Relevant Research lecture explores 21st Century Bullying on Oct. 15

Friday, Oct. 15, 7 p.m.
UAA Fine Arts Building, Room 150

Dr. Claudia Lampman, UAA professor of psychology, is this fall's speaker for the College of Arts and Sciences Relevant Research Speaker Series. Dr. Lampman's studies were recently highlighted in The Chronicle of Higher Education. Her talk will review her own and others' research on the causes, consequences and frequency of contrapower harassment in education -- where a student (with seemingly less power) bullies or harasses a teacher or professor. Along with vivid examples of such bullying, she will offer practical suggestions for educators, parents and students on how to prevent and cope with these experiences.

In the 21st century, bullies don't have to be bigger, stronger or more powerful than their victims. This presentation will be about bullying and sexual harassment in education -- but the focus will be on educators who become victims. Lampman will present recent research and real anecdotes of various forms of contrapower harassment including the cyber-bullying of high school teachers and administrators by students and their parents, along with her own research on professors both in Alaska and across the U.S. who have been sexually harassed, bullied, stalked and threatened by their students.

Her talk will discuss the consequences of this type of bullying for both the victims (e.g., anxiety, depression, stress-related illness and failure to achieve tenure and promotion) and for our educational system (e.g., loss of productivity, teachers quitting, students' suffering because their teacher is having trouble teaching). Lampman will also discuss reasons for the rise of incivility and bullying in our world, including generational shifts in traits such as narcissism and entitlement, changes in parenting styles, educational trends including grade inflation and online courses, and the rise in use of electronic communication and social networking sites that make it easier for us to lash out and spread rumors and gossip.

She will present evidence that some educators are more at risk than others -- namely women, minorities and younger faculty -- and discuss how gender and racial stereotypes, power norms, and teachers' own use of social networking sites to communicate with students may make some educators more vulnerable than others. Finally, the talk will conclude with some practical suggestions for things that educators, parents and students can do to help curb and cope with bullying and contrapower harassment.

This event is free and open to the public.