The Golden Rule: When You Treat Others the Way They Treat You Leah Burke, Susana Arciniegas, & Jillian Aslin Advisors: Ellen Cohn, Ph.D & Alexander Blandina, M.A. The University of New Hampshire INTRODUCTION HYPOTHESES Hypothesis 1: The relation between peers bullying and individuals bullying will be mediated by victimization from in person bullying and the performance of rule violating behavior (RVB). Hypothesis 2: Exposure to peer bullying behavior will have a higher positive relation to predicting in person bullying behavior than cyber bullying. RESULTS METHOD PARTICIPANTS 258 (40.3% males, 59.7% females) students participated within various schools across New Hampshire. (83.3 Caucasian, avg. age at start of study is 14.4) PROCEDURE The New Hampshire Youth Survey (NHYS), a longitudinal study focusing on the reasons for adolescents RVB. The data was collected over five years. Fall of 2008 (T1) Fall of 2010 (T2) Fall of 2011 (T3) Fall of 2012 (T4) MEASURES Peer bullying behavior T1 M=.15, SD=.32 0(none) to 3(all) Likert-like scale RVB (theft and substance use) T3 M=1.86, SD=2.25 Participants scored yes/no to performance of multiple RVB Scores were then summed for a total amount of RVB Bullying T4 M=.18, SD=.12 0(times bullied) to 6+(times bullied) Likert-like scale In person bullying (victim) T2 M=.63, SD=1.03 Cyber bullying T4 M=.05, SD=.22 Bullying others in person T4 M=.28, SD=.66 DISCUSSION The original relation between peers bullying and individuals bullying (general and in person) was mediated by the individual becoming a victim and the performance of RVB, supporting hypothesis 1. RVB was a significant predictor of bullying in person and cyber bullying. There were differences between cyber bullying and in person bullying, supporting hypothesis 2: Cyber bullying has no relation to peer bullying but an alternative path was found indicating that one must first witness peers bullying, be victimized, and commit RVB in order to become a cyber bully. In person bullying has a partial mediation of peers bullying and individuals bullying. Implications: Schools can continue to educate students on bullying including how peers bullying and victimization lead to individuals becoming bullies. Having appropriate resources for victims can also help prevent future cases of bullying. Parents can help prevent the vicious cycle of bullying by staying involved with children to identify instances of bullying whether their child is a bully or victim. Limitations: Since the completion of the study there has been a significant increase in the technology, making it easier to bully without being caught. This also creates difficulty defining the boundaries for cyber bullying and in person bullying. New apps have been created such as “Snapchat” which make it near impossible for a victim to provide proof that he or she has been bullied. The survey design is based on self-report. The results produced were completely correlational which limits us from concluding causation. Future Directions: Examine self-esteem as a predictor and/or mediator of bullying. Analyze parenting styles and the effects they may have on bullying behavior or the likelihood that a child will become the victim of bullying Create a program addressing cyber bullying to help kids understand cyber bullying in an effort to prevent of the cruel act. Peers influence individuals in a variety of ways Influence others to bully 6, 3 When victimized by others, an individual will become a bully 1 Increased risk-taking and rule violating behavior (RVB) 6 : bullies commit physical attacks and/or robbery 7 When the victim is a friend of a bully, will he or she still be influenced by their peers in similar ways? Forms of bullying In person bullying includes saying mean or unpleasant things, purpose- fully excluding or ignoring others, and intentional aggressive behavior by the bully 5 Cyber bullying is an untraditional and newly rising way of bullying performed by an individual or group using technology to target and victimize individuals 7 REFERENCES 1. Almeida, A., Brandwein, D., Donoghue, C., & Rosen, D., (2015). When is peer aggression ‘bullying?’An analysis of elementary and middle school student discourse on bullying at school. Qualitative Research in Education 4(1), doi: /qre Chandler, K., Davies, E., & Nolin, J., M. (1996). 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Social Psychology of Education, 18(1), doi: /s For more information R 2 =.19, F= (4, 253) = 15.15, p <.001 R 2 =.06, F= (4, 253) = 4.31, p =.002 R 2 =.18, F= (4, 253) = 13.87, p <.001 General Bullying Bully Victim RVB Peer. 32***.11 (.16**).33***.17**.04 (.12*).19** Cyber Bullying Cyber Bully Victim RVB Peer. 32***.11 (.16**).11.17** -.03 (.02).20** In Person Bullying In Person Bully Victim RVB Peer. 32***.11 (.16**).33***.17**.05 (.13*).16** * p ≤.05 ** p ≤.01 *** p ≤.001