IntroductionThis research sought to extend knowledge about bystanders in bullying situations with a focus on the motivations that lead them to different responses. The 2 primary goals of this study were to investigate the reasons for children's decisions to help or not to help a victim when witnessing bullying, and to generate a grounded theory (or conceptual framework) of bystander motivation in bullying situations.MethodsThirty students ranging in age from 9 to 15 years (M = 11.9; SD = 1.7) from an elementary and middle school in the southeastern United States participated in this study. Open- ended, semi-structured interviews were used, and sessions ranged from 30 to 45 minutes. We conducted qualitative methodology and analyses to gain an in-depth understanding of children's perspectives and concerns when witnessing bullying.ResultsA key finding was a conceptual framework of bystander motivation to intervene in bullying situations suggesting that deciding whether to help or not help the victim in a bullying situation depends on how bystanders define and evaluate the situation, the social context, and their own agency. Qualitative analysis revealed 5 themes related to bystander motives and included: interpretation of harm in the bullying situation, emotional reactions, social evaluating, moral evaluating, and intervention self-efficacy.ConclusionGiven the themes that emerged surrounding bystanders' motives to intervene or abstain from intervening, respondents reported 3 key elements that need to be confirmed in future research and that may have implications for future work on bullying prevention. These included: first, the potential importance of clear communication to children that adults expect bystanders to intervene when witnessing bullying; second, the potential of direct education about how bystanders can intervene to increase children's self-efficacy as defenders of those who are victims of bullying; and third, the assumption that it may be effective to encourage children's belief that bullying is morally wrong.
This retrospective study, from 2004 to 2015, explored the career trajectories of undergraduates and recent post-baccalaureates who participated in an undergraduate research experience (URE) that combined both laboratory experience and mentoring younger students. Forty former interns completed an online survey focusing on their path from internship to career. Interns were queried about the skills they perceived as being critical in their subsequent STEM-related endeavors. They also wrote narratives that indicated their attitudes about STEM education, outreach and mentoring. The responses showed all but one of the 40 participants were engaged in either STEM-related careers or education. The participants provided examples of what aspects of the internship had long-term impact on their persistence in the sciences. As the majority of the respondents were from populations traditionally underrepresented in STEM careers, this study adds to the literature on the positive effect of internships on individual STEM persistence. The results indicated that this internship helped create a cadre of professionals who not only persisted in STEM but also retained an active commitment to helping younger students gain an appreciation for science. It was concluded that undergraduate persistence in the sciences is strengthened when interns are given training in and the responsibility for mentoring.
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