(Author's note: name displayed at beginning of document is not author name, it is fictional name of the character doing this study in-universe)

Brief Report: Ethnographic Analysis of the Relationship between Social Stigmatization and Aggression in a Young Colt with Demi-Vampirism

Abstract

Demi-vampirism is a rare condition in which ponies have traits of bat ponies, most notably fangs. These ponies are also more likely to behave aggressively. Demi-vampires are especially likely to experience social stigmatization. The following study is an ethnographic analysis of a community of a young colt with demi-vampirism. Observations of the colt indicated that, when his peers did not accept him, he was more likely to act aggressively. However, when he was with his only friend, a young manticore cub, he displayed no aggression at all. Implications and potential avenues of intervention are also discussed.

Introduction

Demi-vampirism is a condition affecting approximately 2000 ponies throughout Equestria (Pizzelle, 2020). However, the condition is becoming more common, with 100 reported cases in 2000 increasing to 1500 cases in 2015 (Hard Hoof, 2016). Demi-vampirism is caused by one parent inflicted with the virus known to turn ponies into bat ponies, either in its dormant or active form (Digital DNA, 2009). Ponies with demi-vampirism are known to have long fangs, have increased aggression toward other ponies, and are impacted by social stigmatization from their peers. However, aggression in these ponies typically decreases with age (Sappy Social, 2017). However, research on demi-vampirism is scarce. Given the alarming increase in rates of demi-vampirism across Equestria, governor Prim Posy of Canterlot has put out a request for papers investigating the etiology of demi-vampirism and the health and social disparities affecting those with demi-vampirism.

The following study is an ethnographic, qualitative study of a young colt with demi-vampirism. In this article, I will specifically cover interactions I observed between the colt, addressed by the pseudonym Fang, and others around him, with a focus on the relationship between social stigmatization, social validation, and aggression.

Method

This study is an ethnographic study conducted in a small town bordering the Everfree Forest. Ethnography is a form of research where a researcher participates in the community they are interested in studying, gathering detailed data about that community’s culture, customs, and way of living (Trendsetter, 1970). In this study, the town of a young colt with demi-vampirism, Fang, was chosen to investigate the bi-directional relationships between Fang and those around him. The first author has been living in this town for the purposes of this study for one year, and the results of this study are accumulated from detailed notes, transcriptions, and interviews about interactions between Fang and others, including his peers, family, teachers, and one peculiar, albeit alarming, friend Fang has managed to make. Although I was given consent to observe and study the town, the townsfolk did not know the specific nature of the study. All ponies are not identified by their specific sub-species and addressed by pseudonyms to protect their privacy.

For the sake of brevity, this report will only focus on general findings and the brief overview of two notable interactions between Fang and those around him, for the purposes of illustrating the main argument.

Results

General Findings
In general, I noticed that Fang was a generally lonely colt. At the beginning of the study period, he had no friends, and even his teachers and family treated him differently. His scholastic enthusiasm was often ignored by his teacher, and he always walked alone to and from school, despite having two older brothers. His older brothers were unaffected by demi-vampirism, and in public interactions I observed, his mother treated him more strictly than the other two. This is perhaps because, as will be illustrated later, Fang had a reputation for acting out. On the other hoof, it’s possible she treated him differently at home, but wanted to save face in public. This is because, although Fang was the only member of the family affected by demi-vampirism, his mother and two brothers were also treated differently. When the family would travel through town, all the pony folk would stare at them. Some of them were perhaps curious, but others were certainly guarded around the family. I noticed this occurred even when the group was traveling without Fang.

Having addressed the general status of Fang in the community, I will now provide two examples of the relationship between Fang’s social status and his aggression. First, I will cover an interaction I observed in Fang’s classroom. Then, I will describe Fang’s interaction with a young monster on the edge of Everfree Forest. By contrasting these two interactions, I will make a point about how social status influenced instances of Fang’s aggression.


Case One: Interactions with Classmates
Early into the study period, I observed Fang in his classroom on a typical school day. Early that morning, it was time to feed Freddy, the class weasel. Every day, Fang’s homeroom teacher (addressed as “Mrs. Teacher” here), picks one student to have the duty of feeding Freddy and refilling his water. When Fang’s teacher chose a young filly, addressed in this report by the pseudonym Heart, Fang had an immediate reaction. He called out, “Aw, again!? Heart has gone three times already! I’ve never gotten to go even once!”

Fang’s teacher instructed him to quiet down and that everyone would get their chance eventually. At this point, Fang pointed out that everyone had gotten to go already but him. At this point, Heart had become visibly annoyed, huffing and tapping her hoof on the desk impatiently. Then, she addressed Fang directly, “Maybe Mrs. Teacher doesn’t want you to feed him because you’ll bite him like you do everyone else!”

