group bullies
February 26, 2009
In Singapore, acorrding to a survey done, found that approximately 1 in 4 secondary school students surveyed was a victim of bullying, defined as any action apparently intended to victimise and repeated at least twice every single month over a span of one school year. Males and females were just as likely to be bullied. Why is this so?
This form of bullying can be clearly illustrated by the concept of GroupThink.
Groupthink is a type of thought exhibited by group members who try to minimize conflict and reach consensus without critically testing, analyzing, and evaluating ideas. Individual creativity, uniqueness, and independent thinking are lost in the pursuit of group cohesiveness, as are the advantages of reasonable balance in choice and thought that might normally be obtained by making decisions as a group.
During groupthink, members of the group avoid promoting viewpoints outside the comfort zone of consensus thinking. A variety of motives for this may exist such as a desire to avoid being seen as foolish, or a desire to avoid embarrassing or angering other members of the group. Groupthink may cause groups to make hasty, irrational decisions, where individual doubts are set aside, for fear of upsetting the group’s balance.
In my opinion, thee bullies are in are the adolesent stage of their lives. Therefore, the need to form closure in terms of finding his or her self identity is very strong in them. Hence, the may experiment with many identities in the process of identity achieving. Some may eventually fall into a company of peers who they perceive thinks, and behaves the same way as them. Hence, the coalition of individuals into a group happens. Also, I think that bullies do not work alone. They need companions in bullying as well. Being in a group will then serve a bully well, as most likely than not, he or she will converge into group think, and the syntoms of can be seen in most bullying groups. One such prevalent idea will be the illusion of invulnerability. This is where a group of individuals no longer afraid of proper rules (be it, insitutionalised or not) whenever, they are in a group. Such is often seem in bullying – a group of normal students, behaving deviantly when they’re with their friends. Therefore, they feel that they can do anything within the group and often neglects to think of the consequences – stealing, fighting, rioting. Personally, I feel that those people will not break out of their illusion so long as the group stays, and if they are not taken into proper guidence (disciplinary or otherwise).
What are you opinions about bullying and groupthink?
Were you a victim of bullying as well? How did you cope with it?
Bullying and groupthink are quite different. You bully someone for a variety of reasons. On the other hand, groupthink is more “voluntary” and can be due to the lazy human nature.
Bullying is more rampant than reported – not only among secondary school boys! It happens on the road, car park, …
I think bullying is merely a part of normal group dynamics. After all, we will always have an alpha male (in a male group) or alpha female (in a female group), and in part a way of getting to that dominant position is to get others out of the way. Anyone who doesn’t want to get in the way will support that “leader” and you end up having a bully, because there is bound to be someone who does not conform in one way or another. As long as you did not step up to defend the person who is ostracised, you have already become a bully. Bullying can take many forms, not just physical – it could be verbal or even in written form. These days, we even see cyber bullying.
I remembered during my kindergarten and primary school years, I was usually the target for bullies due to my skin condition. People will call me a freak and say horrible things till I cried. Of course, the schools disciplined these students but then again, when you are different, people might see it as a reason to bully or make fun of you.
I coped with the bullying with the help of my mom whose words an encouragement and comfort always help keep me afloat. Right now, even if people give me the weird stares of say anything horrid about my skin condition, I will just ignore them because there is no point in making myself sad.
Bullying, haha such an interesting topic! Honestly I been a bully of sorts when I was young, but hey that’s ages ago! =) Reminds me of the little conversation we had in NP with the rest! bullying’s been so common nowadays people should actually learn how to speak up, and stand up for their own rights, by keeping quiet and allowing such acts to go unpunished actually encourages bullies don’t you agree? Seeking solace with friends and family members is also another way of protecting oneself! Primary and Secondary schools are recognising the importance of protecting their students from bullies, and their kin, although it is virtually impossible to eradicate this threat, we can take heart that bullying, does help develop a child’s character, and through the ways and means he seeks to protect himself improve creativity and resilience! I guess every cloud does have a silver lining huh? =)