Just the Facts: The Roles We Play to Protect Ourselves
Interchangeable Roles When An Environment is Not Safe For All
We’ve learned that our brain goes into a fear response state: FIGHT, FLIGHT, or FREEZE, when we’re constantly threatened.
If we are in a situation in which we cannot escape or Flight, we may go into a Fight or Freeze response.
If we decided to use physical might to respond to the threat, we may go into a Fight response.
If we find we can’t safely fight the threat, we may go into a Freeze response.
Just the Facts: The Roles We Play to Protect Ourselves
Survival states can mimic roles found in the Bullying Cycle
Persons who find themselves locked in the bullying role, may have gone to a FLIGHT response.
The person who is in the target role operate into a FREEZE response..
Just the Facts: The Roles We Play to Protect Ourselves
Survival states can mimic roles found in the Bullying Cycle
Bystanders find themselves in either FREEZE or FLIGHT response.
Even if we are not locked in a chronic stress response system, becoming involved in a bullying cycle, Bully, Target, or Bystander, may activate our stress response systems, interfering with our ability to think, reason, or act rationally.
Just the Facts: The Roles We Play to Protect Ourselves
The role of environment stereotypes or stigmas in perpetuating the bullying cycle
A social scientist tells a story about a black cat that, unfortunately, gets a stripe painted down its back to demonstrate how an why labels can be harmful.
The cat, she recounts, now looks like a skunk, but is still a perfectly harmless cat.
Just the Facts: The Roles We Play to Protect Ourselves
However, the cat now has a stigma or stereotype attached to it, and is named or labeled for that stigma, which creates a bias in others.
That bias will change one’s expectations and reactions. Rather than being viewed for who one truly is, a harmless cat in this case, it is instead judged for who they are mistakenly perceived, in this case a skunk.
Just the Facts: The Roles We Play to Protect Ourselves
What bias is created when a teacher or student is told a “problem student”, “bully”, or a “victim”?
Immediate thoughts of the stereotypes about those labels may emerge. Teachers or Students may treat that person in a way that is negative or may exclude or discriminate against them, without them knowing they are doing it.
Labels communicate the false idea that behavior is fixed, than a function of the brain’s response to stress or unsafe environment.
Just the Facts: The Roles We Play to Protect Ourselves
A culture that uses labels or shaming language is less likely to reflect upon their own behaviors or consider that they may be unintentionally playing roles in the bullying cycle that may be destructive to them or to others.
Just the Facts: The Roles We Play to Protect Ourselves
Group Culture – Promotes or Prevents a Bullying Cycle
Based on current research, we can now shift the focus from the “problem” child to the person who uses bullying behavior.
We may begin to create environments that support people, rather than perpetuate labels that blame them?
As a group, do we believe that safety is found by dominating others, being better than others, or by having caring and supportive relationships among all?
Just the Facts: The Roles We Play to Protect Ourselves
The Impact of Safe and Supportive Relationships
Dr. Bruce Perry, expert in child and adolescent brain development describes humans as a “collaborative species.” Our brain is designed to be social and form relationships to solve problems.
Humans are designed to connect to others. Our brains respond to non-verbal cues of others. Our face structure is forward, looking at people; our skin, meant to be touched.
Relationships are the agents of change and the most powerful therapy is human love.
Just the Facts: The Roles We Play to Protect Ourselves
The Impact of Safe and Supportive Relationships
In school communities, the more emotionally-attuned relationships we have, relationships among teachers, students, administrators, parents, and staff, the more likely all members feel safe and supported, trusting of each other, and less likely to take on roles in the bullying cycle to protect themselves and use labels to categorize others.
