Why does decreased likeability not deter adolescent bullying perpetrators?

ABSTRACT: This study examines why the lower likeability of bullying perpetrators does not deter them from engaging in bullying behavior, by testing three hypotheses: (a) bullying perpetrators are unaware that they are disliked, (b) they value popularity more than they value likeability, (c) they think that they have nothing to lose in terms of likeability, as they believe that their targets and other classmates would dislike them anyway, regardless of their behavior. The first two hypotheses were examined in Study 1 (1,035 Dutch adolescents, M _age  = 14.15) and the third hypothesis was examined in Study 2 (601 Dutch adolescents, M _age  = 12.92). Results from regression analyses showed that those higher in bullying were not more likely to overestimate their likeability. However,

SUBMITTER: Garandeau CF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6590429 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature