A situational action theory analysis of the roles of morality and moral contexts in schoolbased bullying perpetration

School-based bullying is an urgent social problem that is associated with a range of negative outcomes for both perpetrators and victims (e.g. Holt et
al., 2015; Olweus, 1993; Ttofi et al., 2016). However, the empirical research is dominated by the risk-factor paradigm (e.g. Cook et al., 2010; Zych et
al., 2015) and the causes of bullying remain unknown. The proposed research aims to fill this gap in the knowledge by investigating whether schoolbased
bullying can be explained within the Situational Action Theory (SAT) framework. The primary research questions will be: (i) what is the nature
and strength of the relationship between an individual's bullying propensity, exposure to settings that encourage acts of bullying, and frequency of
bullying perpetration? and (ii) how (by what processes) do morality and perceived moral contexts influence whether acts of bullying are perceived and
chosen as an action alternative in response to a motivation? In order to answer these research questions effectively, a cross-sectional mixed-methods
research design consisting of questionnaires and intensive semi-structured interviews will be adopted. To my knowledge, SAT has not previously been
applied to the context of school-based bullying. By applying this innovative theory to improve our understanding of the causes of bullying, I anticipate
the proposed research will make a significant theoretical contribution and have important implications for both policy and practice.