In this article, an attempt will be made to set out what is meant
by bullying and bullying behaviour, especially as it appears in adult
life. From one angle, this is not easy, since what may be very fair
treatment to one person, is nothing short of bullying or harassment to
another. Similarly, as each individual has a different threshold of
suffering, both physically and psychologically, so what is bullying or
harassment to one person may be nothing but harmless fun to another.
Further difficulties arise because of the problems associated with deciding at what point certain behaviour becomes bullying. Normal youthful banter becomes bullying when the same person or persons are repeatedly on the receiving end of negative attention, against their wishes, but they are unable to stop it.
Deciding on the longevity of certain negative and unwanted behaviours constitutes another problem. Isolated incidents do not demonstrate bullying behaviour, but that there is a definite time factor on it - weeks, months and even years - is required for it to be categorised as bullying behaviour. Hence, the difficulty in defining these terms.
That said, attempts have been made to arrive at a working understanding of bullying so that when the word is used, what is meant by it is clear.
One definition views bullying in terms of its negative impact on the victim, and sees it as the negative and damaging treatment of another in such a manner that is causes the target to suffer and feel humiliated or vulnerable, and which has a detrimental and stressful effect on him/her.
As with harassment, bullying is defined largely by the impact of the behaviour on the recipient, not its intention.
Bullying may therefore be seen primarily in terms of aggression, or long-standing violence, physical or psychological, conducted by an individual or a group, and directed against an individual who is not able to defend him/herself in the actual situation.
It is important, for the sake of accuracy, that the physical and psychological aspects of bullying are included in this definition. Bullying is something that goes on repeatedly and increasingly over a period of time, and is not just a one-off act of aggressive behaviour.
Further difficulties arise because of the problems associated with deciding at what point certain behaviour becomes bullying. Normal youthful banter becomes bullying when the same person or persons are repeatedly on the receiving end of negative attention, against their wishes, but they are unable to stop it.
Deciding on the longevity of certain negative and unwanted behaviours constitutes another problem. Isolated incidents do not demonstrate bullying behaviour, but that there is a definite time factor on it - weeks, months and even years - is required for it to be categorised as bullying behaviour. Hence, the difficulty in defining these terms.
That said, attempts have been made to arrive at a working understanding of bullying so that when the word is used, what is meant by it is clear.
One definition views bullying in terms of its negative impact on the victim, and sees it as the negative and damaging treatment of another in such a manner that is causes the target to suffer and feel humiliated or vulnerable, and which has a detrimental and stressful effect on him/her.
As with harassment, bullying is defined largely by the impact of the behaviour on the recipient, not its intention.
Bullying may therefore be seen primarily in terms of aggression, or long-standing violence, physical or psychological, conducted by an individual or a group, and directed against an individual who is not able to defend him/herself in the actual situation.
It is important, for the sake of accuracy, that the physical and psychological aspects of bullying are included in this definition. Bullying is something that goes on repeatedly and increasingly over a period of time, and is not just a one-off act of aggressive behaviour.
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