Academic Violence/Bullying: Application of Bandura’s Eight Moral Disengagement Strategies to Higher Education

Abstract

Academic violence/bullying of faculty is prevalent in higher education settings resulting in damaged lives, careers, and institutions. The prevalence of and supporting research with regard to academic violence/bullying shows the importance of understanding its dynamics in order to aid in its identification. This article applies Bandura’s (2016) eight moral disengagement strategies to the findings of a qualitative research study with nine tenure track academics. Phenomenological research methods were used to analyze research interview texts for evidence of the presence of the moral disengagement strategies. The findings expanded the application of Bandura’s (2016) eight moral disengagement strategies within the context of higher education.