Bullies May Enjoy It
Anyone who’s been victimised at work knows how dangerous and unpleasant bullying behaviour can be. And now victims of bullying have further evidence that bullies might be having a good time at the expense of others.
Children who are bullies may enjoy seeing pain, research using brain scans at the University of Chicago shows.
Scans of the aggressive youth’s brains showed that an area that is associated with rewards was highlighted when the youth watched a video clip of someone inflicting pain on another person. Youth without the unusually aggressive behavior did not have that response, the study showed.
“This is the first time that fMRI scans have been used to study situations that could otherwise provoke empathy,” said Jean Decety, Professor in Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Chicago. “This work will help us better understand ways to work with juveniles inclined to aggression and violence.”
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