They do not know that they intimidate

Photo le Journal de Montréal, Dominique Scali
Caroline Levasseur arrived at these results in the framework of her doctoral thesis in educational psychology.

Dominique Scali

Monday, 28 August, 2017 22:23

UPDATE
Monday, 28 August, 2017 22:23

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“It’s not that bad. “” The other is a parasite “. “I didn’t know that it’s the mind “. Thanks to a panoply of justifications, a lot of teenagers are struggling to recognize the bullying that they exercise, even if, in theory, they know that it is wrong, reveals a study.

“Young people know what is bullying. They know that it is wrong, but when they do it themselves, they do not have the impression that it is bullying, ” explains Caroline Levasseur. The results of the study of this researcher in educational psychology were disseminated yesterday by the University of Montreal, a few days before the start of the year.

For her doctoral thesis, she has distributed questionnaires to 600 secondary 3 students in two schools in the suburbs of Montreal.

Still on the bullying ?

“Still on the bullying ?” have responded to some of them, which shows how young people often hear about, she says.

“But then, why is it certain things when we know that this is not correct ?” asked the researcher.

The students were asked to complete a questionnaire asking them to identify the persons of their class involved in bullying, either as bullies, witnesses, victims or defenders (see another text).

They were also asked to read fictitious scenarios and indicate whether they considered the behaviours as acceptable or not and explain their reasoning. The students were also asked to say to what extent they agreed or disagreed with a list of statements often used to justify bullying.

For example, ” young people who grow or insult have usually done something to deserve it “, one can read in the list. Or again : “it is acceptable to treat harshly a young man who behaves like a parasite “.

“Hey big ! “

Finally, the study shows that bullies are more likely to judge the wrongdoing as acceptable.

“They often go from what is acceptable to them, in their group of friends,” says Ms. Levasseur. However, there is a difference between saying “hey fat !” between friends and treat another student wholesale, shows-t-it.

These results could serve to improve the fight against bullying in schools.

“Often, what is taught to young people, that is how bullying hurt the victims. It teaches the consequence […] But is it really need to wait to see someone cry for to know to stop ? “

It would therefore be necessary to target the time when the young person takes the decision to act, to commit an act intimidating. “What works well, what are the discussion activities where they are confronted with the ideas of the other [students]. Bring the situations they are living concretely “, says Ms. Levasseur.

THE ROLES ADOPTED

• Bullies : 3 % (all boys)

• Reinforcement : 3 % (almost all boys)

• Passive witnesses : 7 %

• Defenders : 7 % (almost all girls)

• Victims : 5 percent (male in the majority)

One pupil in four has played a clear role

About one student in four had a tendency to play a clear role in the episodes of bullying they have experienced in the two secondary schools surveyed, whether victim, bully or witness accomplice.

Of the 626 students surveyed, 162 have been identified by their peers as playing one of five roles individuals can adopt a student in the context of bullying.

Some students tend to be bullies. The reinforcers are those who keep active or who encourage the bullies. Passive witnesses tend not to take sides or to flee the scene. As for the defenders, they are the ones who are going to protect the victim or get help.

In the sample of the study, bullies were all boys, so that the defenders were almost all girls.

not always clear

The 162 students that the study has identified as playing one of these roles are those who stand out, ” explains Caroline Levasseur. That is to say that a sufficient number of their peers are designated as corresponding to a specific role.

“The other students are likely to adopt different reactions, then they don’t have a [role] clear “, explains the researcher.

She has also chosen to probe the secondary 3 students because at this age, bullying generally begins to decrease, and the roles, to crystallize.

“At this point, if a student continues to bully, he often has problems associated with it. While in the secondary 1 students, the bullying is perpetrated by a few all the world, ” she explains.

It has therefore been able to compare the moral reasoning of the students according to the different roles adopted.

The defenders are those who are most sensitive to the moral principles which condemn bullying. The witnesses, a little less. And bullies, even less.

This trend was especially true in ambiguous situations.

In contrast, almost all students, regardless of their role, condemning the most serious forms of intimidation, such as threats, grade Ms. Levasseur.