Why Does Bullying Exist?

Explanations for bullying are complex and show a different pattern from case to case. In order to better understand them, a classification into individual, school or non-school approaches can be helpful. Individual differences between different groups of children or young people involved in bullying relate to external characteristics such as genetic influence, gender, physical appearance, social status and school functioning. In addition, there are psychological characteristics such as self-esteem, empathy, social skills, Machiavellianism, socio-emotional development, psychopathology, and “risk factors” regarding victimization. School factors that play a central role include the school context (size, location, design, etc.) and the school climate, which is shaped both by teacher and student behavior and by the social organization or school ethos. Finally, non-school factors such as family (model learning, attachment) and media have to be strongly considered when understanding the causes of school bully ing.