Bullying is when someone uses force, threats, hurtful words, or other actions to harm, scare, or control another person. This behavior often happens more than once and is repeated over time. A key part of bullying is the belief—by the person bullying or others—that there is a power difference between the bully and the person being bullied. This power difference helps people tell the difference between bullying and a simple disagreement or conflict. Bullying is a type of aggressive behavior that happens on purpose, with the goal of trying to fix or change the power difference, and it happens many times over time.

Bullying can be done by one person or by a group. When a group is involved, it is sometimes called "mobbing," and others may join in by laughing or supporting the bully. Bullying in schools and workplaces is also known as "peer abuse." Robert W. Fuller studied bullying in the context of rankism, and Dan Olweus, a researcher from Sweden and Norway, said bullying happens when someone is repeatedly exposed to harmful actions, such as being hurt physically, insulted, or treated unfairly. Individual bullying usually involves using harsh words, threatening behavior, or physical force to control someone else.

Bullying can happen in many places where people interact, such as schools, homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods. In some countries, like those in the Indian subcontinent, bullying in colleges and universities is called "ragging." Today, social media is a major place where bullying occurs. A study in 2012 found that male high school football players were more likely to bully if they thought the most important man in their lives would approve of the behavior. A 2019 study by The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health showed that girls who used social media more were more likely to experience bullying.

Bullying can be defined in many ways. In the United Kingdom, there is no official law that defines the term "bullying," but some U.S. states have laws against it. Bullying is often divided into four types: psychological (sometimes called emotional or relational), verbal, physical, and cyber (or electronic). A single event might fit into more than one category.

Actions used to control others may include hitting, threatening, or saying hurtful things. These actions often happen many times to the same person. Some people justify bullying because of differences in things like race, religion, gender, appearance, or other personal traits.

Etymology

The word "bully" was first used in the 1530s to mean "sweetheart" and could be used for people of any gender. It came from the Dutch word "boel," meaning "lover" or "brother," which may have been a short form of the Middle High German word "buole," meaning "brother." The origin of this word is not fully known. Over time, the meaning of "bully" changed during the 17th century, beginning with "fine fellow" and "blusterer" before becoming "harasser of the weak." This shift may have connected the idea of a "lover" to a "ruffian," such as someone who protected a prostitute, though this specific meaning was not recorded until 1706. The verb "to bully" was first recorded in 1710.

In American history, the word "bully" was sometimes used as an exclamation or encouragement. It became closely linked to Theodore Roosevelt, who used the phrase "bully for him" in 1907 as a way to express approval. The term "bully pulpit" describes using a powerful position, such as a government role, to influence public opinion and drive change. Over time, the word "bully" has changed significantly. It began as a term of affection, then became a form of sarcastic teasing, and eventually came to describe actions or behaviors that cause fear or harm to others.

Types

Bullying is divided into different types based on how it happens. These types include nonverbal actions, such as gestures or expressions; verbal actions, like speaking or shouting; and physical actions, such as hitting or pushing. Another way to classify bullying is by who is involved. This includes bullying done by one person or by a group of people. Some sources also describe bullying that harms someone’s feelings or relationships, as well as actions that damage a person or their belongings.

This type of behavior can be seen in severe cases, such as hate crimes. A hate crime happens when someone harms another person because they believe the victim belongs to a group they dislike. This group may be based on race, ethnicity, religion, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. Both bullying and hate crimes involve treating someone unfairly based on the bully’s beliefs. However, not all bullying is a hate crime. Bullies may target people because of traits they see as different from their own. This often affects people in minority groups, but bullies may also choose victims who are easier to harm. This is a broader motivation than hate crimes, which are based on prejudice.

Recent research has also studied cyberbullying, which occurs online, often through the internet. Physical, verbal, and relational bullying are most common in primary school and can start even earlier. Cyberbullying usually begins in early adolescence, when more people have access to mobile devices.

Individual bullying is done by one person against one or more victims. It has four main types.

Physical bullying involves harming someone’s body or damaging their belongings. Examples include stealing, shoving, hitting, or destroying property. Physical bullying is not always the first form of bullying someone experiences. Often, it starts with verbal or relational bullying and later becomes physical. In physical bullying, the bully uses their body or an object to hurt someone. Sometimes groups of people may target someone because of prejudice, leading to teasing, harm, or physical attacks. Physical bullying can worsen over time and may result in serious harm, so it is important to stop it quickly when it is noticed.

Verbal bullying is the most common type. It includes speaking, using tone of voice, or body language to hurt someone without physical contact. This can involve calling someone names, spreading lies, making threats, yelling, mocking someone’s speech, or using gestures like the middle finger. The main tool in verbal bullying is the bully’s voice. This type of bullying is common in both boys and girls, but girls are more likely to use it. Girls often use verbal bullying and social exclusion to control others or gain attention. Boys may also use verbal bullying to avoid the risks of physical bullying.

