Cyberbullying and Cyber Victimization among College Students: A Test of Social Learning Theory.

• In Event: Cyberbullying, Cyber Deviance, and Digital Sensoring from Smartphones: Empirical Tests of Social Learning and Self-Control Theories

Abstract

For college students, online communication and interaction via social media and mobile technology is a part of daily life. There is evidence that cyberbullying and cyber victimization are increasing. In order to understand the phenomenon of cyberbullying, I utilize the social learning framework and incorporate various criminogenic influences present in the process of perpetration and victimization. I hypothesize that cyberbullying behaviors are learned through intimate associations with individuals who espouse favorable definitions toward law violations in both cyberspace and physical environment. A multi-stage cluster sampling technique was utilized to collect data regarding online activities including cyber victimization and perpetration from 406 undergraduate students. Data were analyzed via LISREL using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to estimate the effects of social learning variables on cyberbullying behaviors and victimization.

Author

• Gang Lee, Kennesaw State University