The Role of Classroom Peer Ecology and Bystanders’ Responses in Bullying

Over the last few decades, research on the role of classroom peer ecologies in student-to-student bullying has widened our understanding of this phenomenon. Bullying functions not only for individual perpetrators but also for the whole peer group by, for instance, providing a common goal and a semblance of cohesion for the group members. Bullying is more likely in classrooms characterized by poor climate, strong status hierarchy, and probullying norms. Bystanders’ responses contribute to the bullying dynamic by either rewarding or sanctioning the behavior of the perpetrators. Bystanders’ responses to bullying can be changed through school-based programs, mediating the effects of the programs on bullying. Further efforts are needed to transform evidence into schools’ preventive practices encompassing the peer ecologies. KEYWORDS—bullying; bystanders; classroom; peer ecology Bullying is defined as intentional acts of aggression directed at one individual over an extended period. Another feature of bullying is the power differential between the perpetrator and the victim (1). This imbalance of power, which can be based on physical, psychological, or social characteristics, makes it hard for the targeted individual to defend himself or herself against the aggressive acts. While recognizing that bullying occurs in many social contexts, in this article, we focus on student-tostudent bullying at school, which affects the socioemotional and academic development of children and adolescents worldwide. Along with its often-damaging consequences for the victims (2) and links with later adjustment difficulties for the perpetrators (3), bullying can also adversely affect students who witness it (4). Much of the early research on school bullying focused on the individual characteristics of bullies and victims (5). Although the individual attributes associated with the risk of bullying perpetration and victimization need to be understood, this perspective represents only part of a complex dynamic. Since the late 1990s, researchers have increasingly conceptualized bullying as a group phenomenon in which most members of the group are involved (6). As such, it is the larger group—such as a classroom of students—that has the power to enable or disable bullying. In this article, we discuss how peer ecologies in classrooms, and especially the responses of bystanders, contribute to bullying. First, we introduce the theorized functions of bullying behavior and how they relate to peer group dynamics. We then examine the characteristics of classroom peer ecologies that are associated more frequently with bullying problems. Drawing from both correlational and intervention studies, we take a closer look at bystanders’ behaviors and how they relate to bullying and victimization. We conclude with implications for antibullying practices and suggestions for further research. THE FUNCTIONS OF BULLYING AND THE PEER