Baseballs or Cricket Balls: On the Meanings of Bullying and Harassment

Abstract

This article introduces the use of semantic analysis as a technique for uncovering how the terms bullying and harassment are used. We infer the latent meanings from the titles and abstracts of all articles in the Social Science Citation Index as of September 2016 using Symphony Content Analysis Software. That software applies rigorous techniques to qualitative input to obtain relationships among words and phrases. Content analysis is an empirically based, exploratory methodology. Results suggest that when improper behavior is directed toward children, it is usually identified as bullying. When it involves sexual content, it is sexual harassment. When it is more physical, it may more likely be termed bullying. When it involves name calling or related actions, it is labeled harassment. More importantly, the results show that all these forms of improper behavior are so similar that the distinctions may really involve intentions or impacts rather than the actions, actors, or targets. Suggestions are made about further research applications to better understand terms used in describing dysfunctional behavior.