An Experimental Study on the Attribution of Personality Traits to Bullies and Targets in a Workplace Setting.

Ståle Pallesen,Cecilie S Andreassen,Morten B Nielsen,Ståle Einarsen,Nils Magerøy

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01045

Abstract

Previous studies on the personality of bullies and targets have exclusively been based on self-report. Against this backdrop we conducted a between group experimental vignette study with three conditions, describing a bully, a target and a control, respectively. Students (n = 242) were recruited as participants and rated the target on the observer rating version of the NEO Five Factor Inventory-Revised reflecting the personality dimensions Neuroticism, Extroversion, Openness to experience, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. A MANOVA showed an overall significant effect of the experimental conditions. On Neuroticism significant differences between all conditions were found with targets rated highest and the control lowest. In terms of Extroversion the target was rated as lower than the control and the bully. No main effect was found for Openness. On Agreeableness the bully was rated as lower than both the target and the control. The bully was rated lower on Conscientiousness than the control. The significant differences reflected medium to large effect sizes. By and large the results are in agreement with comparable self-report data. The results are discussed in terms of practical implications and directions for future research are outlined.

Highlights

Psychological research on bullying started to appear in the scientific literature during the 1970s (Olweus, 1978)
A significant main effect of experimental condition was found for Neuroticism
The present study showed that observers rated the personality of targets and bullies differently from that of a control, both in terms of Neuroticism, Extraversion, Agreeableness and

Summary

Introduction

Psychological research on bullying started to appear in the scientific literature during the 1970s (Olweus, 1978). Emphasis was put on adult bullying, especially occurring in the workplace (Leymann, 1990; Einarsen, 2000). Bullying in this context can be defined as “harassing, offending, socially excluding someone or negatively affecting someone’s work task. In order for the label bullying (or mobbing) to be applied to a particular activity, interaction or process it has to occur repeatedly and regularly (e.g., weekly) over a period of time (e.g., about 6 months). Bullying is an escalated process in the course of which the person confronted ends up in an inferior position and becomes the target of systematic negative social acts. A conflict cannot be called bullying if the incident is an isolated event or if two parties of approximately equal strength are in conflict” (Einarsen et al, 2003, p. 15)

Methods

Results

Conclusion