152k views
3 votes
What is a potential psychological characteristic of a child who engages in bullying behavior?

A. High level of empathy for others
B. Low level of empathy for others (correct)
C. Strong interpersonal skills
D. Excellent communication abilities

User QualiT
by
7.4k points

1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

A child who engages in bullying behavior is likely to have a B. low level of empathy for others, which can lead to various types of aggression, higher impulsivity, and a tendency to target those who are different or more emotionally reactive.

Step-by-step explanation:

One potential psychological characteristic of a child who engages in bullying behavior is a B. low level of empathy for others. This can manifest as difficulty in understanding or sharing the feelings of the bullied individuals and can make it easier for the bully to inflict harm without remorse.

Children who bully may demonstrate various types of aggression, including direct physical aggression more commonly exhibited by boys, such as physically harming others, or indirect psychological aggression more typical of girls, such as spreading rumors or social exclusion.

Bullies might be attracted to children who are emotionally reactive because they can easily elicit a reaction. Additionally, children who are perceived as different - due to being overweight, cognitively impaired, or from diverse racial, ethnic, or sexual backgrounds - are at higher risk of being bullied, with gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender teens facing very high risks.

This demonstrates the importance of bullying prevention and the necessity to foster empathy and respectful interactions among adolescents.

Meanwhile, cyberbullying adds another layer to the problem, allowing bullies to remain anonymous and victims to feel a sense of powerlessness, as they are harassed across various online platforms.

User Jonah Fleming
by
8.1k points