A dissertation completed at
The Center for Education, Widener University,
One University Place, Chester, PA 19013 		 
HOW BULLIES PICK THEIR VICTIMS: A SYSTEMS APPROACH
Marjorie Annette Stoody, Ed. D.
November 2000

RETURN
edited 01/11/01

 


ABSTRACT This study analyzed aspects of the system in which aggressive students and their targets function at the middle school level, since the use of aggression by children to attain social goals occurs most frequently in early adolescence. All disciplinary incidents occurring in a middle school during the fall semester were examined in order to characterize properties of these situations which, when compared across incidents, identified underlying constructs common to those that involve peer aggression. Students who were repeatedly involved in aggressive incidents were subsequently interviewed in order to ascertain the salient victim characteristics they perceive while making social imputations about targeted students. Those who used aggressive means were asked about their motivation to do so, their expectations, and the values they had regarding social outcomes of their actions because the actors themselves have access to more samples of behaviors than other observers.

It was also a purpose of this study to examine the participants' perspectives on events; interview data served to triangulate data obtained from discipline referrals and student records. Because no measure existed that appraised the particular concerns of interest here, one was designed to assess aggressive students' inter- and intrapersonal. concerns regarding disciplinary incidents with particular emphasis on (a) attribution of outcome, (b) attributional bias, (c) self efficacy, d) characteristics appearing to reward aggression, (e) deviation from group norms, (f) intrapersonal determination of rejection, and (g) reputational. bias.

As proposed, explanatory constructs that associate the properties of disciplinary incidents with peer aggression emerged in this study. It was found that when bullying occurs, aggressors' social imputations interact with these properties in the social environment.

A composite representation of students at risk for repetitive aggressive behavior emerged in this study. As demonstrated in other studies, being a minority male from lower socioeconomic circumstances seems to impart special vulnerability in regard to the use of aggression against peers. Additionally, full time learning support students appear to sustain even greater risk for using aggressive means to achieve social goals. A setting where adult supervision is reduced appears to provide maximum opportunity for the use of peer aggression.

Constructs which emerged that aggressors associate with targets' behaviors and characteristics are related to lack of prosocial qualities and behavior patterns indicative of anxiety and submissiveness. Appearance, emotional demeanor, and perceived lack of athleticism were also associated with being a target of aggression.

During the interpersonal encounters that were the basis for this study, assumptions were made by aggressive students regarding the motivations of others. These assumptions appeared to affect how the students acted and reacted within setting elements in ternis of their own vulnerabilities.

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