Deviant Behavior: Bullying Essay Example

that is hostile. The bully may dislike school or make it a habit of leaving school early and also engage in fights. Other students may also feel unsafe to attend classes and this may negatively affect their education. Bullying commonly occurs on a school setting (Sharp & Smith, 2002). Bullying in schools interfere with the right of other students and disrupt the process of learning in the school. Bullying is itself deviant since it contradicts the idea of a society that is united, by making a victim to isolate himself and in serious cases may end up committing suicide. Thus, bullying is among the factors that need to be considered while developing prevention and intervention measures in schools and in the community.

The behavior of bullying is on the rise since many children are brought u without gaining experience that helps to develop social skills. Children are rarely engaging in play with their peers, which is one factor that enables children to develop skills that will make them liked by their age mates and know how to solve problems. Thus parents and school administrators are failing on this course of developing necessary skills of children at an early age.

History of Bullying

Bullying has been in existent for several years and is thus not a new form of deviance. It is however more frequent today than in previous years since it happens in more serious forms of the problems of the society. In the 18th century, harassment of peer groups was just as common as it is today. In those years the act of bullying was little recognized and understood. Actions that are currently viewed to be violent

behavior may not have been considered so in the past. Despite bullying remaining a critical issue in schools, research has been undertaken over the years creating a great impact on bullying and expanding its meaning in several ways (Sharp & Smith, 2002).

In the 18th and 19th century, bullying was considered to be verbal or physical harassment associated mainly with death, extortion or isolation in school children. Behaviors that were aggressive were just seen as mischief and a normal behavior of children. Bullying was actually seen as an innocent misbehavior of schoolchildren. However, bullying cases increased and researchers saw the need of studying about the new phenomenon.

In the mid-1970s bullying took a turning point when a psychology researcher named OLweus conducted an intensive study on the concept of bullying among students (Olweus, 2004). He introduced the Olweus Bullying prevention program which assisted in reducing bullying in school. His efforts greatly contributed to the fight against bullying by creating awareness and also encouraged other researchers to study more on bullying. The efforts of Olweus have greatly impacted the issue of school violence and schools can now run with safety.

The effects of bullying were at its peak when two teenagers killed their classmates by shooting them after the teens fell victims of bullying. The world was devastated as a result of the incident and the truth about bullying was uncovered. Unfortunately, bullying immediately took a negative turn. The internet is now easily accessible and teenagers are using cyber space as a means to the act of bullying. Most teenagers are using social networks and cell phones to communicate thus making cyber bullying to be a great problem. Today,

social networks like face book have increased the cases of cyber bullying since information can easily travel to many people.

To deal with these issues the state has enacted laws of discouraging these behaviors. Various programs have been implemented by legislators such as ‘No Child Left Behind to help keep schools safe. In addition, the federal government has introduced school safety laws to safety of schools (Olweus, 2004). To reduce the cases of violence in schools, the government should come up with policies that will support victims and prosecute the bullies. Linking schools to safety laws of the school is a way that is effective in ensuring schools is safe for students.

Compared to the 1800’s, bullying is viewed very different today. The problems associated with bullying took many years to be identified. Educators have understood the issues associated with bullying and are now able to stop occurrence of serious issues. With the modern technology, it will be hard to track burying actions and school managers have to keep on updating themselves of the current electronics. The future of bullying cannot be predicted, but with government continuing to enact school safety laws and making bullies to be responsible of their actions, school will be safe for the students.
Theories on bullying as a deviant behavior

As defined in the introductory part of this paper, bullying has significantly contributed to the reflective failure of many institutions especially educational institutions that deal with the young population. As a matter of fact, scores of studies in the field of sociology have established a set of theories that to a greater extend help in establishing the various dimensions of bullying a juvenile delinquent

behavior as well as a notable demeanor in adults. As established in the research by Espelag & Swearer (2009), bullying does not only happen in children and the young people only. Various studies have established a number of bullying instances in adults though in few circumstances. Bullying in adults is associated with verbal misunderstanding besides having some physical confrontations in other instances (Espelag & Swearer, 2009). For instance, adult bullying is mostly associated with working environments and family set-ups. The bullying behavior is far much associated with individuals who were bullies at their minor ages.

Social Cognitive Theory

Over the course of time, different sociological theories have emerged through the application of sociological thinking in the authoritative capacities. One of the major theories that help in understanding bullying is the social cognitive theory. In a broad spectrum, social cognitive theory heuristically helps scholars and other different parties to study and understand the different behavioral perspectives in relation to bullying (Bandura, 2011). In addition, the theory helps in relative the extremism of bullying to its complexity as well as gauging the sociological aspect of the deviant behavior in the society. Different scholars have associated this deviant behavior to social interactive aspect which relates directly to the environment the bully lives in. As a matter of fact, the behavior has been presaged as a social problem in the young population. Moreover, the individual interactions and the level of engagements give rise to the conceptualization the behavior in the society. In different scenarios, school administrators in conjunction with parents have tried to apply this theory in studying pupils and student’s behavior in the endeavor to curb it from their institutions.

