How Bystanders Are Affected By Bullying

Children who witness bullying may suffer the same consequences as those who are forced. Learn more about how bystanders are affected by bullying!

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Seeing someone else being bullied has a powerful effect. When someone is hurt or offended, most people become upset. As a spectator, you can experience many emotions and stressors when you observe bullying. Bystanders who witness bullying are left with various negative emotions, such as stress, worry, and even remorse. Early study reveals that children who witness bullying may be just as vulnerable to mental health problems as victims and perpetrators. And just like bullying victims, their physical, mental, and even academic health can be adversely affected by their exposure.

The Effect on Bystanders

How Bystanders Are Affected By Bullying
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When several people see a bullying occurrence and do nothing, it’s known as the bystander effect, and it can impact those watching. If there is only one witness to a bullying occurrence, that person is more inclined to help the victim. It is how bystanders are affected by bullying. It’s difficult for any person to feel responsible for taking action in a group of three or more people. Consequently, they are less likely to help the victim as a group.

Diffusion Of Responsibility Causes People To Take Their Time Responding.

How Bystanders Are Affected By Bullying
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It’s more likely that bystanders will take responsibility for their conduct if this situation occurs. Slowing them down does this. They may not answer at all, or they may not respond at all. Additionally, spectators may be hesitant to act because they are observing the behaviors of others in the group.. They’re assessing the matter to see if it warrants action and will wait to see if anyone else steps up. It’s easy for bystanders to feel justified in doing nothing when no one steps forward. The bystander effect is a term used to describe this type of inaction.

Uncertainty

How Bystanders Are Affected By Bullying
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Uncertainty weighs heavily on the minds of some passersby. Though kids can feel it in their bones, they don’t know what to do when bullying occurs in their classrooms. As a result, schools and parents alike must provide onlookers with the knowledge and skills they need to intervene appropriately. Often, spectators don’t know what they can do to help, but there are several ways they can do so. Kids can learn how to respond to bullying with a little help.

Fear

How Bystanders Are Affected By Bullying
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Another reason bystanders don’t intervene when they see bullying is fear. The fear of embarrassment or ridicule may keep some witnesses from speaking out. Worrying about saying or doing something incorrectly will exacerbate the bullying situation. As a result, they choose to keep silent. In the meantime, spectators are scared to defend the victim, fearing getting wounded or becoming the next target. Others are terrified of being rejected. Some group members are afraid that if they stand up for a victim, their peers will turn against them, ridicule them, or even exclude them.

Guilt

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Many spectators are burdened with remorse after a bullying episode. Additionally, they suffer from extreme guilt for not interfering in the case of the victim. They may also feel guilty for not intervening because they are unsure of what to do or afraid to do so. Even after the bullying has finished, the shame they feel will continue to haunt them. As a result, onlookers are frequently subjected to the same negative consequences of bullying as the victim. And that’s how bystanders are affected by bullying.

Conflict in Method and Avoidance

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Approach-avoidance conflict can occur when spectators feel both fear and guilt at the same time. A conflict between a true wish to help and a strong desire to avoid a particular scenario results in this phenomenon. As a result of bullying, children may feel terrible for not intervening, but they may also be too afraid to intervene because of this. Like they’re being yanked in two directions at once, they’re frightened and confused. Sometimes the desire to help is greater than the desire to be selfish. In certain cases, the fear of the repercussions is greater than the actual consequences. As a result, the onlooker experiences high levels of tension and anxiety due to their indecisiveness.

Anxiety

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Bullying can cause anxiety in bystanders as well. Witnessing a bullying episode might cause bystanders to wonder if they will be the next victim, especially if it is serious or a long-standing problem at the school. As a result, the spectator may be concerned about the safety and security of their child’s school.

These worries, in turn, make it harder to focus. Bullying can cause bystanders to become so anxious that they avoid the places where it takes place.

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As a result of their fear of being bullied, they may shun social events and other activities. Bystanders may join cliques or give in to peer pressure in an attempt to cope with their anxiety and avoid becoming targeted. Bystanders may even become bullies to protect themselves from being bullied. It’s never fun to watch someone else go through a difficult time. However, it can be tough to determine what to do next.. If your child is frequently the target of bullying at school, you must provide them with the necessary tools to do so. There are several ways that teenagers may help stop bullying in their schools and communities. Bullying can be stopped if you give your adolescent the authority to intervene rather than just standing by and doing nothing.

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