How popular are victims and bullies?

According to Scandinavian studies, typical bullies are likely to be as popular, or almost as popular, as their peers. It was also found that they were often surrounded by two or three friends who would support them and who liked them. However, their popularity decreases with age and by about 16 years it is much lower than the average. Even so the popularity of the bully does not fall to the low level of the victim.
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Article details

D Olweus (1993) 'Bullying at School: what we know and what we can do', Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Limited. Click the book image to buy it online and read some excerpts.
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Author details

Professor Dan Olweus was the first person to carry out a thorough research project on bullying. This large, long term study which began in Sweden in 1970, was to provide the inspiration for many who felt that bullying in schools should be challenged rather than accepted. Since the 1970s, his work in this area had continued with force. Indeed, in 1997-99, he led a group in a large project which introduced the widely respected Olweus (anti-bullying) programme to schools in Norway. Professor Olweus is based at the Research Centre for Health Promotion, University of Bergen in Norway and can be contacted by email.
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