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Updated: Jun 14, 2026

Measuring Attentional Biases for Threat in Children and Adults
Published on: October 19, 2014
Explicit- and implicit bullying attitudes in relation to bullying behavior
Anne A J van Goethem1, Ron H J Scholte, Reinout W Wiers
1Institute of Developmental Psychology, University of Utrecht, P.O. Box 80140, 3584 CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands. A.A.J.vanGoethem@uu.nl
Implicit bullying attitudes predict behavior only when explicit attitudes are positive. This study reveals nuanced predictors of bullying in children, highlighting the importance of considering both explicit and implicit attitudes.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Bullying behavior is a significant concern in primary schools.
- Understanding the predictors of bullying is crucial for intervention.
- Previous research often focused on explicit attitudes, neglecting implicit ones.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if implicit bullying attitudes predict bullying behavior beyond explicit attitudes.
- To explore the interplay between implicit and explicit bullying attitudes.
- To assess the predictive validity of novel implicit association tests for bullying.
Main Methods:
- Primary school children (N=237) completed implicit and explicit bullying attitude measures.
- Bullying behavior was assessed via self-report, peer ratings, and teacher ratings.
- Two implicit association tests (IATs) were developed and utilized.
Main Results:
- Explicit bullying attitudes significantly predicted bullying behavior.
- Implicit bullying attitudes alone did not predict bullying behavior.
- A significant interaction showed implicit attitudes predicted behavior in children with positive explicit attitudes.
Conclusions:
- Implicit bullying attitudes are important predictors of bullying behavior, but only under specific conditions (positive explicit attitudes).
- The findings suggest a more complex model of attitude-behavior relations in bullying.
- Interventions may need to address both conscious beliefs and unconscious biases.
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