The Emergence of the Study of Mobbing

This chapter examines the beginnings of the study and research of workplace and school mobbing in the 1960s and 1970s, and traces its continuing development through the 2000s. The work of ethologist Lorenz in explaining animal mobbing and the importation of the term “mobbing” by Heinemann to refer to aggression by children against children and its potential lethality is described. Also examined is the foundational work of Heinz Leymann in researching the health effects of workplace mobbing on its victims. . Leymann’s mobbing phase model, beginning with an initiating conflict and concluding with the expulsion of a mobbing victim from the organization is also reviewed. Since multiple professional and research vocabularies have been used to describe interpersonal aggression and abuse within workplaces and schools, this chapter also includes a review of research about workplace and school bullying. Studies of prevalence rates for both workplace and school mobbing are presented.