Reducing bullying through social education

Social responsibility involves thinking about the group. This means taking responsibility for the well-being of others and following rules for the common good. Promoting social responsibility could be crucial to reducing aggression and bullying among school children. It is unrealistic to believe that we can completely eradicate such behaviour. But teaching children community values can help stop the spread of aggressive behaviour.

Aggressive behaviour at school can be physical attacks such as hitting or pushing, or it can happen on a relational level such as spreading rumours or excluding other children from the group. These behaviours reflect power dynamics that occur in all social groups. However, there are ways to stop the spread of such aggressive behaviour and help protect the group from toxic bullying.

Children from classes with a more positive climate had a stronger sense of social responsibility.

Extensive research shows that when children explicitly learn to regulate their emotions in a supportive and structured school environment, behaviour problems can be reduced and prosocial behaviour can be supported. It seems that a positive school environment can support social responsibility by showing children the values to internalise. By teaching children to consider the perspective of others and fostering a predictable, safe and supportive environment, we can help children internalise the value of social responsibility.

Together with other researchers, I recently published a study of almost 2000 children in 60 schools in Brazil. When asked about school climate, the children told us what they thought about classroom support, disciplinary structures (how rules are enforced) and socio-emotional learning strategies of their teachers. Children from classes with a more positive climate had a stronger sense of social responsibility. In addition, more socially responsible children showed less aggressive behaviour.

Many believe that stricter enforcement of rules reduces aggression at school, but our research points in the other direction. More support and emotional education foster characteristics that enable children to resist the spread of aggression. This empowers children rather than school leaders, which is a sustainable solution that does not rely on fear. When teachers foster the development of emotion regulation and conflict management skills and schools provide a sense of order and cohesion, children internalise social responsibility and are motivated to work towards the good of the group.

Measures to promote social responsibility can reduce bullying and aggressive behaviour.

Many cultures see social responsibility as a core element of intelligence. In the Western world, however, this trait is often overlooked. We need to place high interpersonal demands on our children by providing a supportive school environment and explicit socio-emotional teaching. Schools will never completely eradicate aggressive behaviour and bullying. Any group can have power dynamics that escalate such behaviour. However, schools can promote values that are incompatible with aggression. Measures to promote social responsibility can reduce bullying and aggressive behaviour, empowering children to stand up for positive change.