Interpersonal Communication- A Mindful Approach to Relationships, 2020a

ullying.
The negative consequences of childhood bullying have driven communication scholars to develop educational
tools to provide to teachers and other authority figures. Researchers developed a model to assist
teachers in discerning playful, prosocial teasing from destructive bullying. 51 The Teasing Totter Model
outlines behaviors that range from prosocial teasing to bullying and offers recommendations for responding
to each. Teasing in a prosocial manner is usually done among friends, laughter is involved and even
affection. Bullying, on the other hand, is a repeated negative behavior in which the victim is visibly distressed.
There is a clear power difference in size, age, or ability.
Cyberbullying
The inherent ease of using the Internet and communicating via the Internet has created an excellent
and convenient venue for bullying. is intentional harm inflicted through the medium
of electronics that is repeated over time. 52 Cyberbullying affects victims academically and socially with
20% of victims reporting Internet avoidance. 53 When using electronic communication technologies,
young people are exposed to interpersonal violence, social aggression, harassment, and mistreatment.
54
Cyberbullying includes behaviors such as flaming, which involves posting provocative or abusive
posts, and outing where personal information is posted. 55 Cyberbullying is so prevalent that social
media such as Facebook have policies to help users avoid this phenomenon. Consider how often you
engage with your peers through social media versus your counterparts who were teenagers/young adults
in the 1980s. Opportunities for communicating with peers were limited to FtF or via landline phones.
Thus opportunities for bullying could be confined to school or landline phones such that bullying was
limited to eight hour school days and phone calls that could be ended immediately upon becoming
uncomfortable. Now, there is no end to when bullying can take place. Cyberbullying can take place 24/7,
and the only way to avoid it is to cut off a major from of staying connected with one’s world via cell phone
or Internet. Researchers are just now beginning to understand the impact of cyberbullying, and some
Discovering Self-Concept - Who are you?
seriousness of the situation:
on your Timeline.
someone you trust who can help you deal with the bullying. This will also generate a report to Facebook.
want to see the messages.
facebook.com/help/116326365118751/
Interpersonal Communication 512