Characteristics Of Bullying

Bullying is a form of aggressive behavior designed to hurt others. Bullying involves a real or perceived power. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose. The behavior can be repetitive or have potentials to be repeated. The characteristic of a bully falls into two categories. Category one includes an imbalance of power. Bullies often use power to intimidate, control or harm their victims. Type of power can vary depending on the situation. Category two includes repetition. Bullies often repeat their behaviors and patterns. (Smith, 2016). There are several types of bullying. There is verbal bullying; when a person uses words to

The ringleader is the person who is initiating the act; the bully. The assistant joins and assists the ringleader. The reinforce laughs and enforces the act. A bully/victim is a person who has been bullied or is being bullied and is also a bully. There’s a defender; a person who defends the victim from the bullying act. Lastly, one the roles are the bystander. The bystander witnesses the act but ignores it. (Smith, 2016). Bullying can happen in many places. It can happen at home, at school and many other places. According to stopbullying.gov, most reported bullying happens in school. A large percentage also happens in the playground or on the bus. Bullying can also happen travelling to or from school, in the youth’s neighborhood, or on the Internet. ("Bullying Definition | StopBullying.gov,"

When bullies develop as a result of social learning, it is usually in one of two environments: Witnessing bullying occurring in home environment or being a victim of bullying (Voisin & Hong, 2012). According to research, students who witnessed abuse between intimate partners at home were significantly more likely to be bullies compared to those that were not exposed to intimate partner abuse at home. (Baldry, 2003). Research indicates that while both boys and girls were highly prone to bullying by observing it at home, the person who they witness doing the bullying makes a significant difference. The girls that have witnessed their mothers as the instigator of intimate partner abuse were more likely to be bully by their friends. Boys that witness their fathers as the instigator of intimate partner abuse were more likely to bully their friends. (Moretti et al. 2006). Bullying comes in different shape or form. As a result, many challenges can occur when schools, teachers, and administrators attempt to give a specific definition to bullying, when it occurs, how to discipline bullies, and how to provide appropriate treatment for victims. (Shafer, K. S., & Silverman, M. J. 2013). According to Bandura,