The relationship of aggression and bullying to social preference: Differences in gender and types of aggression

Abstract

With 338 fifth-grade students as subjects, this study found the variations in the relation between school bullying and social preference as a function of gender and types of aggressive behavior utilized. Aggressive boys were likely to be rejected by peers, whereas aggressive girls were both rejected and accepted by peers. Children nominated physically aggressive boys and relationally and verbally aggressive girls as bullies. When other forms of aggression were kept constant, verbal aggression was positively related to peer rejection for boys but negatively related for girls. The use of relational aggression contributed to peer rejection only for girls. Implications of the gender differences are discussed.