Hazing - Examples and types

Hazing activities generally fall into one of three types: subtle, harassment, and violent. These are very well described at the StopHazing.com website, which is the source of the content of this page, modified per recommendations of DePauw's Hazing Task Force from Spring 2006.

It is impossible to list all possible hazing behaviors because many are context-specific. While this is not an all-inclusive list, it provides some common examples of hazing traditions.

Subtle hazing includes the following or similar elements:

Behaviors that emphasize a power imbalance between new members and other members of the group or team.
Termed “subtle hazing” because these types of hazing are often taken-for-granted or accepted as “harmless” or meaningless.
Subtle hazing typically involves activities or attitudes that breach reasonable standards of mutual respect and place new members on the receiving end of ridicule, embarrassment, and/or humiliation tactics.
New members often feel the need to endure subtle hazing to feel like part of the group or team.
Some types of subtle hazing may also be considered harassment hazing.
Some examples:

Deception
Assigning demerits
Silence periods with implied threats for violation
Deprivation of privileges granted to other members
Requiring new members to perform duties not assigned to other members
Socially isolating new members
Line-ups and Drills/Tests on meaningless information
Name calling
Requiring new members to refer to other members with titles (e.g. “Mr.,” “Miss”) while they are identified with demeaning terms
Expecting certain items to always be in one's possession
Creating confusion, dissention, etc. within new members
Separating one new member from the rest, identifying him/her as a failure, group faces consequences because of that alleged failure

Harassment hazing includes the following or similar elements:

Behaviors that cause emotional anguish or physical discomfort in order to feel like part of the group.
Harassment hazing confuses, frustrates, and causes undue stress for new members.
Some types of harassment hazing can also be considered violent hazing.
Some examples:

Verbal abuse
Threats or implied threats
Asking new members to wear embarrassing or humiliating attire
Stunt or skit nights with degrading, crude, or humiliating acts
Expecting new members to perform personal service to other members such as carrying books, errands, cooking, cleaning, etc.
Sleep deprivation
Public nudity
Sexual simulations
Expecting new members to be deprived of maintaining a normal schedule of bodily cleanliness.
Be expected to harass others
Damaging or stealing property of new members
Expecting new members to damage or steal property

Violent hazing includes the following or similar elements:

Behaviors that have the potential to cause physical and/or emotional, or psychological harm.
Some examples:

Forced or coerced alcohol or other drug consumption
Beating, paddling, or other forms of assault
Branding
Forced or coerced ingestion of vile substances or concoctions
Burning
Water intoxication
Forced or coerced exercise, beyond the approved training program e.g. of an athletic team
Expecting abuse or mistreatment of animals
Expecting illegal activity
Bondage
Abductions/kidnaps
Exposure to cold weather or extreme heat without appropriate protection

Hazing

Hazing - Examples and types

Hazing activities generally fall into one of three types: subtle, harassment, and violent. These are very well described at the StopHazing.com website, which is the source of the content of this page, modified per recommendations of DePauw's Hazing Task Force from Spring 2006.

It is impossible to list all possible hazing behaviors because many are context-specific. While this is not an all-inclusive list, it provides some common examples of hazing traditions.

Subtle hazing includes the following or similar elements:

Behaviors that emphasize a power imbalance between new members and other members of the group or team.

Termed “subtle hazing” because these types of hazing are often taken-for-granted or accepted as “harmless” or meaningless.

Subtle hazing typically involves activities or attitudes that breach reasonable standards of mutual respect and place new members on the receiving end of ridicule, embarrassment, and/or humiliation tactics.

New members often feel the need to endure subtle hazing to feel like part of the group or team.

Some types of subtle hazing may also be considered harassment hazing.

Some examples:

Deception

Assigning demerits

Silence periods with implied threats for violation

Deprivation of privileges granted to other members

Requiring new members to perform duties not assigned to other members

Socially isolating new members

Line-ups and Drills/Tests on meaningless information

Name calling

Requiring new members to refer to other members with titles (e.g. “Mr.,” “Miss”) while they are identified with demeaning terms

Expecting certain items to always be in one's possession

Creating confusion, dissention, etc. within new members

Separating one new member from the rest, identifying him/her as a failure, group faces consequences because of that alleged failure

Harassment hazing includes the following or similar elements:

Behaviors that cause emotional anguish or physical discomfort in order to feel like part of the group.

Harassment hazing confuses, frustrates, and causes undue stress for new members.

Some types of harassment hazing can also be considered violent hazing.

Some examples:

Verbal abuse

Threats or implied threats

Asking new members to wear embarrassing or humiliating attire

Stunt or skit nights with degrading, crude, or humiliating acts

Expecting new members to perform personal service to other members such as carrying books, errands, cooking, cleaning, etc.

Sleep deprivation

Public nudity

Sexual simulations

Expecting new members to be deprived of maintaining a normal schedule of bodily cleanliness.

Be expected to harass others

Damaging or stealing property of new members

Expecting new members to damage or steal property

Violent hazing includes the following or similar elements:

Behaviors that have the potential to cause physical and/or emotional, or psychological harm.

Some examples:

Forced or coerced alcohol or other drug consumption

Beating, paddling, or other forms of assault

Branding

Forced or coerced ingestion of vile substances or concoctions

Burning

Water intoxication

Forced or coerced exercise, beyond the approved training program e.g. of an athletic team

Expecting abuse or mistreatment of animals

Expecting illegal activity

Bondage

Abductions/kidnaps

Exposure to cold weather or extreme heat without appropriate protection