What is popular? Distinguishing bullying and aggression as status correlates within specific peer normative contexts

Abstract

This study tested social status correlates of aggression and bullying and how these are influenced by peer groups'normative beliefs about aggression and prosocial behavior among 1165 fourth, fifth and sixth graders in Chile.Associations between aggression and popularity (positive) and social preference (negative) were confirmed, whereasbullying was negatively associated with both dimensions. Normative beliefs about aggression and prosocial behaviorwere assessed at the group level, while social status was assessed at the classroom level through peer nominations.Hierarchical Linear Analyses showed that in groups with a higher value associated with aggression, classmates ratedaggressive peers as less popular but also less disliked. The status correlates of bullying remained unaffected by peernormative beliefs. The discussion focuses on the social function of aggression as compared to the social sanctionassociated with bullying, and on the specificity of these associations at different layers of the social ecology.