Speaker
Description
While the term “bullying” is widespread in international research, non-English-speaking countries often use different terminology. In France, “harcèlement scolaire” (harassment in English) is the dominant term; however, it seems to frequently refer to severe cases of violence. Thus, one can ask if this denomination is relevant to translate the concept of bullying. This study examines the impact of two different French translations of “bullying” —“harcèlement” and “degrading behaviors between students” (DB), which may refer to more common situations— on perceptions and judgments in educational settings.
The study involved two phases. In the first, 287 participants (education professionals, trainee teachers and students) were divided into two priming conditions using a verbal evocation task: one with the inductor “harcèlement scolaire” (“school harassment”), and the other with “DB”. Then, both groups read the same scenario involving subtle bullying dynamics and reported their sensitivity to the issue. Finally, as a complementary data, participants were asked about their bullying experiences, once using the term “harcèlement” and once describing verbal bullying characteristics without using the word “harcèlement”.
Results indicated that participants primed with “harcèlement” were less sensitive to the ambiguous bullying scenario. In France, "harcèlement" may evoke a narrower understanding of bullying, limiting awareness of subtler forms of aggression. Furthermore, 60% of participants reported having experienced verbal bullying, yet only 32% identified themselves as victims of “harcèlement”, indicating a gap in how the items are interpreted. This discrepancy could impede early detection and intervention, highlighting the need for training on the full spectrum of bullying.
Keywords
Bullying Terminology, Social Representation, Interpretation, Witnesses, Early Detection and Intervention
| Please also indicate what kind of contribution it is: | Scientific |
|---|---|
| Please indicate what type of scientific contribution it is | Quantitative method study |
