A New Way To Fight Bullies? Study On Genetic Urge For Status Sheds New Light On Behavior
Bullying may be in the genes, and attempts to reform an offender's behavior will not help solve the problem.
This is the new revelation brought about by a study from Simon Fraser University, which was led by criminology professor Jennifer Wong. The university surveyed a test group of Vancouver high school students, according to National Post, and found that not only is the bullies' behavior hardwired into their genes, but bullies scored highest when it came to self-esteem and social status while reporting the lowest scores for depression.
According to Wong, this is because the bullies' actions are a way to place them at the top of the social ladder.
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"Humans tend to try to establish a rank hierarchy," Wong explained, according to National Post. "When you're in high school, it's a very limited arena in which you can establish your rank, and climbing the social ladder to be on top is one of the main ways ... Bullying is a tool you can use to get there."
This doesn't mean that bully should be condoned. Instead, it means that schools should try and find another way to deal with the student's urge to be dominant. While many education systems currently try to change the bully who is seen as "maladjusted," Wong believes that giving the student more competitive options will funnel their behavior into a constructive outlet.
One school in Arizona tried a similar approach, according to National Post, and gave bullies a host of "high-powered jobs," such as greeting others at the front door, and saw their bullying rates plummet.
Do you think this new idea should replace the way schools currently deal with bullies, or should the two systems combine? Sound off in the comments below.
