Doctor Educationis / 'n Mini-tesis voorgele ter gedeeltelike vervulling van die vereistes vir die Meestersgraad in Opvoedkunde aan die Fakulteit van Opvoedkunde van die Universiteit van die Wes-Kaapland. Hierdie studie was gemotiveer deur 'n toenemende bewuswording dat afknouery in Suid-Afrikaanse hoer- en laerskole emstige afrnetings aangeneem het - soos blyk uit die daaglikse verslaggewing in die media. Die doel van die studie is om die aard en omvang van afknouery in 'n plattelandse laerskool in die Wes-Kaap te ondersoek, asook om die bestaande maatreels te evalueer wat in die skool geYmplementeer word om die effek van die verskynsel te voorkom en in toom te hou. In die literatuurstudie het ek daarop gekonsentreer om 'n historiese agtergrond van die fenomeen deur te gee, asook om die mening van kundiges op die gebied oor wat afknouery behels, die oorsake en gevolge daarvan en moontlike maniere om die probleem te hanteer, te ondersoek. Navorsing op die gebied van afknouery het heel eerste in alle ems in Noorwee en Swede 'n aanvang geneem en is later uitgebrei na antler lande. In Suid-Afrika is die fenomeen tans relatief min nagevors. Oor die algemeen vind navorsers dit uiters moeilik om afknouery akkuraat te definieer en om 'n onderskeid te tref tussen afknouery, geweld en kriminele aanranding. Daar is egter konsensus <lat afknouery in verskillende vorme manifesteer - fisies, verbaal en psigologies - en <lat <lit essensieel die manifestasie van ongelyke magsverhoudings is. Verder stem navorsers saam <lat afknouery sulke verreikende kort- en langtermyn gevolge vir die oortreder en die slagoffer inhou, dat <lit daadwerklike aandag moet geniet.

Workplace bullying is creating negative physical and psychological effects on employees and has a serious impact on the organisations’ bottom line. Workplace bullying has been related to excessive absenteeism, high employee turnover and hostile work environments. However, no recent studies on the prevalence of workplace bullying in the South African context are available. This is important because of the multicultural, multiracial composition of the South African workforce, and socio–demographic factors such as race, gender, age, education level and type of industry should be investigated to determine if differences exist with regard to the experience of workplace bullying. The personality resource, sense of coherence, should add an important element to this study, as the results could offer an important indicator for managers to change the employee’s environment in order to render the stimuli to which they are exposed more understandable, significant and manageable. In South Africa, diversity, multiculturalism, affirmative action and equal employment opportunity are words in common currency in a newly democratic country. Literature suggests that if diversity within African organisations is positively experienced, it could enhance harmony and effectiveness within that organisation. The objectives of this study were to 1) determine the relationship between workplace bullying, socio–demographic characteristics, sense of coherence and diversity experiences according to the literature; 2) to determine how frequently employees in South Africa experience acts of workplace bullying; 3) to determine if there are significant differences between socio–demographic groups (including race, gender, age, education and industry) with regards to workplace bullying; 4) to determine if there are significant differences between the different types of bullying (direct, indirect, supervisor and colleague bullying) with regards to sense of coherence; and 5) to determine if there are significant differences between the different types of bullying (direct, indirect, supervisor and colleague bullying) with regard to diversity experiences. An availability sample (N = 13 911) was utilised to determine the prevalence of workplace bullying in a sample of South African employees. Frequencies were used to determine the prevalence of workplace bullying for the total sample and MANOVA was used to determine differences between the groups. The results indicated that workplace bullying is a prevalent problem in South Africa, as people experience frequent overall bullying (4% reported being often bullied; 31,1% reported being always bullied). On the socio–demographic characteristics, Blacks experienced a higher level of workplace bullying in comparison with the other race groups, and men and women experience statistically significant differences with regards to workplace bullying. It was evident that older employees experience statistically significantly lower levels of bullying, and a statistically significant difference between those employees with a secondary and tertiary education was found. It seems that the highest levels of direct bullying by supervisors occurred in the government industry, followed by the mining industry. Individuals with a higher SOC experienced lower levels of bullying compared to individuals with a lower SOC. Statistically significant differences were found on all bullying dimensions with regards to diversity experiences. Recommendations were made for future research and organisations. / Thesis (M.Com. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Workplace bullying is creating negative physical and psychological effects on employees and has a serious impact on the organisations’ bottom line. Workplace bullying has been related to excessive absenteeism, high employee turnover and hostile work environments. However, no recent studies on the prevalence of workplace bullying in the South African context are available. This is important because of the multicultural, multiracial composition of the South African workforce, and socio–demographic factors such as race, gender, age, education level and type of industry should be investigated to determine if differences exist with regard to the experience of workplace bullying. The personality resource, sense of coherence, should add an important element to this study, as the results could offer an important indicator for managers to change the employee’s environment in order to render the stimuli to which they are exposed more understandable, significant and manageable. In South Africa, diversity, multiculturalism, affirmative