The benefits of hazing?

Hazing continues to be part of organizational initiation at VCU even though the act of hazing is illegal in Virginia. Studies suggest psychological reasons might be to blame for the continuation of hazing on campus.

On April 30, 2009, after a student was hospitalized for four days because of hazing activities that occurred on a fraternity camping trip, the VCU charter for Kappa Sigma was revoked by its national fraternity. About 24 hours later the charter was revoked by the university, stated a Commonwealth Times article published in August 2009.

Social psychologists Elliot Aronson and Judson Mills conducted a study that concluded those who underwent a “severe” initiation were more loyal to a group than those who underwent a “moderate” initiation.

“They felt more committed to what they were going to do because they’d been through it,” said Linda Zyzniewski, the director of psychology undergraduate studies at VCU. “You go through something more extreme to have a further commitment when tested.”

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Another study, Stanley Schachter’s “Psychology of Affiliation,” tested whether people who were placed in stressful situations would bond with others placed in the same stressful situation, or keep to themselves.

“Misery loves miserable company,” Zyzniewski said. “Having people share the same plight made it seem less bad.”

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VCU’s Greek Life Coordinator Cara Jenkins encouraged non-hazing activities at VCU by hosting the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors conferences that included hazing discussions.

“Fraternity and sorority life at VCU is growing, and it is changing for the better,” Jenkins stated in the 2007-2008 fraternity and sorority life annual report.

Hazing is defined by the VCU policy statement on hazing as any “activity, which is physically or mentally abusive, potentially dangerous, humiliating or demeaning, or which interferes with academic achievement and the human rights of the individual.”
Punishments for organizations found practicing such activities include censure, suspension or cancellation of its charter.
For more information about hazing, visit www.stophazing.org.

Note: This article has been modified since it was first published. A source in the original copy was identified without their consent. The Commonwealth Times follows a strict set of ethical guidelines and adheres to a policy to respect the privacy of our sources.