Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying?” is one of the most frequent questions we are asked because many know what it is when it happens, but have trouble wrapping succinct descriptive words around it. Formally, we define it as “willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices”.

When we survey students for our research, we define cyberbullying in a way that we feel is more relevant to their everyday experiences. Specifically, we say that “cyberbullying is when someone repeatedly makes fun of another person online or repeatedly picks on another person through e-mail or text message or when someone posts something online about another person that they don’t like.” We also ask about specific behaviors that might constitute cyberbullying (such as: hurtful comments, threats, rumors, pictures, or videos posted or circulated online). Depending on the circumstances, these experiences could constitute cyberbullying.

It is important to remember that one instance of mistreatment cannot accurately be equated to bullying, as it must involve harmful behavior of a repetitive nature. Even though many people call one instance of harassment on the playground “bullying,” that really isn’t an accurate characterization. Most research makes a clear distinction between bullying and harassment, differentiating the two based on the former’s recurrent quality. That is not to say that harassment or some other form of hurtful behavior done once is not harmful to the victim—it just isn’t bullying. And while this distinction can be perceived as one of simple semantics or a matter for purely academic debate, we feel it is noteworthy. In fact, we believe bullying is actually harassment taken to the next level.