In
order to enhance efforts to address bullying in schools, and in response to the
limited success of school-based anti-bullying programs to date, this paper
considers bullying as a group phenomenon and explores theories of group processing
that can inform future prevention and intervention efforts. Moving beyond
efforts to reduce bullying by enhancing bystander responses, we consider
research and theory addressing peer group socialization processes, the role of
teachers as an "invisible hand" in structuring peer groups, social
interdependence as applied to the design of cooperative learning environments,
and collective efficacy. Although these theories are not in themselves
developmental, and address group processes that operate across ages, they can
inform both future prevention and intervention efforts and applied
developmental research that explores the age-related contextual and individual
factors that contribute to school bullying.