Ahmed (2006) found some support for the crystallization hypothesis in
a study investigating the tendency for stable and desisted bullies to legitimize
bullying behavior. This study used a sample of 365 seventh to tenth
graders in a 3-year follow-up study. The children were presented with short
stories and were asked to take the perspective of the bully, describing their
thoughts and feelings. The study found that initial bullies who 3 years later
had stopped bullying were more prone to experiencing shame acknowledgement
(feeling shame, taking responsibility, and making amends) than
stable bullies. However, the desisted bullies did not differ from stable bullies
with regard to externalizing the blame or directing the blame at the victim,
indicating that the initial bullying is still, to some extent, associated to the
desisted bullies’ acceptance of shame displacement.