Relational bullying uses relationships to harm someone. It involves damaging a person’s reputation or social standing and may overlap with verbal or physical bullying. This type is common among young people, especially girls. Social exclusion, such as making someone feel left out, is a common form of relational bullying. Unlike physical bullying, relational bullying is not obvious and may go unnoticed for a long time.

Cyberbullying uses technology, like the internet, to harass or embarrass someone. If an adult is involved, it may be considered cyber-harassment or cyberstalking, which can have legal consequences. Cyberbullying often happens through emails, social media, text messages, or phone calls. It is more common in secondary school than in primary school.

The internet allows people to act without being easily caught, which can make bullying feel easier. This is called the "online disinhibition effect." Information shared online can stay visible forever, which may affect a person’s future, such as job opportunities. Cyberbullying also allows others to join in, as social media can spread harmful content quickly.

Mobbing is when a group bullies an individual in any setting, such as school, work, or online. In workplaces, it may involve co-workers or managers using rumors, insults, or isolation to force someone out. This is also called general harassment.

Characteristics

Studies show that envy and resentment can be reasons for bullying. Research about the self-esteem of bullies has given mixed results. Some bullies are arrogant and narcissistic, but others may use bullying to hide feelings of shame or anxiety or to improve their self-esteem. By putting others down, bullies may feel more powerful. Bullies may act out of jealousy or because they themselves are bullied. Psychologist Roy Baumeister says that people who often act abusively tend to have overly high but weak self-images. Because they see themselves as very important, they are often upset by others’ criticism or lack of respect, and respond with violence or insults.

Researchers have found other risk factors, such as depression and personality disorders, as well as quickness to anger, use of force, addiction to aggressive behaviors, misunderstanding others’ actions as hostile, concern about keeping a good self-image, and doing things in a strict or obsessive way. A mix of these factors may also cause bullying. In one study of young people, a mix of unfriendly traits and depression was the best predictor of violent behavior, while exposure to violence in video games or on television did not predict such behavior.

Bullying may also come from a genetic tendency or a brain abnormality in the bully. Parents can help young children learn to manage emotions and avoid aggressive behavior, but some children do not develop these skills because of poor family relationships, ineffective discipline, or stressful home environments with hostile siblings. Some researchers also say that bullies may be more negative and do worse in school.

However, some researchers say that some bullies are emotionally strong and have high social status among their peers, while their targets are emotionally troubled and socially isolated. Peer groups often support bullying, and members of these groups may also mock, exclude, hit, or insult others for fun. Other researchers note that a small group of bullies, who are not themselves bullied, enjoy going to school and are least likely to miss school due to illness.

Research shows that adults who bully often have controlling personalities and a strong desire to dominate others. It has also been suggested that seeing others as inferior may be a major risk factor for bullying.

In a recent study, bullies had lower self-esteem related to school performance compared to students who were not involved in bullying. However, bullies had higher self-esteem in social situations than victims of traditional bullying.

Brain studies show that the part of the brain linked to rewards becomes active when bullies see a video of someone hurting another person.

Bullying often happens in front of many people who are not directly involved. In many cases, bullies make others believe they have the support of the group, which makes bystanders fear speaking out. If the "bully mentality" is not challenged early, it may become an accepted norm within the group. Sometimes, bystanders do not act because of the "bystander effect," where more people present reduce each person’s sense of responsibility to help.

If no action is taken, a "culture of bullying" may continue in a group for months, years, or even longer.

Bystanders who have formed their own "friendship group" or "support group" are more likely to speak out against bullying than those who have not.

In addition to setting clear rules that bystanders should help and building confidence in individuals, research suggests that efforts to stop bullying should emphasize that bullying is morally wrong.

Among adults, being a bystander to workplace bullying has been linked to depression.

Victims of bullying often have traits such as being physically or mentally weak, easily upset emotionally, or having physical features that make them targets, such as being overweight or having a physical difference. Boys are more likely to be victims of physical bullying, while girls are more likely to be bullied in indirect ways.

Low self-esteem has been linked to being a victim of bullying. Victims of traditional bullying often have lower self-esteem in general, socially, about their bodies, and emotionally compared to students not involved in bullying. Victims of cyberbullying, however, may not have lower self-esteem than uninvolved students but might have higher self-esteem about their appearance than victims of traditional bullying or bullies.

It has also been found that victims are more likely to use self-deprecating or self-defeating humor to entertain others, even if it harms their own feelings.

