Types of Bullying

Goal

To be able to understand how and where bullying occurs

What Does Bullying Look Like? (Hayes & Herbert, 2011, p. 148)

Bullying takes many forms, such as:

• Name-calling and other unwanted verbal abuse
• Being shouted at
• Ostracizing someone
• Unwanted physical contact (hitting, poking, dead arming)
• Spreading of gossip and lies about a person
• Hiding or destroying belongings
• Cyber bullying, such as sending threatening emails, instant and text messages, and other uses of the Internet and mobile phones for bullying
• Unkind, harsh comments by an authority figure aimed at one person to humiliate them in front of others
• Racial taunts or comments
• Staring at someone (evil eyes, dead eyes)
• Gestures which are intimidating (sexual, racial, homophobic, or cultural)
• Gang intimidation (waiting, watching, following, stalking)
• Writing (notes or poems, scrawling on belongings, graffiti in toilets and other public places)

Bullying can occur in a number of different environments such as in schools, homes, and workplaces. It can even occur virtually through the use of information technology (IT).

What is Cyber Bullying? (McQuade, Colt, & Meyer, 2009, pp. 2-3, 7-8, 37, 175)

Cyber bullying occurs when a person uses IT to embarrass, harass, intimidate, threaten, or otherwise cause harm to individuals targeted for such abuse. Cyber bullying amounts to a technological extension of physical bullying that has traditionally been carried out face-to-face or indirectly over the telephone or through typed or handwritten messages. Online bullying messages consisting of images or graphics can be used in numerous ways along with text to imply or convey all sorts of threats in weird or sinister ways. Computerization has enabled modern bullying through online communication to be more efficient and effective than ever.

Cyberspace is a place where youth are increasingly spending time, millions are deriving their self-esteem, creativity and attitudes are developed, relationships are formed and maintained, and interactive behavioral patterns that rely on using various types of technological devices for all sorts of purposes are established. Cyber bullying, although primarily a youth problem, is not limited to teens and adolescents. The prevalence and incidence of online bullying peaks in middle school years but continues for many youths through high school and college years and even older adults can become involved.

Here are several common and important aspects of cyber bullying:

1. The person being bullied is perceived as being relatively weak or vulnerable.
2. The abuse involves social computing activities.
3. Computer technology was used creatively to deceive and heighten bullying effects.
4. Physical place and cyberspace behaviors were intertwined.
5. Sexuality and perceived relationships were exploited.
6. Parents or other adults may not have been positioned to intervene effectively.
7. Youth involved were not sufficiently provided with adequate instruction in Internet safety, information security, and cyber ethics.

Disinhibition contributes to the severity of cyber bullying. While online, some people will say, type, or do things they normally would not do in person. With decreased self-awareness comes decreased concern for how a person is being perceived or judged by others.

Reflection Exercise

Instructions: Reflect on your experiences of being bullied. Briefly summarize what happened and how it impacted you.

Next Step

Watch the following video to learn more about cyber bullying: