Scientists explain why school bullies are richer and more successful

High levels of aggression and leadership qualities are harmful only in childhood

The debate about who is more successful in adulthood, nerds or school bullies, has received a new development. A study conducted by specialists from the Institute of Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex convincingly proved that those school graduates who did not differ in exemplary behavior or academic performance grow up to become more famous, healthy and wealthy adults.

British scientists analyzed questionnaires of 7,000 people, which displayed current information on the social behavior, interests, and psycho-emotional background of the subjects. And they compared this data with their school performance and success, with grades and behavior reports. And then they compared all this with the successes that the respondents achieved in adulthood.

It turned out that the myth about subsequently successful losers and hooligans has a basis. Those people whose school diaries were filled with comments due to fights and scandals now earn at least 6% more than their docile classmates. But it turns out that the “quiet C-grade students” performed worst of all – their incomes are 3% lower than even those of the “nerds.”

However, as scientists have found, not all excellent students are equally useless. Those students who studied well thanks to their high cognitive abilities, but did not differ in exemplary behavior, grew up and began to earn the most – 5-11% more than their former classmates.

Scientists interpreted the results as follows.

Students with more aggressive behavior were accustomed to gaining the upper hand in competition and later used these tactics in the profession. The researchers also positively assessed such qualities of juvenile hooligans as independence, risk-taking, and leadership skills. Like, this is a direct path to success in business or other areas.

“It’s difficult to judge unambiguously what many “X-factors” influence: environmental indicators, family, ordinary luck,” says systems psychologist Pavel Sidorin. – Each person is unique, each personality grows and reveals itself in its own way. And excellent students are notable for their high academic performance for a reason; they are helped by high discipline, diligence, and the desire to achieve goals. Important qualities in life, like just a “bright head”, good brains, so to speak.

On the other hand, hooligans represent nonconformism, impulse, and courage. Sometimes creativity. But here, too, it’s difficult to say right away whether he will become the next Pablo Picasso or just follow a crooked path…

It seems to me that the less natural qualities in children and adolescents such as curiosity, fun and the desire to be different are suppressed in schools and other educational institutions, the longer this dilemma will last.

There is no contradiction here; everyone is familiar with the situation of a good student who is not averse to misbehaving. A poor student, an underachiever – here we need to analyze why this is so. There may be pedagogical neglect or medical reasons. Or maybe the child is simply bored, stuffy and even cramped at school. There may also be questions for excellent students, or more precisely, for their parents. The desire to get straight A’s can develop into such an idealistic approach to life. But we know that no one gets everything. Hence the so-called excellent student complex. Which develops most often according to the neurotic type.