Every aggressive behavior may not be bullying, according to a new study. There is a vast difference between the two and spotting this is necessary for developing the right interventions, suggest experts. The findings showed that aggressive behavior is meant to hurt or harm.
‘Aggressive behavior and bullying are not the same things. Aggressive behavior is meant to hurt, or harm a person, whereas bullying is a repetitive behavior that can be characterized by a power imbalance between two parties.’
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Conversely, bullying is a repetitive behavior further characterized by a power imbalance between two parties, such as one child against a group or a bigger child against a smaller child, said Jamie Ostrov, lead author and professor psychologist at the University at Buffalo."It's important for us to realize this distinction, in part because every aggressive behavior we see is not bullying.
"Certainly aggressive behaviors are problematic in their own right and also deserve our attention, but recognizing the differences in the two behaviors means we can begin a discussion about whether we have to do something different with interventions related to general aggression," Ostrov said.
Bullying can be physical, involving hitting, kicking, pinching or taking things away from someone. There is also relational bullying or social exclusion, where children might say, "You can't be my friend anymore" or "You can't come to my birthday party."
"Victimisation is receiving; aggression is displaying; bullying adds the power imbalance and repetition," Ostrov explained.
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The results suggest that relational aggression, not relational bullying, was associated with increases in victimization.
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Source-IANS