Children's reactions to cooperative group work: a strategy for enhancing peer relationships among bullies, victims and bystanders

This investigation increases our understanding of the interpersonal interac tions that take place during co-operative group work (CGW) among children n ominated by their peers as bullies, victims and bystanders. Using the metho d of Interpersonal Process Recall (IPR). children were given the opportunit y to explore their own and others' feelings and actions during video replay s of co-operative group work at two time points over an eight-month period, and to share their emotional responses with other members of the group. Th e study indicated that CGW had an impact on the expression of some emotions . At Time 1. bystanders expressed more enjoyment of CGW than either bullies or victims;, at Time 2, these differences had disappeared. However. the te ndency of victims to deny their feelings in comparison to bullies and bysta nders remained. The implications for educational practice are discussed. (C ) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. Ali rights reserved.