Effects

Mona O'Moore from the Anti-Bullying Centre at Trinity College in Dublin wrote, "Research shows that people, whether children or adults, who are often treated unfairly may face health problems linked to stress. These issues can sometimes lead to suicide." People who are bullied may experience long-term emotional and behavioral challenges. Bullying can cause loneliness, depression, anxiety, lower self-confidence, and a greater chance of illness. It can also make young children struggle to adjust to school and social situations. Those who are bullied and also bully others often face more serious social problems. A mental health report found that bullying is connected to eating disorders, anxiety, body image issues, and other psychological problems. Both those who are bullied and those who bully others often feel more lonely.

Although bullying increases the risk of suicide, it does not cause suicide alone. Depression is a major reason why children who are bullied may die by suicide. It is estimated that 15 to 25 children in the UK die by suicide each year due to bullying. Some groups, such as Native Americans, Alaskan Natives, Asian Americans, and LGBTQ+ individuals, face a higher risk of suicide. When a person feels unsupported by family or friends, the situation for the victim can become worse.

In a study in New York involving students in grades 9 through 12, students who were bullied reported more sadness and mental stress than those who were not bullied. Being involved in bullying, whether as a bully, a victim, or both, is linked to depression even years later. A follow-up study in Finland showed that teenagers who were bullied had higher levels of depression and thoughts about suicide than those who were not bullied. A study in the Netherlands found that boys who are both bullied and bully others are more likely to experience depression or serious thoughts about suicide than boys who are only victims or only bullies. Girls who are involved in any type of bullying have a higher risk of depression than girls who are not involved. A study in Boston showed that high school students who reported being bullied were more likely to think about suicide than those who were not bullied. The same study found that students who bully others, are bullied, or both, also face a higher risk of considering suicide. Victims and those who both bully and are bullied are more likely to try to take their own lives. Students living in urban areas who are both bullied and bully others may face greater risks of thinking about or attempting suicide. A national survey in the U.S. found that students who are bullied online often feel more depressed than those bullied in other ways. This may be because bullies can hide behind the internet. If a teen is being bullied and shows signs of depression, it should be addressed with help. A Danish study found that students who told parents or teachers about bullying sometimes saw the bullying stop or decrease after adults stepped in. The study highlights the importance of school programs and anti-bullying efforts to prevent and address bullying. It also shows the need for teachers and parents to talk to bullies about their behavior to support those being bullied.

Some people believe bullying can teach life lessons and build strength. Helene Guldberg, a child development expert, argued that being bullied can help children learn to handle conflicts and improve social skills, and that teachers should not stop bullying. Others say this is only true for normal disagreements, not for bullying.

Teaching anti-bullying skills to children, parents, and teachers has been shown to reduce bullying over time and help people deal with it better.

Studies found that, after considering age and puberty, girls who were verbally bullied produced less testosterone than girls who were not bullied, while boys who were verbally bullied produced more testosterone than boys who were not bullied.

Dark triad

Studies show that the Dark Triad traits—narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy—are linked to bullying behavior. Research indicates that bullying is more likely to occur in people with these traits. Among the three traits, psychopathy is most strongly connected to bullying. This is because aggression linked to psychopathy often happens without a clear reason, unlike aggression tied to Machiavellianism or narcissism. This pattern is true for both traditional bullying and cyberbullying. Psychopathy has the strongest connection, followed by Machiavellianism, and then narcissism. While narcissism has the weakest link to bullying, it is still connected, especially to types of bullying that are not direct, such as spreading rumors or excluding others.

Emotional intelligence

Bullying is harmful behavior between students that may involve being mean, threatening, or physically hurting others. It usually happens repeatedly and is done by someone who has more power or control over the person being bullied. Many studies show a connection between bullying and emotional intelligence (EI). Mayer et al. (2008) describe EI as the ability to understand feelings, use emotions to help think, recognize how emotions work, and control emotions. This concept includes both emotional and thinking skills. People with lower emotional intelligence are more likely to be involved in bullying, either as the person doing the bullying or the person being bullied. Emotional intelligence seems to affect both bullying behavior and being a victim of bullying. Since emotional intelligence can be improved through learning, teaching emotional intelligence may help prevent and address bullying problems.

Context

Cyberbullying is bullying that happens using technology. This type of bullying is hard to notice because adults or parents may not watch closely enough. Bullies can pretend to be someone else, making it the most secret form of bullying. Cyberbullying includes harmful actions through email, instant messages, text messages, websites, and social media. Some groups have been created to stop cyberbullying from spreading.

People with disabilities are more likely to be bullied or abused, and this is sometimes considered a hate crime. Bullying is not only against people who are clearly disabled, like those who use wheelchairs or have physical differences, but also against those with conditions like autism or developmental coordination disorder.

People with learning disabilities often struggle to explain what happened, which makes it harder for others to believe them if they report bullying.

Gay bullying and gay bashing refer to harmful actions, either spoken or physical, directed at someone who is gay or lesbian, or someone who is thought to be gay because of rumors or stereotypes. Gay and lesbian youth are more likely to report being bullied than straight youth.

