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Bullying scenarios

Welcome to a new way of understanding and responding to bullying—our Interactive Scenario-Based Role-Playing feature! This dynamic, decision-driven tool is designed to immerse you in real-life scenarios, helping you navigate complex social situations and learn how to effectively respond to bullying incidents.

What Is It?

Our Interactive Scenario-Based Role-Playing section presents you with a series of real-life bullying situations that cover various types of bullying—physical, verbal, social, relational, and cyberbullying. Each scenario is based on common school or social interactions and includes:

Detailed Narratives

Understand the context and emotional impact of each bullying situation.

Key Decision Points

Encounter crucial moments where you’ll have to choose how to respond.

Immediate Feedback

See the outcomes and receive guidance on the implications of your choices.

Brain and Behavior Insights

Learn about the brain’s involvement in bullying situations for all parties—those bullied, those who bully, and bystanders.

Why Does It Matter?

Bullying can create environments of fear, isolation, and emotional harm. However, we believe that informed decisions and empathetic actions can turn bystanders into upstanders, and upstanders into leaders. This role-playing tool lets you actively explore these challenging situations, helping you develop skills to confidently address bullying and support others.

How Does It Work?

Read the Scenario

Each scenario begins with a realistic narrative depicting a bullying incident. You'll be introduced to the characters, their roles, and the setting.

Face Decision Points

As the scenario progresses, you’ll be prompted to choose from multiple options at critical moments. Each choice represents a common reaction or course of action.

Receive Feedback

After making a choice, you’ll receive immediate feedback. This feedback highlights why certain actions may be more effective or supportive than others and provides insights into the psychological and neurological effects of bullying.

Gain Deeper Understanding

Learn how each action can impact everyone involved, including the bully, the victim, and the bystanders. Brain-related insights help you understand the emotional and cognitive consequences of bullying and intervention.

Who Is It For?

This feature is for anyone seeking to understand bullying dynamics and improve their responses to challenging social situations. Whether you’re a student, teacher, parent, counselor, or ally, these scenarios offer valuable lessons on empathy, accountability, and proactive intervention.

Get Started!

Ready to make a difference? Dive into our Interactive Scenario-Based Role-Playing experience and take your first steps towards becoming a true Upstander. Choose a scenario to begin and see how your decisions can transform bullying situations into moments of courage, kindness, and support.
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Step 1 of 7

Scenario 1

Situation: You witness Emily spreading a false rumor about Sophia, leading to her being isolated in the cafeteria.

Role Choice: You can choose to play as another student witnessing this event or as a friend of Sophia.
Decision Paths

Scenario 1

Situation: You witness Emily spreading a false rumor about Sophia, leading to her being isolated in the cafeteria.

Role Choice: You can choose to play as another student witnessing this event or as a friend of Sophia.

Outcome & Feedback: By sitting with Emily, you unintentionally signal approval for her actions, increasing Sophia’s feelings of rejection. This ongoing rejection can elevate Sophia’s fear response and social anxiety, causing her to withdraw from social situations.

Outcome & Feedback: Sitting with Sophia helps counter her isolation, reducing her feelings of rejection and stabilizing her emotions. This choice disrupts Emily’s control over social dynamics, boosting Sophia’s resilience and sense of self-worth.
Outcome & Feedback: Confronting Emily forces her to reflect on her actions, making her reconsider spreading harmful rumors. Sophia feels validated and supported, reducing feelings of helplessness and boosting her confidence.

Scenario 2

Situation: Mark spreads cruel memes about Lily in a group chat. You see the messages in real-time.

Role Choice: You can play as a peer in the group chat or as a close friend of Lily.

Outcome & Feedback: Remaining silent allows Mark to believe his behavior is acceptable, reinforcing his actions. Lily’s isolation and anxiety increase as she perceives your silence as a lack of support, triggering her stress responses and reducing her sense of self-worth.
Outcome & Feedback: Reaching out to Lily privately offers her vital social support, reducing her sense of isolation and mitigating the emotional distress caused by the cyberbullying.
Outcome & Feedback: Calling out Mark forces him to think about the consequences of his actions and shows Lily that someone is standing up for her. This helps Lily feel defended and less isolated, improving her emotional resilience.

