Bullying in Early Adolescence: The Role of the Peer Group. ERIC Digest.

One notable gap in the evolving literature on bullying and victimization during early adolescence is the role that peers play in promoting such behavior by either reinforcing the aggressor, failing to intervene to stop the victimization, or affiliating with students who bully. This Digest looks at the limited research available on the role of the peer group in bullying to learn more about how bullying and victimization might emerge or continue during early adolescence. The Digest notes definitions of bullying, research on changes in the function and importance of the peer group at early adolescence, evidence that peers play an instrumental role in bullying and victimization even at the elementary school level, and research on the dynamics of needing to "fit in" during transition to middle school. Factors such as age and sex on the influence of peer group on bullying are also examined. The Digest concludes by noting that it cannot be assumed that bullying among young adolescents is a simple interaction between bully and victim; rather there are groups who support and sometimes participate in this behavior. (HTH)