A Developmental Perspective on Relational Bullying at Behrend on Nov 5

Colloquium Series in Psychological Sciences and Human Behavior

ERIE, Pa. – Oct. 28, 2015 – According to stopbullying.gov, approximately 28 percent of U.S. students in grades 6–12 have experienced bullying. Even more troubling is the fact that approximately 30 percent of young people have admitted to bullying others.

Bullying is a prominent issue, but how do family, peer relationships and media factors affect a child's likeliness to bully others? That's the question Jamie Ostrov is attempting to answer.

Ostrov, an associate professor of psychology at University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, designs research activities that attempt to understand the development of subtypes of aggressive behavior in children. He will discuss his research when the Colloquium Series in Psychological Sciences and Human Behavior returns to Penn State Behrend.

Ostrov's talk, "A Developmental Perspective on Relational Bullying," begins at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 5, in room 180 of the college's Jack Burke Research and Economic Development Center, 5101 Jordan Road. Admission is free and open to the public.

Specifically, Ostrov's research explores the development of relational and physical aggression as well as peer victimization. He and his team have conducted research studying media exposure and social behavior in young children as well as school-based interventions with young aggressive children.

"A Developmental Perspective on Relational Bullying" is hosted by Penn State Behrend's B.A. and B.S. in Psychology degree programs, the student Psychology Coalition and the Prevention of Aggression Resource Center (PARC) with support from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Student Activity Fee. For additional information, contact Carol Wilson, associate professor of psychology, at 814-898-6082 or clw33@psu.edu.