Below is 15 authors defining bullying. These definitions span from early foundational work to more recent contributions in the fields of psychology, education, and social sciences.
🔹 1. Dan Olweus (1993)
Definition: Bullying is aggressive behavior that is intentional, repeated over time, and involves an imbalance of power or strength.
Reference:
Olweus, D. (1993). Bullying at School: What We Know and What We Can Do. Oxford: Blackwell.
🔹 2. Ken Rigby (2002)
Definition: Bullying involves a desire to hurt, a harmful action, a power imbalance, repetition, and enjoyment by the aggressor.
Reference:
Rigby, K. (2002). New Perspectives on Bullying. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
🔹 3. Barbara Coloroso (2003)
Definition: Bullying is a conscious, willful, and deliberate hostile activity intended to harm.
Reference:
Coloroso, B. (2003). The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander. New York: HarperCollins.
🔹 4. Peter K. Smith (2004)
Definition: Bullying is a systematic abuse of power.
Reference:
Smith, P. K. (2004). Bullying: Recent developments. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 9(3), 98–103. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-3588.2004.00089.x
🔹 5. Shelley Hymel & Susan Swearer (2015)
Definition: Bullying is a subtype of aggressive behavior characterized by repeated acts, a power imbalance, and intent to cause harm.
Reference:
Hymel, S., & Swearer, S. M. (2015). Four decades of research on school bullying: An introduction. American Psychologist, 70(4), 293–299. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0038928
🔹 6. Christina Salmivalli (2010)
Definition: Bullying is a group phenomenon, involving not just bullies and victims but also bystanders and reinforcers.
Reference:
Salmivalli, C. (2010). Bullying and the peer group: A review. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 15(2), 112–120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2009.08.007
🔹 7. Debra Pepler & Wendy Craig (1997)
Definition: Bullying is a form of aggression where there is an imbalance of power and repeated harm.
Reference:
Pepler, D., & Craig, W. (1997). Bullying: Research-informed interventions. Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 13(2), 41–49.
🔹 8. Dorothy L. Espelage & Susan M. Swearer (2003)
Definition: Bullying exists on a continuum of aggression, influenced by social-ecological factors.
Reference:
Espelage, D. L., & Swearer, S. M. (2003). Research on school bullying and victimization: What have we learned and where do we go from here? School Psychology Review, 32(3), 365–383.
🔹 9. Keith Sullivan (2011)
Definition: Bullying is an aggressive behavior marked by repetition, intent to harm, and power imbalance.
Reference:
Sullivan, K. (2011). The Anti-Bullying Handbook (2nd ed.). London: SAGE Publications.
🔹 10. Rosalind Wiseman (2009)
Definition: Bullying is about control and humiliation, often occurring in peer groups, with complex relational dynamics.
Reference:
Wiseman, R. (2009). Queen Bees and Wannabes. New York: Three Rivers Press.
🔹 11. Susan P. Limber (2004)
Definition: Bullying is characterized by unwanted aggressive behavior among school-aged children involving a real or perceived power imbalance.
Reference:
Limber, S. P. (2004). Implementation of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program in American schools: Lessons learned from the field. Journal of School Violence, 1(3), 57–73. https://doi.org/10.1300/J202v01n03_05
🔹 12. Paul L. Hewitt (2000)
Definition: Bullying can be rooted in perfectionism and maladaptive interpersonal styles that reinforce dominance.
Reference:
Hewitt, P. L., & Flett, G. L. (2000). Perfectionism and maladjustment: An overview of theoretical, definitional, and treatment issues. Perfectionism: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 5–31.
🔹 13. Mark Dombeck (2006)
Definition: Bullying is a specific form of abuse that involves humiliation and power assertion, often covert.
Reference:
Dombeck, M. (2006). Bullying and emotional abuse. MentalHelp.net. https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/bullying-and-emotional-abuse/
🔹 14. Erling Roland (2002)
Definition: Bullying includes both physical and psychological harm and often continues because of a passive environment or poor school policy.
Reference:
Roland, E. (2002). Bullying, depressive symptoms, and suicidal thoughts. Educational Research, 44(1), 55–67. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131880110107351
🔹 15. Sameer Hinduja & Justin W. Patchin (2009)
Definition: Bullying, including cyberbullying, involves willful and repeated harm inflicted through electronic means.
Reference:
Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. W. (2009). Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard: Preventing and Responding to Cyberbullying. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
✅ Conclusion
These definitions share core elements:
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Intentionality
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Repetition
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Power imbalance
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Harm (physical, psychological, or social)
However, they also highlight evolving perspectives — from individual aggression to broader social and systemic contexts (e.g., cyberbullying, peer group dynamics, school climate).
