A cross-sectional study from a sample of 663 elementary school children assessed the four sets of moral disengagement mechanisms
conceptualized by Bandura (i.e., cognitive restructuring, minimizing one’s agentive role, disregarding/distorting the consequences,
blaming/dehumanizing the victim) at both the individual and the class level. Additionally, an analysis of the relations of these
mechanisms to pro-bullying behavior was conducted. Multilevel analysis showed a significant relationship between cognitive restructuring
and individual pro-bullying behavior. Moreover, between-class variability of pro-bullying behavior was positively related to
minimizing one’s agentive role and blaming/dehumanizing the victim at the class level. Conversely, class disregarding/distorting the
consequences was negatively associated with between-class variation in the outcome behavior. Implications for understanding the
role of morality in children’s bullying are discussed. Aggr. Behav. 38:378–388, 2012. C 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.