Scenario 3

Situation: Ben mocks Jordan for struggling with math in front of the group.

Role Choice: You can play as a classmate observing this or as someone in Jordan’s group.

Outcome & Feedback: Ignoring Ben’s comment reinforces his sense of power, making him feel validated in his behavior. For Jordan, repeated ridicule can trigger fear responses and increase feelings of inadequacy, lowering his willingness to engage in group activities.
Outcome & Feedback: Reassuring Jordan helps him regulate his emotions, reducing feelings of shame. Although this does not directly challenge Ben’s actions, it provides immediate emotional support to Jordan.
Outcome & Feedback: Confronting Ben forces him to consider the impact of his words. Jordan feels validated and supported, which can boost his confidence and sense of safety in the group.

Scenario 4

Situation: Mr. Smith calls Ava “lazy” in front of the class when she doesn’t answer a question.

Role Choice: You can play as a classmate witnessing this or as a friend of Ava.

Outcome & Feedback: Staying silent reinforces Mr. Smith’s behavior, leaving Ava feeling unsupported. This increases Ava’s anxiety, making her associate the classroom with feelings of fear and helplessness, which may impair her ability to learn.
Outcome & Feedback: Supporting Ava privately reduces her feelings of isolation and anxiety. This helps Ava process the incident, improving her emotional regulation and sense of self-worth.
Outcome & Feedback: Reporting the behavior can lead to interventions that prevent future incidents, reducing ongoing stress and anxiety for Ava and other students in the class.

Scenario 5

Situation: Madison tells Lily she can’t sit at her table, and Lily is left standing, unsure of where to go.

Role Choice: You can play as a peer in the cafeteria or as someone from Madison’s group.

Outcome & Feedback: Saying nothing reinforces Madison’s actions and leaves Lily feeling excluded. Over time, repeated experiences of exclusion can lead to increased loneliness and lowered self-esteem for Lily.
Outcome & Feedback: Inviting Lily gives her a sense of belonging and reduces her social anxiety. This choice also challenges Madison’s attempt to control social dynamics, promoting a more inclusive environment.
Outcome & Feedback: Confronting Madison forces her to think about her actions. Lily feels supported and valued, which boosts her confidence and emotional stability, while Madison may start to reconsider her behavior.

Scenario 6

Situation: Mr. Thomas grabs Luis’s arm and humiliates him in front of the class for not keeping up during a playground activity.

Role Choice: You can play as another student on the playground or as a friend of Luis.

Outcome & Feedback: Ignoring the incident reinforces Mr. Thomas’s authority, leaving Luis feeling helpless and unsupported. Repeated incidents can cause ongoing anxiety and reluctance to participate in physical activities.
Outcome & Feedback: Offering private support to Luis helps him feel less alone and reduces his fear. This empathetic act helps Luis regulate his emotions and increases his likelihood of seeking help in the future.
Outcome & Feedback: Reporting the behavior can lead to interventions that hold Mr. Thomas accountable, preventing future incidents and fostering a supportive environment for all students.

Scenario 7

Situation: A peer makes a backhanded comment to Priya about her background, saying, “Your English is really good for an Indian.”

Role Choice: You can play as a classmate in the group or as a friend of Priya.

Outcome & Feedback: Laughing it off signals to others that the microaggression is acceptable. This leaves Priya feeling othered and unsupported, increasing her emotional distress and sense of alienation
Outcome & Feedback: Redirecting the conversation helps reduce Priya’s discomfort and social pain. Although this doesn’t challenge the comment directly, it provides indirect support to Priya, helping her feel less targeted.
Outcome & Feedback: Directly addressing the comment forces the peer to reconsider their words. This action affirms Priya’s sense of belonging and promotes a more inclusive environment within the group.
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