Is Bias Different? Examining The Correlates of Biased Bullying Perpetration at School

• In Event: From Bias to Belonging: Addressing Bias and Hate in Schools and Community Institutions

Abstract

School bullying based in bias is an early form of prejudicial aggression that has the potential to escalate to hate crime if left unaddressed. There is a substantial literature on hate crime offending, however, researchers have not considered how this work could inform studies of biased bullying. The current study analysed the predictors of biased bullying perpetration in a national sample of American youth (N=8,739) in light of two major strands of thinking about prejudicial aggression, which offer competing expectations for whether nonbiased aggression (i.e., general bullying and delinquency) is prevalent among youth who perpetrate biased bullying. Findings indicated that nonbiased bullying and general delinquency are risk factors for biased bullying perpetration. Among bullying perpetrators, general delinquency in the form of weapon carrying and alcohol use were more strongly associated with biased than nonbiased bullying perpetration. Finally, certain biased bullying perpetrators were “generalists” and perpetrated biased bullying involving multiple bias types. Overall, these findings suggest that biased and nonbiased aggression may be rooted in the same factors. Implications of these findings for understanding and addressing biased bullying behaviours at school are discussed.

Author

• Allison Kurpiel, University of South Carolina