Unit Six: Assignment
Troy Ferree
Kaplan University

HN 377-01
Professor Trovatore
July 19, 2014

Introduction: As parents of children, we can now reflect back in time and have a better understanding of what they may feel when someone is targeting them aggressively. Bullying has been around for generations, however, bullying has been gradually getting more violent, and their victims sometimes pay the ultimate price, their life. "Follow the activities of aggressive children over a school day, and you will see that they reserve their hostilities for certain peers. A particularly destructive form of interaction is peer victimization, in which certain children become targets of verbal and physical abuse." (Berk, 2012, pg. 502). Most bullies are boys, who use their behavior of acts of aggression through both verbal, and physical means. This act of aggression is not just limited to boys, as girls can also be bullies with less dominant girls in the same form as boys. Bullies can be high status children who are well liked by their peers for their dominant leadership type demeanor, or athletic skills. In correlation, bullies can also be children who are not so popular and may be disliked by a larger group. Bullies often act out on those who may be perceived as weaker than themselves, and may put up less resistance when aggressed upon. Bullies are not just limited to using acts of verbal or physical aggression to torment others. In today's society with greater technology, bullies can amplify their behavior through the internet known as "cyber-bulling." This is not only limited to the internet through chat rooms, social media, email, but also through cell phones using text messaging. Perhaps the best way to limit, or perhaps prevent bullying from occurring is through intervention. This intervention can be as simple as helping a peer who is being bullied, as bullies will generally back off when they know they may be out numbered. As mentioned previously, children who may be bullies may be students viewed by their peers as being athletic, strong, and therefore a leader. Other students may follow them and support them creating a strong peer acceptance by their likability. Other students or youth may fall in a similar class as well. This group is typically popular antisocial children viewed as cool and well liked by other peers as well. But may be aggressive to others to strengthen or enhance their own image or status. Other factors that may lead children to become bullies rather than just influences from their peer culture, can develop from their parents. We as parents always try to look out for the best interest of our children, by promoting their self worth, and self esteem. However, the styles of parenting can undermine a child's self worth and self esteem. A parenting style that is that of being controlling can limit a child's decision making abilities. This style often repeats the disapproving of a child, as it can also be insulting, therefore decreasing the child's self esteem. This effect can cause the child to become aggressive and exhibit anti-social behaviors, which in turn can cause a child to become aggressive toward his peers in a bullying fashion. In distinction, "indulgent parenting is correlated with unrealistically high self esteem which also undermines development. These children tend to lash out at challenges to their overblown self images and, as a result, are also likely to be hostile and aggressive." (Hughes, Cavell, & Grossman, 1997; Thomaes, Stegge, & O lthof, 2007; Berk, 2012). These parenting styles can also lead to other attributions with children. As their self worth and self esteem are undermined, and they encounter failures repeatedly. They begin to develop learned helplessness, an attribute where no matter what they do, they are going to fail, and if they do succeed it was by chance or luck. This learned helplessness can have a major effect on their overall self as they give up easily on