demetra curls up in a ball not only to block Nashâs kicks, but also to block the sound of Rafferty cheering Nash on and throwing books at her. She meets the eyes of Ajani who watches and giggles from the crowd. Rachel walks up and sees Demetra on the ground. She yells at everyone to stop and calls Mr. Simoneâs name as she helps Demetra up from the ground. Rachel escorts Demetra to Mr. Simoneâs classroom and stays with her until Demetraâs parents arrive.
Imagine the above scenario that was adapted from one of the authorâs lived experiences with names changed. As can be seen from this vignette, bullying is a complex series of events that can involve and impact more than just a bully and victim. Traditionally, research has focused on the bully-victim dyad, and as such, the focus would be solely on Nash and Demetra. However, as was first articulated in the pioneering work of Salmivalli, Lagerspetz, Björkqvist, Ăsterman, and Kaukialnen (1996) and clearly evident in the above scenario, bullying is largely a group process in which bystanders can help fuel or combat bullying. The students in this scenario take on multiple roles including those that support the bully as evident in the actions of the assistant to the bully (Rafferty) and the reinforcer of the bully (Ajani). However, bystanders can also behave in ways that support the victim as seen in the behavior of the defender (Rachel). Still, peers can behave in ways that do not explicitly assist the bully or victim as in the case of the outsider (Sophia) who distances herself both physically and emotionally. Teachers, such as Mr. Simone, and other significant adults also have the potential to influence bullying dynamics. Each chapter in this book highlights a particular participant role. By viewing bullying through the eyes of each individual role, this book provides an in-depth exploration of bullying as a group process with special attention to implications for prevention and intervention.
Definition and Forms of Bullying
Most people feel that they know bullying when they see it, but it is critical to understand how bullying is defined in the research literature. The most common definition of bullying is based on Dan Olweusâ (1993) seminal work in which he proposed three essential components to bullying: (1) a power imbalance, (2) repetition, and (3) an intention to harm. The first component, imbalance of power, can refer to either the bully having greater physical power (e.g., size, strength) or social power (e.g., popularity, social hierarchy). Second, the behavior must be repetitive; bullying is not considered a singular incident, but rather is behavior that occurs on a continued basis. Finally, the bully acts with an intention to harm his or her victim. Although other definitions have been proposed, the work of Olweus forms the basis of definitions put forth by the American Psychological Association and the National Association of School Psychologists (Hymel & Swearer, 2015). The contributors in this book refer back to this classic definition.
Bullying behaviors can take different forms, which further adds to the complexity of understanding bullying (Gladden, Vivolo-Kantor, Hamburger, & Lumpkin, 2014). Even though teachers tend to think of physical bullying (Bauman & Del Rio, 2006), bullying can also take the forms of verbal attacks, relational bullying, and property damage (Hymel & Swearer, 2015; Mynard & Joseph, 2000; Olweus, 2010). More recently, attention has also been aimed at understanding cyberbullying (Hinduja & Patchin, 2009).
Researchers have sought to differentiate these forms of bullying (Gladden et al., 2014; Mynard & Joseph, 2000; Rosen, Scott, & DeOrnellas, 2017). Physical bullying refers to a direct physical attack on an individual such as hitting, pinching, kicking, or biting. Verbal bullying, on the other hand, refers to the use of language to inflict harm on another (e.g., teasing and name-calling). Social bullying can be more nuanced, and although teachers often consider this a less serious form (Bauman & Del Rio, 2006), it can be quite hurtful to victims (Paquette & Underwood, 1999). Social bullying, similar to what has been termed relational or indirect bullying, is intended to harm the victimâs social status or relationships (Underwood, 2003). Common forms of social aggression include social exclusion and gossip (Paquette & Underwood, 1999). Social aggression may become more common and take more complex forms in adolescence as greater importance is devoted to popularity (Pouwels, Lansu, & Cillessen, 2018; Underwood, 2003). Though not as frequently examined, property damage can be considered a form of bullying, which involves destruction or any change to the property that is carried out with the intention of harming someone (Mynard & Joseph, 2000).
Cyberbullying involves aggression through electronic devices (e.g., cell phones and social media; Hinduja & Patchin, 2009), and many contributors to this book identify this as an area for future research on participant roles. Cyberbullying presents a number of conceptual and practical challenges (Volk, Dane, & Marini, 2014). For example, identifying a power imbalance can be difficult as the traditional metric of physical size is not apparent. Those who perpetrate cyberbullying may have greater power in their ability to reach a wide audience quickly. However, perpetrators of cyberbullying can act anonymously, which further makes it difficult to discern power imbalances and can contribute to aggressors feeling more empowered. Importantly, cyberbullying can occur at any timeâday or nightâand without geographical limitations, which may lead to victims feeling more vulnerable (Hinduja & Patchin, 2009). Further, the potential for cyberbullying to unfold in front of a wide audience can translate into a larger number o...