Linda R Finger

In the Looking Glass: A Reciprocal Effects Model Elucidating the Complex Nature of Bullying, Psychological Determinants, and the Central Role of Self-Concept

Publisher Summary This chapter addresses the multidimensional self-concepts and other personality characteristics of bullies and victims. Bullying is a growing and significant problem in many schools around the world. Bullying is a deliberate act designed to inflict physical and psychological harm. It involves a persons or groups intentional, hurtful action directed toward one person or more than one person and involves a complex interplay of dominance and social status. Engaging in bullying also has adverse consequences for bullies. A link among bullying behaviors at school and future criminality, poor mental health, and diminished school performance has been identified. Bullies might not have the socially valued means to gain a positive self-concept through competence and good performance at school. Therefore, bullies organize their self-esteem around strength, power, and physical superiority over others. Harming others may become a way of reaffirming self-identity and of compensating for frustration in other areas, such that students engage in behaviors to protect and enhance their self concept.

Uncovering the Structure of and Gender and Developmental Differences in Cyber Bullying

ABSTRACT Although literature on traditional bullying is abundant, a limited body of sound empirical research exists regarding its newest form: cyber bullying. The sample comprised Australian secondary students (N = 803) and aimed to identify the underlying structure of cyber bullying, and differences in traditional and cyber bullying behaviors across gender and grade. Reliability analyses, confirmatory factor analyses, and factorial invariance testing demonstrated that the newly extended measure of traditional and cyber bullying was psychometrically sound. Multiple-Indicators-Multiple-Causes models demonstrated gender, grade, and gender by grade interaction effects for traditional and cyber forms of bullying and being bullied. Findings were interpreted in the context of bullying theory. Moreover, potential limitations of the investigation and implications for theory, research, and practice were discussed.