Is There Really a Fine Line Between Sexual Harassment and Flirtation?: an Exploratory Study
type: CreativeWork
description: This study is an exploratory study of how college students differentiate between flirtation and sexual harassment. Many studies have previously focused on sexual harrassment in the workplace and academia, however, few researchers have studied peer harassment within college students. The present study was conducted by designing three short video vignettes of potentially sexually harassing scenarios which were then shown to three different groups of students: an all male group, an all female group, and a mixed sex group. After individuals viewed these tapes, a moderator asked the students open-ended questions to examine how each group interacted and communicated about sexual harassment and flirtation. Data indicated that men and women communicate and label both sexual harassment differently when in same sex groups than when they are in mixed sex groups.
abstract: This study is an exploratory study of how college students differentiate between flirtation and sexual harassment. Many studies have previously focused on sexual harrassment in the workplace and academia, however, few researchers have studied peer harassment within college students. The present study was conducted by designing three short video vignettes of potentially sexually harassing scenarios which were then shown to three different groups of students: an all male group, an all female group, and a mixed sex group. After individuals viewed these tapes, a moderator asked the students open-ended questions to examine how each group interacted and communicated about sexual harassment and flirtation. Data indicated that men and women communicate and label both sexual harassment differently when in same sex groups than when they are in mixed sex groups.
author: Ratermann, Jill M.
keywords: Communication
date published: 1997-05-01T07:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T03:15:23Z
provider: Missouri State University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Missouri State University