Bullying Research and Definitions: Bullying

Bullying Research and Definitions:

Bullying has come to the forefront of the education system with the occurrence of several high profile acts of violence in schools as well as several suicides which have been linked to retaliation from bullying.

The FBI and Secret Service have conducted studies and found that 2/3 of students who open fire on classmates at school are "motivated by the desire to take revenge for bullying." (79)

Incidence occurrence ranges in research from 29.9% of students in grades 6-10 are either bullies or victims of bullying (19.3 bullies, 16.9 bullied and 6.3 both) (81)

Yet, there is also evidence that given a narrower definition of bullying the incidence could be as much as 15-20% lower. (83)

Though it is also clear that not all bullying ends with homicide or suicide as it is a subjective event where individuals may or may not take it seriously. (79)

http://www.greatestjournal.com/users/madameparker/9403.html

Bullying is a difficult issue to research and even define as it is subjective and because it can be mistaken for other forms of "normal" childhood social conflict.(78-81)

Observes may also have a hard time distinguishing between normal playful teasing and bullying. (79-80)

The definition of bullying ranges from very simple to complex and the difference in definitions can determine the outcome of research beliefs regarding incidence frequency. (79)

The difficulty of distinguishing bullying form less serious forms of peer conflict, or even playful teasing and horseplay, cannot be overemphasized. On the one hand, teachers often fail to recognize bullying when it is taking place, leaving students with the impression that they do not care and out bullying and will do little to stop it. On the other hand a multitude of studies proclaim that school bullying is a pervasive problem that affects millions of students at all grade levels in virtually every school." (79)

There is not one accepted definitions of bullying but the most accepted definition is a three part definition. To some degree the definition falls in line with definitions of harassment:

Victim must be in a Weaker Position (either smaller physically or with less social pull)

Behavior Occurs Frequently (conservative estimates are greater than or equal to once a weak)