Bullying is one of the most pressing problems in modern society. In particular, this phenomenon affects the younger generation. It is defined as a violent action of a negative nature that is directed at a certain person or several individuals in order to obtain a sense of superiority and honor. It is also noted that bullying arises as a confrontation against misunderstanding and feelings of uselessness and loneliness. Furthermore, teenagers who experience these emotions and consider themselves outcasts of society show especially immoral behavior and cruelty. Moreover, young people use this form of protest as a way to display the strong feelings they are experiencing, such as suffering and inner pain. Hence, they try to get rid of negative feelings by transferring the accumulated aggression to others. Therefore, studying the problem of bullying, its factors of influence, and the application of developmental theories are critical for finding ways to combat it effectively.
The main characteristics of a teenager who shows cruelty to others is the stigma of a difficult child. Often, children who resort to using bullying as an emotional release are either outcasts of society or leaders of a group of people similar to them in behavior. It is noted that alienation from society can significantly aggravate an abuser’s emotional and psychological state and can contribute to the development of even more violent behavior. It is also worth noting that in the absence of obvious mental deviations in a teenager, it is possible to use various measures to change behavior (Reisen et al., 2019). This can be done with the help of specialists in the field of psychology or with the assistance of teachers. It is of critical importance to involve parents in this process, whose role is vital.
Influence Factors
Many studies have noted that cruelty towards other people is an abnormal way of acting. Therefore, this way of interacting with society is a deviation in cognitive and psychological development (Lisdahl et al., 2018). Often, the main factors that influence the formation of bullying tendencies are problems in the family of teenagers and the traumatic personal experience. As a result, there is a inclination that young people show a cruel attitude towards weaker and unprotected members of society.
In addition, considering the above information, it can be concluded that a teenager who pours out resentment and aggression on others has critical problems with the emotional aspect of the personality. Of particular importance in this context is the fact that in adolescence the human psyche is especially susceptible to various influences. This has a direct impact on the incomplete development and understanding of the idea of social and moral values and norms.
Family Patterns and Social Relationships
One of the main reasons for children to resort to emotional and physical abuse is parental irresponsibility and neglect in upbringing. Therefore, bullies are those young people who did not receive enough attention and education in childhood and may have been victims of the abuse. Moreover, children who bully others are characterized by the presence of psychopathies and character accentuations. This is all due to the fact that their parents, not knowing how to deal with teenagers, resort to using excessive power, control or manipulation. By these actions, the guardians can suppress the child’s personality and unknowingly turn them into a bully.
Another factor that affects the unformed consciousness of adolescents is the peer pressure, which is especially high at this age. In adolescence, people are motivated by the desire to establish a particular respectable and strong position in society. Additionally, many young people resort to suppressing and infringing the unprotected and weak people to build such a position among their peers..
Social and Developmental Theories
The first theory that can be applied to this problem is the theory of social action. This concept assumes that people change their actions in accordance with social contexts. Moreover, the theory considers how such context will affect other people. It can be effectively applied to the problem of bullying among adolescents under study, as it makes an attempt to understand human actions by considering motives, previous experience and social context. Thus, in order to understand why a child resorts to cruelty towards others, it is necessary to look at their environment, especially the relationships within family.
The moral understanding stage theory can also be a useful tool when considering the problem of bullying. It examines how young people develop morality and moral reasoning (Sengsavang & Krettenauer, 2019). The theory implies three levels of this process and connects the formation of morality with cognitive development. In relation to bullying, this theory can be applied as a tool to change the behavior of the adolescent. It will help analyze how children develop standards of right and wrong behavior in their society and follow social and cultural norms. Hence, the study of the cognitive component of the formation of adolescent consciousness and the idea of morality is an essential tool for combating bullying.
Therefore, the problem of bullying is often found among the younger generation. In most cases, it arises because of a protest against society and intense emotional experiences. Moreover, the appearance of this negative behavior is influenced by the atmosphere in the family and a possibly traumatic experience. The theory of social action and the moral understanding stage theory can be applied to solve the problem. They will help to understand better how social factors affect the development of adolescents and find a more effective solution to the problem of bullying.
References
Lisdahl, K. M., Sher, K. J., Conway, K. P., Gonzalez, R., Ewing, S. W. F., Nixon, S. J., Tapertg, S., Bartschh, H., Goldsteini, R. Z., & Heitzeg, M. (2018). Adolescent brain cognitive development (ABCD) study: Overview of substance use assessment methods. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 32, 80-96. Web.
Reisen, A., Viana, M. C., & Santos-Neto, E. T. D. (2019). Bullying among adolescents: Are the victims also perpetrators?. Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry, 41, 518-529. Web.
Sengsavang, S., & Krettenauer, T. (2019). Moral development in the family. The Encyclopedia of Child and Adolescent Development, 1-11. Web.