Definition of bullying and cyberbullying

Bullying has been defined in a number of ways depending on the author's perspective and methodological background. However, all agree that bullying begins with intent to harm, and becomes more insidious as it is repeated over time.

Perhaps the most common definition of bullying is that of Olweus (1991, 1993, p 9), which states that ‘… a person is being bullied when he or she is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other persons’, while Nansel et al (2001) offer a panoptic definition of bullying as aggressive behaviour or intentional ‘harm doing’ by a person or group, generally carried out repeatedly and over time, and involving a power differential.

These definitions highlight three important characteristics of bullying: (1) a power difference between the bully and the victim; (2) intent to harm; and (3) repetition over time. Although some argue that a critical, single incident of aggression may be considered bullying (Arora, 1996) repetition over time and power imbalance distinguish bullying from more general aggression (that is, intent to cause harm) (Olweus, 1999). Extending the traditional definition of bullying, Smith et al (2008, p 376) define cyberbullying as ‘an aggressive act or behaviour that is carried out using electronic means by a group or an individual repeatedly and over time against another person who cannot easily defend him or herself.’ Given the power differential between the bully and the victim, bullying involves the systematic abuse of power (Rigby, 2002), and cyberbullying involves the systematic abuse of power using information and communication technologies (ICT).

There are several types of bullying, including physical and verbal (direct, face-to-face forms of aggression) and indirect and relational bullying. In the 1980s, bullying and aggression were mainly considered as a direct physical or verbal attack. However, in the 1990s this scope was broadened to include indirect aggression (done via a third party), relational aggression aimed at damaging the victim's relationships, and social aggression and social exclusion, or the demand for certain behaviour as a prerequisite for inclusion, aimed at damaging the social status and self-esteem of the victim; this may not always be immediately apparent (for example, when the aggressor starts to spread rumours about the victim; see Underwood, 2002; Monks and Smith, 2006).