Conflict Resolution Tactics and Bullying: The Influence of Social Learning

Teachers’ reports were used to define school children, ages 10 and 11 years, as bullies (n = 47), passive victims (n = 37), aggressive victims (n = 29), and controls (n = 220). Teachers’ ratings of children's styles of interactions with peers were consistent with these assignments, confirming significantly different kinds of conflict resolution strategies between the four groups. Compared to controls or passive victims, bullies and aggressive victims were judged to display higher levels of aggression. In contrast, controls scored above bullies or aggressive victims for prosocial behaviors. These results were partially confirmed by children's reports about their own behaviors. Attempts to establish whether bullying and victimization could be linked to social learning of conflict resolution tactics from parents, television, or peers suggested that peers had a role in sustaining aggressive behaviors.