Do the roles of bully and victim remain stable from school to university? : theoretical considerations

Abstract

This chapter explores the continuities in bullying from school contexts to university contexts, and discusses the possible reasons why some people remain in the role of bully or victim over time and through various social contexts, whereas others find a way to escape these roles. Two theories – peer community integration theory and positioning theory – are reviewed to examine: the ways in which engagement in bullying processes at school is associated with the development of individuals’ peer relationships and their position within the peer group; the impact of bullying on their perceptions of themselves and others; and how bullying affects the establishment of future peer relationships through which these individuals integrate into social communities in later life. The chapter concludes by discussing the impact that supportive peer relationships have for an individual who has been engaged in bullying. The significance of the social cognitive processes in which individuals make sense of their bullying experiences are emphasised, as they are able to re-determine their peer group position and change their role as bully or victim.