Nowhere to Hide: Nowhere to Hide: Bullying within Bullying within School and MediaSchool and Media

Nicholas RamirezNicholas Ramirez

Advanced General PsychologyAdvanced General Psychology

Oct 22, 2011Oct 22, 2011

Table of ContentsTable of Contents

Brief Overview of Topic-BullyingBrief Overview of Topic-Bullying Bullying-Power and PersistenceBullying-Power and Persistence Cyber-Bullying and Digital Cyber-Bullying and Digital

CommunicationCommunication The Emotional and Behavioral Effects of The Emotional and Behavioral Effects of

Victims of BullyingVictims of Bullying Bystanders-Contributing or IgnoranceBystanders-Contributing or Ignorance InterventionsInterventions

Bullying and SocietyBullying and Society

Bullying has been a part of every culture, time period and Bullying has been a part of every culture, time period and generation, being used in a variety of manner and within different generation, being used in a variety of manner and within different age groups. The problem with the current assessment of bullying age groups. The problem with the current assessment of bullying is not only the deep impact it has emotionally and physically is not only the deep impact it has emotionally and physically toward young adolescents but also how much farther bullying has toward young adolescents but also how much farther bullying has reached from within the confines of a school environment As reached from within the confines of a school environment As society evolves along with media and technology, children are society evolves along with media and technology, children are introduced and privy to very aggressive material. Associated with introduced and privy to very aggressive material. Associated with aggressive material is the rise of depression, anxiety and stress aggressive material is the rise of depression, anxiety and stress among children. Bullying has branched out toward children more among children. Bullying has branched out toward children more abruptly causing suicide among young children to increase due to abruptly causing suicide among young children to increase due to this topic. Solutions such as school programs and interventions this topic. Solutions such as school programs and interventions which entail anger management, team building and promoting self which entail anger management, team building and promoting self esteem are a few of the techniques used to overcome these types esteem are a few of the techniques used to overcome these types of behaviors. of behaviors.

Bullying-Power and Bullying-Power and PersistencePersistence

Dooley notes: “Bullying is usually defined as Dooley notes: “Bullying is usually defined as aggression that is intentionally carried out by one or aggression that is intentionally carried out by one or more individuals and repeatedly targeted toward a more individuals and repeatedly targeted toward a person who cannot easily defend him- or herself” person who cannot easily defend him- or herself”

Evidence suggests that bullies develop by parental Evidence suggests that bullies develop by parental physical discipline, in which are hostile and rejecting, physical discipline, in which are hostile and rejecting, developing poor problem-solving skills, and teach their developing poor problem-solving skills, and teach their children to be the aggressor (Veenstra et. al., 2005). children to be the aggressor (Veenstra et. al., 2005).

When examining the motives of bullying in school, When examining the motives of bullying in school, bullies are driven by specific emotions or requiring a bullies are driven by specific emotions or requiring a response to satisfy or condone this type of behavior. response to satisfy or condone this type of behavior.

Bullying FactorsBullying Factors

Emotional InfluencesEmotional Influences AngerAnger DepressionDepression SadnessSadness ConfusionConfusion DistortionDistortion

School PerceptionsSchool Perceptions OutcastOutcast LonerLoner EnforcerEnforcer TroublemakerTroublemaker Delinquency Delinquency IntimidatingIntimidating

Cyber bullying and Cyber bullying and Digital CommunicationDigital Communication

““Consistent with the Smith et al. (2008) study, almost all cyber Consistent with the Smith et al. (2008) study, almost all cyber bullies were also traditional bullies and nearly all cyber victims bullies were also traditional bullies and nearly all cyber victims were traditional victims. However, traditional victims were not were traditional victims. However, traditional victims were not found to be electronic bullies” (Gradinger et. al., 2009). found to be electronic bullies” (Gradinger et. al., 2009).

As the development of peer relationships is based on aspects As the development of peer relationships is based on aspects such as self worth, group placement, friendships and romantic such as self worth, group placement, friendships and romantic involvement, with the access of the internet and mobility of involvement, with the access of the internet and mobility of technology/communication, these interactions become more technology/communication, these interactions become more personal and less private. personal and less private.

Dooley notes: that cyber bullying using media was perceived by Dooley notes: that cyber bullying using media was perceived by students as being worse than other forms of cyber bullying based students as being worse than other forms of cyber bullying based on exposure and being recognized. on exposure and being recognized.