Inherently, the theory has significantly help in identifying these bullies in the struggle to bring such individuals to book.

As proven in the theory, students who engage in the bullying behaviors portray different cognitive and sociological characteristics. This complex sets of behaviors exhibit traits which through the use of the various concepts of the theory, interested parties can greatly fight the deviance.

The Social Norms Theory

In the generalized endeavor to interpret, understand and explain the deviance related to bullying, sociologists developed the social norms theory in which interested individuals can use the social norms theory. Primarily, the theory views social norms as the guiding principles that people in a particular society follow and believe they are right (Berkowitz, 2003). They are the principles that guide the appropriate living interrelations within a society. In the theories set-up, it is believed that people believe in what they find their peers doing over a long period of time. Due to this perception, individuals may adopt the deviant behaviors as defined in the delinquent aspects in juveniles. With this beliefs, this behaviors may incorporate nonconformity to the accept codes considerably. This theory explains how bullying is adopted especially in the young people either at school or at home. It ends up being transferred from one generation to another chiefly in schools. Moreover, the bullying behavior may become a norm and the involved group may end up being unaware of the damaging effects of bullying. The theory predominantly helps in identifying the perceptions the society has to bullying and the thrilling characteristic of the deviant behavior. In addition, the social norms theory helps understand and explain how the behavior of bullying is

adopted and generated across different individuals.

Control and Punishment of Bullying

Since bullying mostly affects the population at school with a few instances at adult level, there various ways the school administrators as well as parents should and have undertaken to stop the deviant behavior (Furniss, 2010). In the school level, institutions have incorporated introductory studies on bullying to the new students as well as creating awareness to the available group of students on the dangers associated with the behavior. The advantage of this behavior is that students are able to understand bullying language and as well keep off and when in an extreme level report to the authorities. Additionally, this creates an environment where bullying is less likely to occur. Through the student bodies, awareness programs have been used to ensure the entire student body understands the importance of living in peace and harmony and the need to treat every other student with respect irrespective of their level of education. Moreover, the multifaceted approach which involves counselling process has been adopted in many institutions. This has helped in creating a respectful students fraternity as well as increasing production and service delivery at work places.

According to Furniss, (2010), the various punishments which are accorded to bullies either at school or work place do not work as expected. There are various anti-bullying regulations which are set to reduce incidences of bullying in educational institutions and enhance the safety of pupils and students in general besides improving the levels of truancy. As a matter of fact, schools use expulsion and suspension as their punitive approach to bullies. In addition, there are laws and regulations which give parents the power

to sue institutions which fail to safeguard their children from bullying. This has worked to the advantage of parents and their children since the schools take it a responsibility to eliminate the deviant behavior from their institutions. In the life-threatening incidences, the involved students face courteous fines or jail terms with regard to the level of crime committed. In the working platforms, bullies are punished by being relieved from their responsibilities and their contracts cancelled. This leaves the remaining lot with peace of mind and a favorable environment to deliver.

Policy Changes

With the increasing cases of bullying at school, children are not resented with good opportunity as they grow up. They are raised in a society full of violence, verbal wars as well as rude approaches to one another. Moreover, they see their colleagues (the bullies) as a source of motivation and this may develop a culture of bullying as way of revenging to the next bunch of admitted students. This influences them to engage in this deviant behavior destroying their opportunity to succeed in their studies. Institutional policies to deal with bullying have set by schools, the state and the community but there is still need of improvement if the children are to reach their full potential.

To prevent bullying, children need to be given the opportunity to develop behaviors that are positive. Policymakers in the educational sector need to divert their attention from punishments like suspensions to taking tough measures. However, the logical procedures such as counselling and creation of awareness should be embraced since most of the involved parties are young minds which can be controlled. Strategies that effective should be enacted such as

comprehensive approaches that offer opportunities for mentoring, education and training on advantageous interaction mechanisms.

Emphasis should also be put in efforts of enhancing bullying prevention and coordinate them in the entire community. The corporate world should take steps that reduce factors contributing to bullying at work and strengthen those that nurture. Schools on the other hand, should introduce safe programs that teach ways of avoiding the behavior and stress on prevention strategies.

Conclusion

Morals can be considered as innate knowledge and to comprehend morality individuals should know what is right and wrong. In the United States bullying is considered to be morally wrong. Thus, the young and the adults involved in this act should be put in a position to know whether what they are doing is wrong. Those who fail to grasp the moral aspect of it should be punished seriously in relation to their actions are. In addition, the deviant characters need to be judged and held accountable for their actions regardless of their age. Justice should not be viewed as revenge but as what is right for a society, and for the society to be safe in their culture. Age does not accurately define the mind set of someone. Most of them know what is wrong and right but still decide to abuse their colleagues. To minimize these cases, societal interventions are essential in ensuring the preventive and punishing strategies to bullying are followed.

References

1. Bandura, A. (2011). Social cognitive theory. Handbook of social psychological theories, 349-373.
2. Berkowitz, A. D. (2003). Applications of social norms theory to other health and social justiceissues. The social norms approach to preventing school and college age substance abuse:A handbook for
   

educators, counselors, and clinicians, 259-279.