UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones 12-1-2013 Dehumanization: As It Is Present Within Bullying Behaviors In An Anti-Bullying Program Katelyn Amos University of Nevada, Las Vegas Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/thesesdissertations Part of the Child Psychology Commons, and the Education Commons Repository Citation Amos, Katelyn, "Dehumanization: As It Is Present Within Bullying Behaviors In An Anti-Bullying Program" (2013). UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones. 1968. http://dx.doi.org/10.34917/5363853 This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones by an authorized administrator of Digital Scholarship@UNLV. For more information, please contact [email protected]. UNLV Theses/Dissertations/Professional Papers/Capstones 12-1-2013 Dehumanization: As It Is Present Within Bullying Behaviors In An Anti-Bullying Program Katelyn Amos University of Nevada, Las Vegas, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/thesesdissertations Part of the Child Psychology Commons, and the Education Commons Repository Citation Amos, Katelyn, "Dehumanization: As It Is Present Within Bullying Behaviors In An Anti-Bullying Program" (2013). UNLV Theses/ Dissertations/Professional Papers/Capstones. Paper 1968. This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Scholarship@UNLV. It has been accepted for inclusion in UNLV Theses/ Dissertations/Professional Papers/Capstones by an authorized administrator of Digital Scholarship@UNLV. For more information, please contact [email protected]. RUNNING HEAD: DEHUMANIZATION WITHIN BULLYING DEHUMANIZATION AS IT IS PRESENT WITHIN BULLYING BEHAVIORS IN AN ANTI-BULLYING PROGRAM By Katelyn Amos Bachelor of Science, Psychology University of Nevada Las Vegas 2010 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science - Clinical Mental Health Counseling Department of Educational and Clinical Studies College of Education The Graduate College Dr. Shannon Smith, Committee Chair University of Nevada Las Vegas University of Nevada, Las Vegas December 2013 THE GRADUATE COLLEGE We recommend the thesis prepared under our supervision by Katelyn Amos entitled Dehumanization as It Is Present within Bullying Behaviors in an Anti- Bullying Program is approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science - Clinical Mental Health Counseling Department of Educational and Clinical Studies Shannon Smith, Ph.D., Committee Chair Jared Lau, Ph.D., Committee Member Paul Jones, Ed.D., Committee Member Stephen Fife, Ph.D., Graduate College Representative Kathryn Hausbeck Korgan, Ph.D., Interim Dean of the Graduate College December 2013 ii RUNNING HEAD: DEHUMANIZATION WITHIN BULLYING ABSTRACT Bullying is an aggressive act performed repeatedly on another enacting a power differential. This thesis utilized data collected from The Anti-Bullying Prevention Pilot Program (ABPPP), which studied bullying within eleven schools in a large metropolitan area in southwestern United States. The program was aimed to increase positive school climate through the use of Operation Respect and Welcoming Schools programs. Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) and mixed methods approaches were used in order to analyze interviews and questionnaires. Grounded Theory analysis procedures were used to code the information, and thick descriptions were utilized to illustrate the occurrence of dehumanization among across four specified typologies. Dehumanization involves reducing an individual to that of a lesser being. There are two forms of dehumanization which are addressed within this research, animalistic dehumanization and mechanistic dehumanization as presented within Haslam’s (2006) model. This thesis will contribute to the literature by examining bullying behaviors through dehumanization model across four typologies. Keywords: Bullying, oppression, dehumanization, perpetrator, perpetrator-victim, victim, bystander, CQR, Grounded theory, Mixed Methods, thick descriptions iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to say “thank you” to my thesis Committee Chair, Dr. Shannon D. Smith. The guidance, time, support, and expertise you have given to me has been the driving force behind the completion of this work. Dr. Jared Lau, thank you for the extended time and effort you have provided, helping immensely with needed guidance. Dr. Stephen Fife, thank you as well for your time and input throughout this process. Dr. Paul Jones, thank you for your work “behind the scene” and for your positive support. Finally, I want to thank Mark Sinnott for standing by me – your love is what pushed me to succeed. Shayna Yamashiro and Monica Vanderheiden I would not have been able to accomplish this task without you both. iv ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... iv CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................1 Purpose of the Study ......................................................................................................1 Statement of the Problem ...............................................................................................3 An Anti-Bullying Prevention Pilot Program..................................................................8 Oppression as a Theoretical Backdrop ..........................................................................8 Definition of Terms........................................................................................................9 CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW ..........................................................................11 The Anti-Bullying Prevention Pilot Program .............................................................14 Oppression and Social Justice ......................................................................................16 Bullying Tactics ...........................................................................................................20 Bullying Typologies.....................................................................................................22 Dehumanization ...........................................................................................................26 CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................31 Theoretical Framework ................................................................................................31 Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) .....................................................................32 Methodological Framework .........................................................................................33 Open Coding ................................................................................................................36 Participants of the ABPPP Program Evaluation ..........................................................38 Data Analysis 1 ............................................................................................................39 Data Analysis 2 (Interpretation of Qualitative Data) ...................................................41 CHAPTER IV: RESULTS .................................................................................................44 Perpetrator ....................................................................................................................44 v Perpetrator-Victim .......................................................................................................47 Victim ..........................................................................................................................50 Bystander .....................................................................................................................52 CHAPTER V: DISCUSSION ............................................................................................57 Limitations of Current Study .......................................................................................58 Implications for Future Research .................................................................................59 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................61 CURRICULUM VITAE ....................................................................................................71 vi RUNNING HEAD: DEHUMANIZATION WITHIN BULLYING CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION Bullying in schools has become an important issue in the K-12 educational system. Olweus (2013) describes bullying as intentional harm caused to another usually involving a power differential. Nansel et al. (2001) describes the power differential being “physical