Where Lines Blur: Exploring the Interconnections Between Workplace Sexual Harassment,Bullying,and Aggression Through Latent Class Analysis

Abstract

Despite substantial scholarly interest in workplace sexual harassment, bullying, and aggression, research has largely treated these phenomena as distinct, resulting in fragmented literatures and limited empirical integration. Conceptual debates increasingly suggest these experiences may be intertwined, yet empirical investigations remain scarce. This study addresses this gap by examining whether, and how, employees perceive sexual harassment, bullying, and aggression at work as interconnected experiences. Drawing on survey data from 871 university employees, we employed Latent Class Analysis (LCA) to explore the underlying structure of these experiences. Our findings reveal that while the three constructs are best represented as distinct latent factors, they are considerably related and their distinctiveness depends on the level of exposure. Specifically, the constructs are harder to distinguish at low exposure levels, diverge as intensity increases, and reconverge in the most severe cases – most prominently between bullying and aggression. These results challenge the notion of rigid categorical boundaries and underscore the need for a more nuanced understanding of different forms of negative social behaviors at work. The study advances construct clarity and encourages more integrative perspectives that align with the complexity of employees’ lived experiences.