Bouncers and barroom aggression: A review of the research

Bouncers (also referred to as “doormen,” “door staff,” “security personnel,” etc.) have received a great deal of attention in the available research on barroom aggression. All too often, researchers blame bouncers for provoking and escalating aggressive episodes in bars rather than functioning in a capacity that controls or prevents such incidents. The primary aim of this review paper is to provide an overview of the available research on bouncers and barroom aggression. Specifically, research on barroom aggression that implicates bouncers as one of possibly several environmental predictors of such incidents, as well as a growing body of research that provides a more focused exploration of the role of bouncers in barrooms and their impact on aggression, is examined and evaluated. Attempts to address problem bouncers and suggestions for future research are discussed.