Bullied? Read this

[Rednosty]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/...iedandrejected

[damian_steele]

Interesting, but simplistic and concentrates only on an extremely limited number of reasons. The piece completely ignores such factors as class, disfigurement, social status, wealth, colour, religion and more.

[deltadelta48]

Interesting, but simplistic and concentrates only on an extremely limited number of reasons. The piece complete ignores such factors as class, disfigurement, social status, wealth, colour, religion and more.

I agree. Study seems off somehow, especially when other studies find bullies tend to pick on the strongest and most respected. Makes bully feel good to harm those who are liked and smarter than them.

Studies of bullies have shown that they share many of the same characteristics, inability to understand other's feelings, or read emotions accurately, or deal with the consequences of their actions. i.e.US companies found that if they allow bullies to run wild, they lose their best employees, and they can now sue (ouch). Does not fit the picture of victims that this study paints.

[redmerlin777]

Most young animals will bully. This is a survival strategy.. originally to get more food than siblings.
So bullying way back in our early societies would have been good for the bully they would have survived! hence their genes were passed on. I am not saying bullying is genetic BUT young birds will oust thei weaker siblings from the nest. Did they learn this or is it a genetic trait?

There is so much research to be carried out on WHY people behave as they do. I have raised 5 kids all different.. one a bully, thief and liar... others not.

This one does not see what he does is wrong and hurtful. We saw the problem early on... The issues were addressed.. we did our best, so did his teachers..
Interestingly he only bullies those who are "weaker".. he himself is bullied by those "Stronger"
he is now 22.. still immature in emotional development . he acts like a child except now he is adult this behaviour is sometimes frightening!

I have a sneaky suspicion that children who bully and continue to do so have some genetic trait... Most children try at some stage.. usually as toddlers in playgroups...Most children realise social c ooperation has more rewards and is more comfortable.

Much we need to discover but in the mean time children should still be lovingly guided towards acceptable social behaviours.even if it is hard and seems to have no effect.. at least the parents can feel they have done as best they can.

PS. At 22 he still finds it easy to make friends but is unable to keep them. The same with other personal relationships. At first he has learned the social benefits of being charming, polite and win people over. Then manipulates, steals and becomes aggressive when he cannot get his own way ...Then wonders why he has no friends! He just has NOT learned that this behaviour is not acceptable. Very like his grandfather who bullied his wife and children. His father is the kindest and most loving person who was often strapped and verbally abused by his father. Background and social status is not something I tend to blame for bullying or being bullied. I believe it is far more complicated an issue.

[ArtisanUK]

Most bullies have sociopathic tendancies - not as rare as you would like to think. Some studies have suggested that 1 in every 100 people come into this category.
If you google bullies on line there is an excellent website on the subject.

[madelaine]

I suspect that being a victim of bullying has different causes but I have met the type of child described. I taught him. He almost seemed to be trying to annoy everyone else. I ended one term saying that if it had gone on for another week, I would have been bullying him too! Later in his school career, another teacher spent time talking to him about what he could do to help himself and he was intelligent enough to learn from that.

[deltadelta48]

Such a complex issue. But at least schools and workplaces are taking it more seriously.