action and equal employment opportunity are words in common currency in a newly democratic country. Literature suggests that if diversity within African organisations is positively experienced, it could enhance harmony and effectiveness within that organisation. The objectives of this study were to 1) determine the relationship between workplace bullying, socio–demographic characteristics, sense of coherence and diversity experiences according to the literature; 2) to determine how frequently employees in South Africa experience acts of workplace bullying; 3) to determine if there are significant differences between socio–demographic groups (including race, gender, age, education and industry) with regards to workplace bullying; 4) to determine if there are significant differences between the different types of bullying (direct, indirect, supervisor and colleague bullying) with regards to sense of coherence; and 5) to determine if there are significant differences between the different types of bullying (direct, indirect, supervisor and colleague bullying) with regard to diversity experiences. An availability sample (N = 13 911) was utilised to determine the prevalence of workplace bullying in a sample of South African employees. Frequencies were used to determine the prevalence of workplace bullying for the total sample and MANOVA was used to determine differences between the groups. The results indicated that workplace bullying is a prevalent problem in South Africa, as people experience frequent overall bullying (4% reported being often bullied; 31,1% reported being always bullied). On the socio–demographic characteristics, Blacks experienced a higher level of workplace bullying in comparison with the other race groups, and men and women experience statistically significant differences with regards to workplace bullying. It was evident that older employees experience statistically significantly lower levels of bullying, and a statistically significant difference between those employees with a secondary and tertiary education was found. It seems that the highest levels of direct bullying by supervisors occurred in the government industry, followed by the mining industry. Individuals with a higher SOC experienced lower levels of bullying compared to individuals with a lower SOC. Statistically significant differences were found on all bullying dimensions with regards to diversity experiences. Recommendations were made for future research and organisations. / Thesis (M.Com. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Text in Afrikaans / Die doelstelling van hierdie kwalitatiewe navorsing was om die leerder in die primêre skool, wat ander afknou, se psigiese lewensaktualisering te verken en te beskryf. Om hierdie doelstelling te bereik, is bepaalde doelwitte gestel. Deur middel van ’n literatuurstudie is ondersoek ingestel na die ontwikkeling van die leerder in die middelkinderjare. Voorts is die konsep van afknouery ondersoek, om sodoende ‘n psigiese beeld te kan skep van die leerder wat ander afknou. Projeksiemedia is in drie gevallestudies gebruik om empiriese inligting rakende die doel van die navorsing te bekom. Temas is uit die projeksiemedia geïdentifiseer en teen die bestaande literatuur geverifieer. Tydens die bespreking van die inligting wat uit die projeksiemedia verkry is, is gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings gemaak. Daar is gepoog om die bevindinge nie te veralgemeen nie, omdat dit ‘n kwalitatiewe studie was. / The aim of this qualitative study was to explore and describe the psychological life actualization of the learner in primary school who bullies others. To achieve this goal, specific objectives were set. The development of the learner in middle childhood was examined by means of a literature investigation. Furthermore, the concept of bullying was investigated, thus creating a psychological image of the learner who bullies others. Projection media were used in three case studies to obtain empirical information regarding the objective of the research. Themes from the projection media were identified and verified against the existing literature. During the discussion of the information acquired from the projection media, conclusions and recommendations were made. An attempt was made not to generalize the findings, because this was a qualitative study. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Voorligting)

Text in Afrikaans / Die doelstelling van hierdie kwalitatiewe navorsing was om die leerder in die primêre skool, wat ander afknou, se psigiese lewensaktualisering te verken en te beskryf. Om hierdie doelstelling te bereik, is bepaalde doelwitte gestel. Deur middel van ’n literatuurstudie is ondersoek ingestel na die ontwikkeling van die leerder in die middelkinderjare. Voorts is die konsep van afknouery ondersoek, om sodoende ‘n psigiese beeld te kan skep van die leerder wat ander afknou. Projeksiemedia is in drie gevallestudies gebruik om empiriese inligting rakende die doel van die navorsing te bekom. Temas is uit die projeksiemedia geïdentifiseer en teen die bestaande literatuur geverifieer. Tydens die bespreking van die inligting wat uit die projeksiemedia verkry is, is gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings gemaak. Daar is gepoog om die bevindinge nie te veralgemeen nie, omdat dit ‘n kwalitatiewe studie was. / The aim of this qualitative study was to explore and describe the psychological life actualization of the learner in primary school who bullies others. To achieve this goal, specific objectives were set. The development of the learner in middle childhood was examined by means of a literature investigation. Furthermore, the concept of bullying was investigated, thus creating a psychological image of the learner who bullies others. Projection media were used in three case studies to obtain empirical information regarding the objective of the research. Themes from the projection media were identified and verified against the existing literature. During the discussion of the information acquired from the projection media, conclusions and recommendations were made. An attempt was made not to generalize the findings, because this was a qualitative study. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Voorligting)