Diachronic Analysis of Verbal Aggressiveness, Machiavellianism and Bullying through Social Network Analysis

Abstract

Aim of this research is the diachronic analysis of verbal aggressiveness, bullying and Machiavellianism among physical education students regarding their diachronic evolvement and stability of victimizers and victims during the semester. Standardized network questionnaires were used. Twelve network samples (students’ semester classes) were collected from four Greek departments (totally 538). Network variables (in/out-degree, Κatz status, pagerank, authority) were calculated via Visone software while Spearman test was implemented for diachronic network analysis. Results: The strengthening of practicing such behaviours may reasonably be attributed to the fact that students become more and more familiar to each other during the semester. Threat appears to be stable and unchangeable in contrast to irony. Most stable bullying behaviour is “refusing help”. Evolvement of “exclusion” into “refusing help” was observed. “Deception” indicates a predisposition for “back-stabbing”. A remarkably weak stability of victimization in verbal aggressiveness was observed with “exclusion” to be a presage of further abuse.

Keywords: bullying; diachronic and network analysis; education; Machiavellianism; verbal aggressiveness