This wasn’t the first time I had recorded someone around Fang referencing his aggression directly. At this point in time, it seemed that the other students expected it from him, as several of the other fillies in class had nodded in agreement. After this interaction, I learned that Fang had been with the same class for several grades, so they were fairly familiar with his behavior. When I got the chance to interview one of his classmates later, she reported that Fang had gotten in many fights with other ponies over the years. However, she pointed out that many of them started when other ponies were mean to him. Other students I interviewed reported similar sentiments, either saying fights were caused when they did not allow Fang to play with them, when they responded curtly to him trying to start a conversation with them, or when they began teasing him outright. One colt even sheepishly admitted Fang had bitten him when he teased Fang about his smile.

Fang did not take Heart’s confrontation well. “That’s not fair!” he said, “I’ve only gotten in four fights this year, and they weren’t even my fault! I’d never hurt a sweet little weasel like Freddy, because he’d never be mean to me!”

At this point, he bared his fangs at Heart and leaned over his desk in her direction. Heart backed up sheepishly, and Mrs. Teacher stepped in front of Heart. Perhaps she was trying to anticipate Fang’s attack and shield Heart.

This, once more, indicated to me that Fang’s experiences of social isolation, at least in his perspective, was related to his aggressive tendencies. It also indicated to me that, overall, it was not only his peers contributing to his social isolation; it was his teacher, as well. However, as I had not been in the town for Fang’s entire educational career, I had less background knowledge than those around him did. It may have been that he was aggressive first, and social isolation came later. Due to this temporal limitation of the study, the relational nature of Fang’s aggression and social stigmatization are unclear. However, it is likely that the two factors were influencing each other.

The interaction ended with Mrs. Teacher warning Fang, telling him that if he didn’t quiet down, he’d be sent to the principal's office. He said, “Fine! I’ll go there myself!” and left the classroom. When this happened, I left to observe Fang. He did not go to the principal’s office. Instead, he left the school building altogether and ventured toward the Everfree Forest. The following section of this report will record an interaction between Fang and a young monster that I observed at the edge of the forest.


Case Two: Fang’s First Friend
When Fang arrived at the edge of the Everfree Forest, he called out, with a cry akin to a bat screech. He did this several times, in a sing-song like pattern. Then, he sat and waited. A few minutes later, a young manticore cub (addressed as “Cub” in this manuscript) appeared. It seemed like the two were familiar with each other. When Fang saw Cub, he bared his teeth, corners of his mouth turning upward in what one could assume to be his smile. This was one of the very rare instances I witnessed Fang smile by this point in the study period. The two spoke in some unknown tongue, perhaps a monster language. As such, I could not transcribe nor interpret the contents of their conversation.

What I could record, however, was that Fang’s demeanor had almost completely transformed while interacting with Cub. He smiled many times over the course of their conversation, as if he was not afraid at all to show his fangs to his manticore friend. He spoke more than I had ever witnessed him speaking before, and although I could not interpret the language, his tone was excitable. This was the first time I witnessed him laughing as well. The temper that I was so accustomed to witnessing from him had vanished. He did not act aggressively, seem gloomy, or even sound upset for the entire duration of their conversation.

Over the course of the study period, I witnessed Fang come back and talk to this Cub over 80 times. Each time, the difference between him and the town ponies and Cub were like night and day. While his aggressive behavior persisted throughout the study period, it was only in the presence of other ponies, never Cub.

Discussion

The contrast of Fang’s interactions with Cub vs. with other ponies indicate to me that social stigmatization is partially driving Fang’s instances of aggression. When Fang interacted with other ponies, they did not include him in social interactions, they did not allow him the same experiences his peers received, and they even admitted themselves that they would say unkind things to him. In turn, Fang had a tendency to behave aggressively with the ponies around him. Alternatively, Cub seemed fully accepting of Fang, and the two developed what appeared to be a strong friendship over the study period. In his interactions with Cub, Fang never acted aggressively, indicating that social validation reduced aggression in this young colt.

However, the fact that Fang’s only friend was a monster is concerning. Monsters, which have been banished from Equestria and now live in the Everfree Forest, are known to pose many threats to ponykind, namely due to the fact that many consume meat. Although there are very few reported cases of monsters eating ponies (Awesome Archeops, 2007), interactions between ponies and monsters may make monsters more acclimated to ponies, and thus more likely to consume them. As such, it is recommended that those working with demi-vampires watch closely for their interactions with potential dangerous creatures.

In addition, because of the observed relationship between social isolation and aggression in this study, it is recommended that more supports are put in place to integrate demi-vampires into the community. Ivory Rook, the governor of the Crystal Empire, has implemented a program where young demi-vampires are paired with young ponies their age to volunteer in their community. Given that cooperation is known to reduce feelings of prejudice (Risky Road, 2006), it may be effective at increasing perceptions of social belonging in demi-vampires. More research is needed to evaluate the effects of this intervention.

Lastly, this study comes with one major limitation. The study period was only a year long, and Fang was already in grade school when it began. Thus, the temporal nature of Fang’s aggression is uncertain, and only interviews, not direct observation, inform this study’s assessment of Fang’s aggression before the study period. Future studies should follow demi-vampires in their community from birth to eliminate this limitation.