The Characteristics of Bullies

On this blog I will discuss the characteristics of bullies as discussed within the academic journal article “Bullying in School: An Overview of Types, Effects, Family Characteristics, and Intervention Strategies”, by Paul R. Smokowski and Kelly Holland Kopasz.

According to the journal article, most bullies share common characteristics. The common characteristics of bullies include being overly aggressive, being destructive, being hot-tempered, being impulsive, enjoying dominating others, and having a low tolerance for frustration One problem with bullying is that researchers have found that bullies are “more likely to be involved with other [problematic] behaviors, such as drinking and smoking.” Another problem is that bullies tend to show “poorer school achievement” and demonstrate a dislike towards school. The journal article states that most bullies see violence positively, as a means to solve their problems or fulfill their needs. In addition to using violence to gain or maintain their dominance over others, bullies use violence as a means to obtain rewards such as money and prestige.

An interesting observation I made is that it seems that the “benefits” of engaging in bullying behaviors currently outweigh the “negative consequences” of engaging in bullying behaviors. As noted within other blogs, bullying is very hard to detect. Even when bullying is identified or acknowledged, many times it tends to be dismissed or normalized. As a result, bullies may see their activities as “low risk”. Currently, bullies have very little to lose by engaging in bullying behaviors, but much to gain. As noted within the article, by engaging in bullying behaviors bullies gain rewards and prestige, maintain their dominance over others, and are able to solve their problems. The article also makes reference to bullying as a “gateway form of violence”, which I have discussed in previous blogs. As a result, I believe the consequences of bullying should be restructured. This is not to say that bullies should be handed down capital punishment. However, I do believe some form of reprimand needs to be put in place so that bullying will decrease. Ideally it would be great if anti-bullying strategies focused on determining what has been triggering the bullying. Perhaps bullies can be shown alternative, socially accepted ways to obtain what they want. For example, perhaps anti-bullying programs could help recovering bullies obtain a job. In this manner, instead of bullying someone into handing over their money, bullies would be able to earn their own money and buy what they want.

Bully, Victim, and Bully/Victim Characteristics

             Today I will discuss some of the characteristics that according to “The causes and nature of bullying and social exclusion in schools”, by Maria el Mar Badia Martin, are exhibited by bullies, victims, and bully/victims. According to the text, victims of bullying are “often targeted because they are considered different,” which usually entails being “overweight, small, [having] a learning disability, or [being] overly sensitive.” However, I think it is important to realize that victims may be equally targeted for having the opposite traits, such as being underweight, being extremely tall, being very intelligent, or being emotionally indifferent. As a result, I believe that the key word found within Badia Martin’s description of victims is the word “different”. There is no perfect category that encompasses all victims of bullying because humans, especially children, are extremely creative, even if the creativeness is not always used for good intentions. As a result, if children set their minds to bullying, they will always find a way to make fun of another person who is different or whom they dislike.

            The text states that both boys and girls can be bullies and victims. However, the text also notes that “there is a pattern to their meanness.” According to the text, “girls generally mock others for their physical appearance.” On the other hand, “boys tend to make more sexually explicit comments.” The text offers no possible explanation for these findings. However, it seems to me that in both cases there may be issues regarding self-conscious awareness. It may be that bullies, both boys and girls, are trying to increase their own-self esteem. Perhaps bullying originates as a form of retaliation to bullying experiences of the past, or as a form of protection in which the bully bullies others with the intent to appear as the dominant individual and to deter other individuals who might try to bully them.

            In regards to bully/victims the text states that bully/victims “have irritative tendencies, are often hyperactive in [school], often break rules in games, try to join groups in a heavy-handed manner and provoke bullying behavior from others.” In addition, the text states that bully/victims are “provocative, physically stronger and more assertive than pure victims and have been found to be the least popular children in class.” The awkward position in which bully/victims find themselves might be what forces these individuals to act in the aforementioned manners. Just imagine the amount of inner pressure bully/victims feel as they pass from being the victim to being the bully, and vice-versa. It seems to me that most bully/victims begin as victims only, but then because of social pressures and the necessity to “fit in”, or in order to no longer be victimized, the victims start to bully others who are weaker than them. As a result, bully/victims are left being the most unpopular children in school, because they are hated by those who bully them and are also hated by their victims. The text seems to support this viewpoint, because it states that “bully/victims and their behavior problems appear to match closely [to] the picture of the rejected aggressive pupil.”