In Brazil only recently we had few studies on mobbing (psychological harassment at the workplace). This paper reports on a review of the literature in which definitions, characterizations and delimitations of mobbing were thoroughly examined with a view to a theoretical-conceptual definition of this phenomenon. Special attention was given to the similarities between the ethological and psychological concepts of mobbing. These concepts yield specificities, mostly when evolutionary and ecological implications are, according to the ethological model, taken into consideration. Apparently, the similarity between these two concepts is only morphological. However, an evolutionary approach to mobbing at the workplace may bring new contributions towards a better understanding of mobbing and see it as a multidimensional psychosocial syndrome.
mobbing; bullying; psychological harassment; work; workers
