No One is Safe: Victimization Experiences of High-Status Youth

Abstract

Traditionally, victims were seen as weak, disempowered youth who typically had low-status in the peer hierarchy. However, accumulating evidence suggests that victimization experiences are not limited to those with low-status and that high-status adolescents may also be at risk. This review outlines a theoretical framework that explains high-status youth’s risk for victimization using evolutionary psychological, social dominance, and related perspectives which suggest that those with access to desirable resources may be targeted by peers who want those resources for themselves. Next, the review summarizes the empirical research demonstrating that high-status youth are targets of their peers’ aggressive behavior. Specific attention is given to the forms of aggression most often used to target high-status youth as well as the methods used to identify victims with high social status. Lastly, the review concludes with recommendations for future work on this burgeoning area of research.