Blasphemy, Victimization, and Harassment in Virtuality. Cyberbullying: Attitudes, Experiences, and Influencing Factors of Eighth Graders

• In Event: 25.051 - Applied Moral Problems in Globalized Current Societies

Abstract

To grow up in the internet age of today is shaped heavily by new media, with the result that smartphones, tablets and internet access in general have become permanent accompaniment of everyday life of young people (cf. i.a. Buermann, 2012; Feierabend et al., 2014; OECD, 2015; Willemse et al., 2012). Based on the possibilities of this technological revolution social interactions mostly take place on chat forums these days. These forums also can involve dysfunctional dimensions as exclusion, violence, bullying (cf. i.a. Katzer, 2014; Sticca et al., 2013). The topic of cyber-bullying increasingly gains in public and scientific interest both in national and international context (cf. i.a. Fenaughty & Harré, 2013; Festl, 2015; Pieschl & Porsch, 2014). Nevertheless empirical evidence with respect of cyber-bullying and morality (considered based on attitudes and experiences) still lack thitherto. Referring to common definition of bullying cyber-bullying is defined as an intentionally, repeated, aggressive and harmful action towards another person with the aid of information and communication technology (ICT) (cf. Petermann & Marées, 2013; Langos, 2012). Specific features of cyber-bullying arise from the spatial and temporal barriers of communication media. Thereby different forms of cyber-bullying can be distinguished (cf. Willard, 2007) – whereas in this paper we refer to the forms of shaming, exclusion and denigration. In this regard we state the questions (1) how common are experiences of 8th-graders in Switzerland with cyber-bullying, (2) what attitudes towards cyber-bullying have these students, and (3) what influencing factors explains cyber-bullying on the offender side.

The random sample of this survey is descended from the IEA study ICILS (International Computer and Information Literacy Study) in Switzerland. Altogether 3200 students participated in this study. With respect of the action of cyber-bullying four groups of students are distinguished: (a) bystander, (b) victims, (c) offenders, and (d) both victims and offenders. The scale “attitudes towards cyber-bullying” contains five items (α = .84; proprietary development). The confirmatory factor analysis confirms the theoretical justified g-factor model (Modell-Fit: χ² = 61.02; df = 5; p = .000; CFI = .981; RMSEA = .062; SRMR = .020).

Related to the total sample 35 percent of the students report on experiences with cyber-bullying – be it in form of a bystander or directly involved (bystander: 18%; offenders: 9%, victims: 6%, both victims and offenders: 2%). With respect to gender no differences become apparent within groups. Against this gender differences appear with respect to the scale “attitudes towards cyber-bullying”: female have significant lower averages than males (t(2896) = -9.55, p < .001; Mfemale = 1.67, SD = .69; Mmale = 1.94, SD = .79 | d = .36). Furthermore significant differences show up between offenders and non-offenders of cyber-bullying regarding the “attitudes towards cyber-bullying” (t(2913) = -5.99, p < .001; MOffender = 2.19, SD = .81; MNon-Offender = 1.79, SD = .75 | d = .51).

Additionally to these descriptions significant predictors of “attitudes towards cyber-bullying” and the “experiences as victims and/or offenders of cyber-bullying” will be presented within the presentation (linear and logistic regression analysis).

Authors

• Horst Biedermann, Saint Gallen University of Teacher Education

• Fritz K. Oser, University of Fribourg