Legal bullying is when someone starts unnecessary or harmful legal actions to control or punish another person. This can include repeated lawsuits meant to scare the person being sued, not because the case has legal value, but because the person cannot afford to fight back. This is sometimes called a SLAPP lawsuit. Concerns about this type of abuse led to protests against laws like SOPA and PIPA in the United States in 2011 and 2012.

In 2000, the UK Ministry of Defence defined bullying as using physical strength or power to scare or harm others, or to give unfair punishments.

Some people argue that bullying in the military is acceptable because soldiers are expected to face risks and build strength.

Parents who take out their anger or need to control on their children may increase the chance that their children will act aggressively or try to control others. The American Psychological Association suggests that parents who think their children might bully others should examine how they themselves treat others.

Bullying is common in prisons. It can happen between inmates, between staff and inmates, between staff members, or between inmates and staff.

It is important to understand that school bullying, which aims to harm someone, is different from normal disagreements between students, which can help build social skills. Bullying is repeated, intentional harm by someone with more power, such as physical or social strength. School bullies may tease or mock a target before physically bullying them. Bystanders may join in or watch, often out of fear of becoming a target.

Bullying can happen anywhere in or around a school, including during physical education, recess, hallways, bathrooms, school buses, and group activities. It may involve a group of students isolating one student and gaining support from others who fear becoming targets. A 2011 documentary called Bully shows how five American students deal with bullying at school and on school buses. The bullying affects their lives both at school and at home.

Teachers are important in stopping bullying because they spend the most time with students. However, teachers or the school system itself can also bully students, using their power to cause harm, even while claiming to follow anti-bullying rules.

In 2016, a Canadian court ruled that a school board was negligent in a bullying case after a student was bullied at school. This was the first case in North America where a school board was found legally responsible for failing to protect a student from bullying. A similar case in Australia happened in 2013.

Sexual bullying is any harmful behavior, whether physical or not, that targets someone based on their sexuality or gender. It is often directed at girls and can happen in person, behind their back, or through technology.

Trans bashing is when someone is physically, sexually, or verbally harmed because they are transgender or transsexual. This is different from gay bashing because it is based on the person’s actual or perceived gender identity, not their sexual orientation.

Workplace bullying happens when an employee is treated poorly over time, causing harm. This can include verbal, nonverbal, psychological, or physical abuse. Workplace bullying is hard to stop because bullies often follow company rules. Most cases involve someone in a position of authority over the target, though peers or subordinates can also be bullies.

The term "workplace bullying" was first used in 1992 in a book by Andrea Adams. Research has shown that workplace bullying can affect not only the person being bullied but also the overall mood and culture of a workplace. A review by the Cochrane Collaboration found that bullying can be hidden or obvious and may impact many people in an organization.

Prevention

Bullying prevention is a group effort to stop, reduce, and stop bullying. Many campaigns and events are organized worldwide to prevent bullying. These include Anti-Bullying Day, Anti-Bullying Week, International Day of Pink, International STAND UP to Bullying Day, and National Bullying Prevention Month. In the United States, 23 out of 50 states have passed laws that make bullying in schools illegal.

A 2019 study by McCallion & Feder found that school-based anti-bullying programs may help reduce bullying by about 25%.

Bullying prevention programs help schools reduce cyberbullying that happens in school. These programs are focused mainly on middle school students, who experience the most bullying. To reduce cyberbullying, people must take steps to prevent it. One method tested to address cyberbullying was a program called "Media Heroes." This program taught teachers about bullying behaviors in schools, helping them educate students and stop bullying. The program reduced bullying in the schools where it was used. When trusted adults learn about online behaviors, they can help prevent more cyberbullying.

Responses

A study found that trying to ignore bullying usually doesn't stop it. Instead, it can make the bullying worse over time. It is important to address bullying early because it is easier to control when it is discovered sooner. People who watch bullying happen, called bystanders, can help stop it. If they do nothing, bullying may continue. However, small actions that oppose bullying can help reduce it.

People in positions of authority, such as parents, teachers, or supervisors, can play a key role in stopping bullying. In schools, teachers who set clear rules, clearly state that bullying is not allowed, and work with school leaders have been shown to reduce bullying. Talking about bullying and its effects with the whole class can also help. This not only reduces bullying but also encourages other students to stop it before it becomes serious. In general, authority figures can help recognize and stop bullying, and create an environment that does not support it.

In many cases, authority figures may not have proper training or knowledge about how to handle bullying. Sometimes, they may not know how to respond, which can make the situation worse. In some situations, authority figures might even support the people bullying others, which can allow the bullying to continue and make the victim feel more isolated and left out. The most effective ways to respond are to recognize harmful behavior and create an environment where such behavior cannot continue.