Boy bullies are popular; girls aren't.

Boys who are bullies not only are accepted, but may be among the more popular youngsters in school. "But woe to the girl who is overly aggressive," indicates Laura Hess, assistant professor of child development and family studies, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. "Our research shows that girls who are disruptive and aggressive are at a much greater risk of being rejected by their peers than are their male counterparts."

In a study of third- through fifth-graders at two urban schools, Hess found the line between who was a bully and who was a victim was not always clear. "A significant number of children who are aggressive may also be victimized by their peers. Often, these children are picked on by the other kids and, out of frustration, they lash out at others through very aggressive means. These children were the least well-liked, regardless of gender."

The researchers asked teachers to rate the behavior of children in the classrooms and make judgments about their social status and acceptance. Students were asked to rate their peers similarly and to list their own perceived social acceptance and self-competence. "The children we classified as `controls' were the most popular. They were well-liked by teachers and students and were not overly aggressive nor were they typically victims. Boys in this group were slightly more popular than girls," Hess notes.

Following closely on the heels of the popular girls were...