Collective Moral Disengagement as a Moderator of Bullying Behavior and Moral Disengagement: A Multilevel Analysis

• In Event: International Perspectives on Moral Development and Education

Abstract

A vast body of research shows that children and youth who use moral disengagement strategies tend to engage more in aggressive behavior, including bullying. However only a handful studies have investigated the association between perceptions of moral disengagement processes shared within the group (e.g., the peer group of the classroom) and bullying. In the present study we extended previous research by exploring both unique and interactive effects of individual and collective moral disengagement on bullying behavior among 1535 Swedish fifth grade students (M = 11.6, SD = 0.3). Results of multilevel analyses showed that both individual and collective moral disengagement were positively associated with bullying behavior. Additionally, collective moral disengagement moderated the association between individual moral disengagement and bullying.

Authors

• Marlene Bjärehed, Linköping University

• Robert Thornberg, Linköping University

• Linda Wänström, Linköping University

• Gianluca Gini, University of Padova

• Björn Sjögren, Linköping University

• Sarah Alsaadi, Linköping University