Bullies may get kick out of seeing others in pain

[hunter]

Bullies may get kick out of seeing others in pain

By Julie Steenhuysen

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Brain scans of teens with a history of aggressive bullying behavior suggest that they may actually get pleasure out of seeing someone else in pain, U.S. researchers said on Friday.

While this may come as little surprise to those who have been victimized by bullies, it is not what the researchers expected, Benjamin Lahey of the University of Chicago, who worked on the study, said in a telephone interview.

http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSTRE4A616020081107

I think I figured this out in the seventh grade since I was a favorite target for so many bullies. There was no rational explanation for their behavior but that something was wrong inside their heads.

Look at President Bush. He's a classic bully.

[ogneopasno]

1. They needed a study for this? Why else on earth would people engage in bullying behavior? Geez.

[knowbody0]

2. a therapist once told me

that it is likened to a sexual pleasure for some, and that it becomes addictive.

go figure.

[CoffeeCat]

3. Bullies are just so terrible...

I have two daughters in elementary school.

There are many bullies in their school--children who love to power up on and hurt other children.

I live in the suburbs, and there's a great deal of dysfunction here (as there is everywhere), but
there are so many kids who are left home alone, unsupervised. I think these kids are very lost
and full of rage.

They go to school--the one place where they can be in control--and they exact that control on
other seven-, eight-, and nine-year old children.

It really is a big problem and unfortunately, most schools don't know how to deal with it.

[unpossibles]

4. Rush Limbaugh fits the bill here nt

[dysfunctional press]

5. a lot of bullies were victims of bullies themselves...

many times it being their own parent(s).

it becomes ingrained, and the only way they know how to respond to some situations.

not to say that it's right or acceptable- just adding some perspective.

[applegrove]

6. They are sadistic. No surprise.