Poster #57 - How Helpful is Bystander Support From Acquaintances in Cyberbullying? The Perceptions of Gen Z-ers Online

• In Event: Poster Session 15

Abstract

As teenagers spend more and more time online, they are also more likely to be exposed to cyberbullying. As targets, prevalence rates for cyberbullying range from 4% (Ybarra & Mitchell, 2004) to as high as 72% (Juvonen & Gross, 2008). More research is being devoted to understanding ways in which bystanders who witness cyberbullying can provide support to targets (e.g., Vera et al., 2020). However, little is known about how helpful support from online bystanders can be for targets. Therefore, the current study examines how helpful or hurtful different forms of bystander support is for targets of cyberbullying according to adolescents. Ninety-nine adolescents between 13 and 17 years old (mean age= 14.42, SD= 1.35) participated in this study. Participants were randomly assigned to a positive or negative bystander support condition and viewed three videos each depicting a hypothetical acquaintance that was being cyberbullied followed by a form bystander support. Adolescents saw bystanders either politely ask the cyberbully to stop (positive) or bite back at the cyberbully (negative), show empathy towards the target (positive), or call out the cyberbully (negative), and positively spin the situation in the target’s favor (positive) or place blame on the cyberbully (negative). After each video, adolescents were asked how helpful or hurtful the form of bystander support was. Responses were measured on a 5-point scale from -2(very hurtful) to 2(very helpful). Results were analyzed through 3x2 mixed repeated-measures design, with bystander support type as a within-subject variable, and condition (positive vs. negative support) as a between-subject design. Age effects were also examined. There were significant interactions between support type and condition, F (2, 182) = 39.16, p<.01, partial eta2=.30, and between support type and age, F (2, 182) = 5.07, p=.01, partial eta2=.05. Findings showed that adolescents found it more helpful for a bystander to politely ask a cyberbully to stop tormenting a target rather than showing empathy towards a target or putting a positive spin on the situation. For negative forms of support, adolescents rated biting back at the cyberbully as hurtful, but calling out the cyberbully or blaming them as helpful. However, with age, adolescents tended to rate biting back as the only helpful form of bystander support for targets of cyberbullying. Overall, the study suggests that, as adolescents get older, they believe confrontation is a helpful form of bystander support. Implications for online social interactions and moral development will be discussed.

Keywords: adolescents, cyberbullying, online bystanders, decision-making

Authors

• Thaadsaagini Santhiralingam, McGill University
  Presenting Author

• Karissa Leduc

• Pooja Megha Nagar, McGill University

• Oksana Caivano

• Victoria Talwar, McGill University