Copyright Malvin Porter, Jr. 2010 - acumen - The University of ...

physical hurt and/or psychological distress on one or more other children; (b) that is
systematically repeated over time; and (c) that occurs within a relationship or a network of
relationships in which there is a physical or psychological imbalance of power that favors the
bully and makes it difficult for the victim to defend himself or herself (Administration, 2004a;
Boulton & Underwood, 1992; Goodman, 2000; Johnston, 2003; Olweus, 1978, 1993, 2003;
Rigby, 2002; Salmivalli, Kaukiainen, Kaistaniemi, & Lagerspetz, 1999; Slee, 1995; Telcom &
Police, 2004).
Overt bullying behavior may be verbal (e.g., name-calling, hurtful words, making mean
faces or gestures, and threats) or physical (e.g., hitting, kicking). Covert bullying may be
relational humiliation (e.g., spreading rumors, gossip) or social exclusion (e.g., shunning or
excluding someone from a group). Olweus (2003) found that much bullying is proactive
aggression (i.e., aggressive behavior that usually occurs without apparent provocation or threat
from the victim), which may stem from the bully’s desire for social dominance.
Bullying differs from typical peer conflict in that typical peer conflict does not insist on
getting a particular way. In typical peer conflict, children give reasons for disagreeing, offer
apologies when appropriate, and seek win-win solutions to conflict. Additionally, peers bargain
and negotiate in order to meet each child’s needs, avoid or redirect emotionally charged topics of
discussion, and walk away from a dispute without continued conflict.
Bullying is further defined as a social process that rarely involves a simple dyadic
interaction between a child who is bullying and a child who is being bullied (Flashpohler et al.,
2009; Veenstra et al., 2007). Olweus (2001) argues that children perform various roles associated
with bullying behaviors. In addition to the roles of bully and victim, children act as followers of
the bully by joining in on the bullying, supporters or onlookers of the bullying who are not
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