Taiwanese adolescents are more willing to help peers who are being bullied if they know them, feel empathy towards them and have a desire to feel connected to others.
Adolescent bystanders’ willingness to help others being bullied by peers was investigated in a study with 730 Taiwanese seventh graders. Each participant was randomly assigned to a vignette, which they read and answered questions about. Adolescent girls were more likely to say they would offer to help a bullying victim when the victim was identified as a friend rather than another classmate or someone they didn’t know. Boys were more likely to say they would help a classmate rather than a friend. Those adolescents who were more empathic with the victim, more focused on feeling connected with others and were less victimised were more likely to report that they would use a specific helping response (e.g., telling the teacher).
doi.org/10.1002/ijop.12565
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