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Bullying in schools: the role of the peer group

Good morning!

Today I want to share a very interesting article I’ve recently read. The title is: “Bullying in Schools: The Role of the Peer Group” by Christina Salmivalli (2001). This article explores how the peer group (classmates) plays a key role in the phenomenon of school bullying. The author argues that bullying is not just a problem between the bully and the victim, but that it involves the entire social environment of the classroom.

It’s very important to understand that the roles in bullying go beyond just the bully and the victim. There are bystander roles that act as reinforcers, such as helpers, encouragers (who laugh or cheer), and passive spectators. This shows that many students are involved in some way, even if they don’t realize it.

The behavior of the bully is often aimed at gaining social approval, and many bullying situations persist or get worse because the group reinforces the behavior, either actively or through silence.

In order to reduce bullying, it’s not enough to focus only on the bully or to protect the victim. We need to transform the group dynamic and promote active attitudes against bullying, especially by empowering bystanders to step in and act as defenders.

The article suggests that anti-bullying programs should work on group norms, promote shared responsibility, and give students tools to actively take a stand against bullying.

As a personal reflection, I believe that to reduce bullying rates or break the cycle of aggressive behavior, it’s essential to address the social environment as well, since bullying is clearly a social phenomenon.

I encourage you all to read this article!


References:

Salmivalli, C. (2001). Bullying in schools: the role of the peer group. Educational Psychologist, 35(2), 123-139 

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