Hazing: creating unhealthy bonds

Illegal hazing by Greek organizations is often dismissed as harmless fun, but it may have deeper psychological roots, according to two Keene State College psychologists.

Some people may wonder why hazing is so necessary to become accepted into a particular group such as a Greek organization or a sports team. There are two areas of research in psychology that are relevant, which are affiliation and diffusion of responsibility, Lawrence Welkowitz, KSC psychology professor, said.

Affiliation demonstrates that individuals who undergo ordeals to gain membership to a club end up identifying more with that "exclusive club." College students who have experienced an array of punishing events, including verbal abuse, watching others being excluded and even receiving electro shock, identify more with their new group, Welkowitz said.

Diffusion of responsibility demonstrates that when groups of individuals observe horrible events there is often a kind of "diffusion" of peoples' sense that they should intervene or do something about it. This explains why many people don't do anything when they see someone being attacked on the street because they think "someone else can do something about it".

What is disturbing about fraternities is how a kind of "group think" takes hold. "Racist and sexist remarks go unchallenged and a culture of substance use and alienation from academics becomes pervasive," Welkowitz said.

It's time for the academic community, including students, faculty and staff, to take a stand and do what other colleges in New England such as Middlebury, Bowdoin and Dartmouth have done: eliminate fraternities, said Welkowitz.

Cognitive entrapment may also be a cause for hazing. It is the gradual addition of costs to an individual. Fraternities are similar to cults in this way, psychology professor Gary Bonitatibus, said. Cults begin with small requests such as attending a one time specific event. Then the cult begins to gradually ask for larger requests such as weekend retreats.

"Before you know it you're emptying your bank and leaving your family," Bonitatibus said.

Once one has put so much effort into the particular group, an individual becomes attached to the group and feels a sense of solidarity. Similar reasons may lead to why people stay in long-term relationships or keep their car that constantly needs to be repaired. The individual has put so much time and energy into it and doesn't want to feel as though it was for nothing.

If fraternities did not haze their pledges they would probably not have such a strong loyalty within the group. Although, there are alternative ways to haze someone without physically hurting them, said Bonitatibus.

Pledges could be commanded to "sit in a room and do long division by hand for ten hours," Bonitatibus said.

Hazing is defined as any public or private enticement that causes a member or prospective member of a student organization, team or club mental or physical humiliation, harm, embarrassment or ridicule, according to the student handbook.

All new pledges or members are given contracts providing information and introducing the student to the KSC hazing policy/regulations. Students are requested to sign the contract to support the elimination of hazing practices. Presidents of each chapter must affirm compliance with the hazing policy by signing the contract as well, according to the student handbook.

Hazing is defined by New Hampshire law as any activity expected of someone joining a group that humiliates, degrades or risks emotional and/or physical harm, regardless of the person's willingness to participate. A person is guilty of a class B misdemeanor if the person knowingly participates as actor in any student hazing, knowingly submits to hazing and fails to report such hazing to law enforcement or educational institution authorities, or is present at or otherwise has direct knowledge of any student hazing and fails to report such hazing to law enforcement or educational institution authorities, according to New Hampshire law.

The college does not technically have any jurisdiction over non-affiliated groups. These groups fall under the State of New Hampshire hazing laws. Groups that are affiliated fall under both the State of New Hampshire and KSC's laws, Jim Draper, of the college's Inter-fraternity Council, said.

Hazing is a problem on every college campus because all it takes is one incident to cause damage, harm or major injury to someone, said Draper.

"I think hazing was much more of an issue years ago and as groups have become more informed about the definitions, situations that are considered hazing, and the laws it has occurred less," Draper said.

The way to fix or avoid hazing is to have strict rules with serious consequences and to educate all groups about hazing. KSC does a very good job of educating organizations about hazing and in promoting positive initiation practices. Hazing is a serious matter. KSC takes it very seriously and all groups know this, Draper said.

The topic of hazing will sometimes come up in counseling sessions but it is not common.  Each student who comes to the Student Counseling Center must read and sign an information sheet. It informs students that the Counseling Center is required by state law to report hazing incidents. Unfortunately, this may keep students who could use our services to talk about hazing away, Candice Wiggum, a counselor from the Counceling Center, said.

"I think the best way to prevent hazing is to develop a culture of respect," said Wiggum.

Hazing is probably about the same now as it was in the past. But, the hazing isn't as extreme and it's more under cover now, Wiggum said.

In some cases students are not only harassed while pledging but they are also harassed if they choose to leave the fraternity or sorority. Wiggum said she remembered someone saying they knew of an incident where someone was harassed for quitting during pledging, but she was not able to provide specifics.

Shortening the pledging process probably would not make a big difference. In order to prevent hazing, organizations just have to come up with positive ways to welcome people into their organization, Wiggum said.

Alumni could be one way to help promote a positive process, but in the end the membership has to buy into it.

Students seem to be unaware if hazing actually occurs on this campus. "I have no idea if they haze here, I can only assume the frats and sports teams conduct their own little traditions and would, in some circles, probably be considered hazing," said senior Matt Osbourn.

"I haven't really heard of any hazing or seen anything before," said senior Jon Way.

The Sigma Lambda Chi fraternity does not engage in hazing, said Matt Prest, president of Sigma. It is true that they do maintain an initiation process; however, they boast a "no hazing" policy, said Prest.

The whole point of the pledge process is for the brothers to get to know the perspective new members, and for the new members to learn everything about the fraternity. It is an educational process.

"I personally could not call anyone who degraded me publicly or abused me physically my brother," said Prest. It is for this reason that the Sigma fraternity does not engage in hazing.

As far as the specific rituals, Prest said he was not at liberty to speak of any. Every organization's process is different. "I think the best pledge processes are the ones that focus on education, not on belittling people who are subordinate to you," Prest said.