They were well liked by teachers and students and were not overly aggressive nor were they typically victims. Following closely on the heels of the popular girls were the boy bullies, who were only slightly less popular among peers. Aggression is much more well-accepted in boys than it is in girls. She says passivity is a traditionally female trait and much more socially accepted in females than in males. On the other hand, aggression is associated with males, and less accepted in females.
Aggression often takes different forms based on gender.
Girls are more likely to display indirect aggression. They are more likely to fight a war of words and victimize others through manipulation rather than by physical means. Hess suggests that administrators and teachers need to focus on ridding school environments of all forms of aggression. Hess says efforts that might curb aggressive behavior include education, videos, posters and rewards for good behavior. She says sometimes it's just a matter of giving children positive alternatives to aggression.