In the past years, bullying has become a topic of great concern in schools. The literature reveals that bullying occurs throughout the world, and the behaviors towards bullying fluctuate based on the definition of bullying and traditions.
Definition
In United States the term bulling is generally defined as intentional repeated exposure to negative actions on the part of one or more persons that have difficulties defending themselves
In Japanese the term Ijime means to treat a weak person harshly. Ijime occurs constantly, and it is more like isolating, ignoring, calling names
French language does not have a direct translation for term bullying so “violence” is used instead, which is very broad term
In Germany there is no definition of bullying, so “mobbing” is used
In Spain, the word “harassment” is used
The most common word to a victim is “virus” in Japan and Norway
Culture
In United States and Germany, primarily focused on an individual attitude, children are encouraged to control their own destiny.
Bullying is based on power hierarchy, where strong attacks the weak
In Denmark it is essential teaching children about cooperation and consideration for others.
Confucian traditions and socialist ideals guide China, where children do not have many opportunities to work independently, but as a whole group, so for them it is fundamental to be on the same page with the rest of their peers.
In Japan, a cooperative group-oriented society like China, there is the sense to give into peer pressure to fit in, so children often stand passively and witness it fearing counterchange if they interfere. The rule of peer pressure in Japan based on strong camaraderie where individuals help each other; when they sense that doing the right thing contradicts the peer group, they refrain from intervening.
Germans are more confrontational than Americans, Chinese more confrontational than Japanese
Asian students have a tendency not to report bullying as frequently as in Western cultures.
Bullying received a lot of attention as a social problem in many countries around the world. The social norms and traditions of the countries have an emphasis on social skills development affecting the children’s reaction to bullying and their degree of distress. An international comparison is challenging since researchers use different definitions of bullying and measurement methods. Also depending of the culture, there is a high percentage of students being embarrassed to report bullying, making statistics less precise.
