Authors:
Dorottya Kisfalusi | Institute for Sociology Centre for Social Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences | Hungary
Marianne Hooijsma | University of Groningen | Netherlands
Gijs Huitsing | University of Groningen | Netherlands
Jan Kornelis Dijkstra | University of Groningen | Netherlands
Andreas Flache | University of Groningen | Netherlands
René Veenstra | University of Groningen
In this study we examine the co-evolution of rejection (“who dislikes whom?”) and bullying (“who is bullied by whom?”) relationships among Dutch elementary school children, and investigate the moderating role of gender on the relation between rejection and bullying. Several studies have found that bullies aim to gain status and affection in the group (Faris & Ennett, 2012; Faris & Felmlee, 2014; Sijtsema et al. 2009). Bullies thus often harass peers who are rejected by significant others (Veenstra et al. 2010). It has been shown that for children, significant others are likely to be same-gender peers (Dijkstra et al. 2007). Therefore, gender of the students involved (bullies, victims, and evaluators) can moderate the relationship between rejection and bullying (Veenstra et al., 2010). Following Veenstra et al. (2010) we hypothesize that students who bully same-gender peers are rejected by same-gender peers, and that students who bully other-gender peers are rejected by other-gender peers. Moreover, we hypothesize that bullies select victims who are rejected by same-gender peers.
Data from the first three waves of the Dutch implementation of the KiVa anti-bullying program are analysed using Stochastic Actor-Based Models (RSiena). Preliminary RSiena results from five schools (N=853, age 7-13) suggest that students are likely to bully peers whom they dislike. Moreover, rejected students are likely to be bullied over time. Bullying others, however, does not lead to be rejected by more classmates over time. In general, students are more likely to dislike and bully students from the same gender, same class, and with similar age.
In the continuation of this paper, we will conduct a meta-analysis based on data from more schools and investigate the moderating role of gender by developing new network effects in RSiena. Thus, we will be able to test our hypotheses by examining whether bullying same- or other-gender classmates leads to being rejected by same- or other-gender peers, and whether bullies choose victims who are rejected by same-gender peers.