Since electronic access is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a Since electronic access is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, there is no limit to the amount of harassment that can occur week, there is no limit to the amount of harassment that can occur in a child’s development creating unhealthy psychological in a child’s development creating unhealthy psychological problems. problems.

Tools of Cyber BullyingTools of Cyber Bullying

FacebookFacebook TwitterTwitter BlogsBlogs Texting Texting EmailingEmailing School Internet ForumsSchool Internet Forums False IdentitiesFalse Identities

The Emotional and The Emotional and Behavioral Effects of Behavioral Effects of Victims of BullyingVictims of Bullying

Veenstra et. al. notes: “bullying might allow children to achieve Veenstra et. al. notes: “bullying might allow children to achieve their immediate goals without learning socially acceptable ways to their immediate goals without learning socially acceptable ways to negotiate with others, resulting in persistent maladaptive patterns” negotiate with others, resulting in persistent maladaptive patterns”

Though resilience is instilled in some victims helping them adapt Though resilience is instilled in some victims helping them adapt to these situations and promote strength, others have difficulty to these situations and promote strength, others have difficulty regaining normal social interaction. regaining normal social interaction.

Merrell et. al. notes: “A disturbing element of some of the high Merrell et. al. notes: “A disturbing element of some of the high profile school shootings in the United States during the past few profile school shootings in the United States during the past few years has been that some of these youthful shooters were repeat years has been that some of these youthful shooters were repeat victims of bullying and peer harassment, were unpopular, and victims of bullying and peer harassment, were unpopular, and they ultimately went on a shooting spree as a way of exacting they ultimately went on a shooting spree as a way of exacting revengerevenge” ”

Psychological Effects Psychological Effects toward Victims of toward Victims of BullyingBullying

FearFear Academic DeclineAcademic Decline StressStress AnxietyAnxiety Diminished Self EsteemDiminished Self Esteem DepressionDepression Suicidal Tendencies Suicidal Tendencies

Bystanders-Contributing Bystanders-Contributing or Ignoranceor Ignorance

““Those students who either witness bullying or Those students who either witness bullying or those who know students who are being bullied those who know students who are being bullied could experience a degree of co victimization could experience a degree of co victimization that, in turn, may have an impact upon their that, in turn, may have an impact upon their own mental health and suicide ideation” (Rivers own mental health and suicide ideation” (Rivers et. al., 2010). et. al., 2010).

However, as the pressures of popularity, group However, as the pressures of popularity, group acceptance or survival within a school acceptance or survival within a school environment is viewed as essential; there are environment is viewed as essential; there are different roles bystanders play to avoid being different roles bystanders play to avoid being viewed as an outcast. viewed as an outcast.

Roles of BystandersRoles of Bystanders

““The role of The role of bystander includes bystander includes those who join in with those who join in with perpetrators in perpetrators in bullying another bullying another (“(“assistantsassistants”) ”)

Those who provide Those who provide positive feedback to positive feedback to perpetrators perpetrators (“(“reinforcers  reinforcers  ”) ”)

Those who stay Those who stay away and watch from away and watch from a distance a distance (“(“outsidersoutsiders”)”)

Those who attempt Those who attempt to intervene on to intervene on behalf of the victim behalf of the victim (“(“defendersdefenders”) ”)

InterventionsInterventions

Intervention programs are assessed to be limited and Intervention programs are assessed to be limited and unsuccessful. unsuccessful.

Merrell argues: “many interventions designed to Merrell argues: “many interventions designed to prevent bullying are implemented with small groups of prevent bullying are implemented with small groups of targeted students, in individual classrooms, or in targeted students, in individual classrooms, or in clusters of selected classrooms, rather than in whole clusters of selected classrooms, rather than in whole schools schools

““Such predictors can provide a basis for designing Such predictors can provide a basis for designing interventions to prevent or reduce bullying among interventions to prevent or reduce bullying among children and adolescents, and is consistent with the children and adolescents, and is consistent with the risk and protective logic embedded within the widely risk and protective logic embedded within the widely endorsed public health model of prevention” (Cook et. endorsed public health model of prevention” (Cook et. al., pg. 3). al., pg. 3).

Invention Methods and Invention Methods and CounselingCounseling

For Bullies:For Bullies: Anger ManagementAnger Management TherapyTherapy Social Interaction Social Interaction

(Sports/Clubs)(Sports/Clubs)

For Victims:For Victims: Counseling Counseling Building Resilience Building Resilience

and Self Esteemand Self Esteem Group/Individual Group/Individual

Therapy Therapy