Aggression has emerged as a social and public health issue that calls for advanced understanding, as well as the adoption of appropriate interventions. Its contemporary prominence has attracted an immense focus from social scientists and clinical experts. In explaining what aggression entails, the concerned groups have advanced diverse perspectives; on the one hand, theorists have always sought to explain why individuals express aggressive behavior as part of their core personality traits. On the other hand, biologists have been investigating possible neural basis of aggression, arguing that aggressive behavior is innate; whereas a majority of psychologists hold that aggression attitudes are a product of social and environmental interactions. Based on these diverse perspectives, an unprecedented debate, the nature versus nurture controversy, has emerged to explain the causes of aggression. Surprisingly, clear disagreements over the origin of aggression exist among psychologists. Some have upheld the tenets of psychodynamic approach to describe human aggressive behavior as an instinctive construct hence innate, whereas cognitive theorists hold that aggression is learnt. Despite the lack of consensus on the basis of human aggression, it is explicit that this behavior bears undesirable consequences. Of great concern is bullying, an aspect that has become a serious social problem among the global community, and which will be interrogated in depth in this discussion. According to Swearer, Wang, Berry and Myers, bullying has emerged as a disastrous social relationship problem. In theory, bullying can be described as a form of aggression that is characterized by a systematic and repeated abuse of power. Over the past few decades, bullying has been blamed for an increase in suicidal cases and delinquency, especially among the youth. In summary, this paper focuses on discussing the social psychological basis of bullying behavior in a manner that is consistent with the principles of aggression theories.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- The Negative Consequences of Bullying Behavior
- A Social Psychological Perspective on Bullying
- Exposure to Violence and the Development of Aggressive Behavior
- Learning as the Underlying Drive of Bullying
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper aims to discuss the social psychological basis of bullying behavior, aligning with principles of aggression theories. It explores the negative consequences of bullying and examines contributing factors from both social learning and exposure to violence perspectives.
- The negative consequences of bullying behavior
- Social psychological perspectives on aggression and bullying
- The role of exposure to violence in developing aggressive behavior
- The influence of learning on bullying behavior
- The limitations of existing research and future directions
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This introductory section sets the stage by establishing bullying as a significant social and public health issue. It highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the nature versus nurture aspects of aggression, noting diverse perspectives from various fields. The introduction also clearly states the paper's focus: exploring the social psychological underpinnings of bullying behavior through the lens of existing aggression theories, emphasizing the serious and often deadly consequences of bullying, especially among youth.
The Negative Consequences of Bullying Behavior: This chapter details the devastating effects of bullying, citing numerous cases of bullying-related suicides. Examples such as William Arthur Gibbs (1877), Jadin Bell (2013), and Phoebe Prince (2010) illustrate the tragic consequences across different eras and contexts. The chapter underscores the underreporting of bullying incidents and highlights the urgent need for increased awareness and intervention, especially given the rise in bullying within the LGBT community, which raises significant issues about sexism.
A Social Psychological Perspective on Bullying: This section shifts the focus to the social psychological understanding of bullying, emphasizing the cognitive approach which considers environmental factors in shaping behavior. It contrasts this view with those that posit aggression as innate. This sets the stage for the subsequent chapters which delve into specific studies examining the relationship between environmental factors and aggressive behavior.
Exposure to Violence and the Development of Aggressive Behavior: This chapter presents a longitudinal study by Huesmann et al. (2003), analyzing the correlation between childhood exposure to media violence and aggressive behavior in young adulthood. The study's robust methodology, including both interview and archival data, strengthens its findings, which show a significant correlation between media violence exposure and aggressive behavior in both males and females, even when controlling for other social factors. While acknowledging limitations such as the study's focus solely on media violence, the chapter highlights the study's contribution to social learning theory's explanation of aggressive behavior, particularly bullying.
Learning as the Underlying Drive of Bullying: This chapter introduces Baldry's (2003) cross-sectional study, examining the link between bullying and exposure to domestic violence in Italian elementary and middle school students. Although the provided text only offers a brief overview of this study, it suggests that this research adds another layer to the understanding of bullying by focusing on the role of learning and exposure to violence within the home environment.
Keywords
Aggression, bullying, social psychology, cognitive approach, social learning theory, media violence, domestic violence, bullying-related suicides, LGBT bullying, environmental factors.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Social Psychological Perspective on Bullying Behavior
What is the main focus of this paper?
This paper explores the social psychological basis of bullying behavior, examining its negative consequences and contributing factors from social learning and exposure to violence perspectives. It aligns with principles of aggression theories.
What are the key themes discussed in the paper?
Key themes include the negative consequences of bullying (including bullying-related suicides), social psychological perspectives on aggression and bullying, the role of exposure to violence (media and domestic) in developing aggressive behavior, the influence of learning on bullying behavior, and limitations of existing research and future research directions.
What are some of the negative consequences of bullying highlighted in the paper?
The paper details the devastating effects of bullying, citing examples of bullying-related suicides (e.g., William Arthur Gibbs, Jadin Bell, Phoebe Prince) to illustrate the tragic consequences across different eras and contexts. It also emphasizes the underreporting of bullying incidents and highlights the urgent need for increased awareness and intervention, particularly within the LGBT community.
What social psychological perspectives are examined?
The paper examines a cognitive approach which considers environmental factors in shaping behavior, contrasting this with views that posit aggression as innate. It explores how social learning and exposure to violence contribute to aggressive behavior and bullying.
What research studies are discussed in the paper?
The paper discusses a longitudinal study by Huesmann et al. (2003) examining the correlation between childhood exposure to media violence and aggressive behavior in young adulthood. It also mentions Baldry's (2003) cross-sectional study investigating the link between bullying and exposure to domestic violence in Italian elementary and middle school students.
What is the role of learning and exposure to violence in bullying behavior?
The paper argues that both social learning theory and exposure to violence (both media violence and domestic violence) play significant roles in the development of aggressive behavior and bullying. The studies discussed provide evidence supporting this claim.
What are the limitations of the existing research mentioned, and what are future research directions?
While the paper highlights the contributions of the discussed studies, it also acknowledges limitations, such as the focus of Huesmann et al.'s study solely on media violence. Future research directions are implied, suggesting a need for more comprehensive investigations into the multifaceted nature of bullying.
What are the key words associated with this paper?
Key words include: Aggression, bullying, social psychology, cognitive approach, social learning theory, media violence, domestic violence, bullying-related suicides, LGBT bullying, environmental factors.
What is included in the Table of Contents?
The table of contents includes: Introduction, The Negative Consequences of Bullying Behavior, A Social Psychological Perspective on Bullying, Exposure to Violence and the Development of Aggressive Behavior, and Learning as the Underlying Drive of Bullying.
What is the overall aim of the paper?
The paper aims to discuss the social psychological basis of bullying behavior, aligning with principles of aggression theories, and explore the negative consequences and contributing factors of bullying behavior.
- Quote paper
- Patrick Kimuyu (Author), 2018, Principles of Aggression Theories and the Underlying Cause of Bullying Behavior, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/421307
