In my research essay, I intend to dissect the value of interpersonal relationships on one’s development and integration into society. In a world where socialization is imperative, how does one determine if they are a successful member of society? I seek to conduct comparative research; and to do so, I first intend to reference the ever-raging phenomenon of school shootings. After a school shooting, the perpetrator’s backstory is often called into question. Were they social? Did they get involved in school activities? More often than not, they were not adequately acclimated to the social environment, which led to a warped perception of society. Alongside data regarding shooters, I want to observe the social engagement of individuals who do claim to be socially active. Do they perceive themselves as extroverts? Are they involved in their communities? Or is there NO connection? While there are so many subtopics that can be acknowledged, these are the primary questions that I hope to answer in my data. 

SOURCE ONE

Leng, M., & Song, H. (2023). Contributors to Antisocial Behavior in Adolescence from the Perspective of Developmental Psychology: A Case Study on a School Mass Shooting. Journal of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, 9, 158-165. https://doi.org/10.54097/ehss.v9i.6442

Background: The signs leading up to a school shooter executing his plan. “Meanwhile, at the end of October 2021, Ethan’s best friend moved away and his family dog died, which caused him to become depressed.” This quote is among many others that will help to develop a foundation for my claim that inadequate socialization can cause mental disturbances on a person’s psyche. In this specific reference, the school shooter’s behaviors leading up to the event indicated mental instability, including the change in contact with his best friend. By losing that socialization, that foundation for human contact, the perpetrator fell down a slippery slope. 

How I intend to use it: I intend to use this quote to showcase how the lack of socialization, or the change in socialization, in one’s environment can negatively impact their psyche and perception of the world around them if left unchecked. The weeks leading up to the incident are indicators that the perpetrator was already thinking about committing his crime for an extended period of time before it occurred. If he had been properly socialized, if he had someone there for him, he wouldn’t have been considering those things. 

SOURCE TWO

(PDF) School Shootings: A Review of the Characteristics and the Psychopathology of the Perpetrators, Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.

Background: The common factors of a school shooting, and the signs that were missed. “‘Shooters were considered outcasts and “weird” but not all of them were “loners”’ [12]. Their peer groups shared analogous interests in violence, making even harder the ‘reality check’ on behalf of the perpetrator [14].” This quote is a strong indicator of what a “typical school shooter” can be described as. Of course, there is no one category, but it is important to note similar aggressive and antisocial behaviors that may indicate hostility. 

How I intend to use it: I intend to use this source in a similar fashion to how I will use its predecessor. It will serve as a valuable foundation for my argument of the poor socialization of individuals that leads to poor integration into society and increased hostility and violent behaviors. Even in cases when the perpetrator did have friends, those friends were seen as negative influences, and similar to the individual that committed the crime.

SOURCE 3

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140197116000488

Background: This source examines the relationship between socialization through friendships and the positive impacts it has on emotional regulation habits. It insinuates that the more socialized an individual is, the better emotional regulation habits they develop as they grow up. 

How I intend to use it: I believe that this will be a great resource in the second part of my comparative study, and in aiding the reader’s understanding in what makes someone “socially acclimated”. It is more than simply being extroverted: it is a matter of being able to control oneself and one’s emotions, and understanding and adequately responding to the emotions of others. I want to use this evidence to aid my claim that an individual that has friends, thus being socially acclimated, is able to regulate their emotions better than their “loner” counterpart.

SOURCE 4

https://ojs.library.queensu.ca/index.php/gems/article/view/5062

Background: This source displays data surrounding how loneliness impacts social interactions in middle school students. During one of the most fundamentally influential parts of a young adult’s life, they are their most impressionable in middle school. This is, typically, the time that they start developing the personality traits and belief systems that are going to stay with them into adulthood. Individuals in this age group that are displaying lonely tendencies are going to struggle with social interactions at that time, and they are going to be unable to adequately acclimate to social norms as they grow up and enter the world. 

How I intend to use it: I think that this qualitative dataset will provide an interesting take on socialization during a pivotal point in one’s life. As these middle school students grow into teenagers, and begin to have access to more things, the socialization that they experience may determine what kind of person that they become. This data will aid my claim that those who are lonely and poorly socialized are not as well acclimated to society as those who have friend groups and consistently socialize. I want to look into how this research will, if at all, correlate with the characteristics of the quintessential “school shooter” (source 2).

SOURCE 5

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0284374

Background: The internet behaviors of the “antisocial” individuals of our society are much different than the average social media user. Many individuals that are not adequately acclimated in society will log online to troll people, and post crude content to illicit reactions from unsuspecting users of various platforms. But why? Are they seeking these reactions as revenge for their social inadequacy? Is this their way of interacting with others? Do they want attention or companionship? 
How I intend to use it: These behaviors raise more questions than answers, but will provide interesting insight into the behaviors of those who are deemed antisocial. I want to use this data to observe some of the less extreme behaviors of those who are not as well adjusted into society. Not every “loner” is inherently a violent person. Some may just not be comfortable interacting with society face to face, and prefer to retire to the digital sphere, so that their face is hidden, and they have less social norms and obligations.