Study: Hazers participate more in their community

While hazing has conventionally held a negative connotation, a recent study found that students who engage in hazing rituals have higher participation rates in positive team-building activities.

The study, Prevalance and Profiling: Hazing Among College Students and Points of Intervention, was released in the March-April issue of the American Journal of Health Behavior. It found that, despite its illegality in 44 states -- including Pennsylvania -- 37 percent of current undergraduate students have participated in hazing at some point of their college careers.

Shelly Campo, an assistant professor at the University of Iowa who conducted part of the study, said a correlation was found between students hazing and participating in positive team building activities, such as fundraising and community service. "Although we don't want to promote hazing, the groups that participate in such activities also spend an extensive amount of time participating in volunteer work and leadership activities," she said.

The study defines hazing as activities that are required for initiation or continued membership in an organization and may negatively impact the physical or psychological well-being of the individual, and cause damage to others, public property, or private property.

"Members of the greek system, choral groups, athletic teams, it doesn't matter what sort of organization," Campo said. "Hazing exists in a lot of different places and exists anywhere where there is a sense of status that needs to be earned."

Study: Hazers participate more in their community