Poster #241 - It Depends: The Role of Victim, Perpetrator, and Bystander Gender in Cyberbullying Perceptions

• In Event: 2-055 - Poster Session 06
  In Poster Session: PS 06 Section - Technology, Media & Child Development

Integrative Statement

Cybervictimization is associated with a range of significant negative outcomes including lower self-esteem, poorer social adjustment (García Fernández, Romera Félix, & Ortega Ruiz, 2015), more depression and loneliness (Olenik-Shemesh, Heiman, & Eden, 2012) and fewer friendships (Jackson & Cohen, 2012). Unfortunately, bystanders often fail to intervene (e.g., Huang & Chou, 2010). The Bystander Intervention Model (Latané & Darley, 1970) details five steps required for intervention including noticing the negative action, interpreting the action as necessitating intervention, assuming responsibility for intervening, having the ability and/or skills to intervene, and finally engaging in intervention. Research suggests that the context of the situation is an important factor in bystanders’ intervention decisions for cyberbullying (e.g., DeSmet et al., 2014). The purpose of this study was to examine how gender for all three cyberbullying participant types (victim, perpetrators, and bystander) may be associated with bystander intervention factors. Four scenarios involving cyberbullying were presented to 108 university students (Female = 76, Male = 32) that varied the gender of the victim and the perpetrators. All perpetrators were of the same gender. In each case, the victim was “tagged” to imply that the victim was aware of the negative activity. For each scenario, participants were asked to provide their assessment of the 1) blame ascribed to the victim, 2) perceived hurt of the victim, 3) their own responsibility to help, 4) their ability to help, 5) to what degree the victim would welcome the help, and 6) anticipated reputational improvement for helping. First, collapsing across all 4 scenarios, preliminary analyses revealed a significant effect for responsibility to help, t(48.29) = -2.52, p < .05. Females (M = 4.26, SD = 1.38) perceived a greater responsibility to help than males (M = 3.46, SD = 1.74). Next, a repeated measures general linear model was conducted comparing across the four scenarios, and examining for possible interactions with gender. The repeated measure of gender (victim and perpetrator) was significant for all analyses (see Figure 1). Female victims were more likely to be blamed for the cyber victimization than males. However, perceived hurt and perceived responsibility for intervention was greater for both male and female victims of male perpetrators. Bystanders were less confident of their ability to intervene with female perpetrators and felt that the female victims of female perpetrators would be less welcoming of intervention. There was a significant interaction between respondent gender and cyber bullying victim/perpetrator gender, F(2.49, 264.32) = 5.00, p < .05. Male participants were more likely than females to perceive a reputational advantage to intervening when the victims were male (see Figure 2). These results have important implications for interventions. In particular, interventions should address how bystanders can effectively intervene in cyberbullying with female perpetrators. As more males report engaging in cyberbullying (e.g., Li, 2006), bystanders may have less experience with this type of negative interaction. In addition, interventions should address bystanders’ perceptions of blame, particularly for female victims.

Author

• Daneen P Deptula, Fitchburg State University
  Presenting Author