Cyberbullying has become a significant social problem in recent years. The growth in technology has led to the creation of an online space that allows bullies to perpetrate their heinous acts. Studies indicate that online bullying has detrimental effects on the victims’ social and psychological well-being (Aronson, Wilson, Akert, & Sommers, 2019). Cyberbullying behavior is particularly prevalent among adolescents. To curb online bullying, it is essential to understand why adolescents do it.
According to the social learning theory, an individual is likely to repeat a behavior that has rewarding outcomes. Online aggressive behavior can, therefore, persevere due to the satisfying outcomes associated with it. Cyberbullying is likely to persist if the perpetrator's behavior is rewarded. Several factors may encourage online aggression. First, the anonymity that cyberbullying provides gives the perpetrators a sense of control and power over their victims. Research indicates that online bullies are often timid in face-to-face situations but become bold in the online space (Watts, Wagner, Velasquez, & Behrens, 2017). The fact that the perpetrators feel empowered and in control behind the screen encourages their aggressive behavior.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Secondly, online aggressive behavior may be encouraged by the desire to revenge. Social psychological research indicates that past experiences in online bullying significantly influenced future engagement in cyberbullying. An adolescent may have been a victim of bullying in the past and the online space allows the victim to seek revenge. Studies indicate that the bully-victims perpetrate bullying to make others feel what they felt (Barlett, & Kowalewski, 2018). They acquire a sense of vindication and relief which rewards their online aggression. The bully-victims may target their bullies or even someone they perceive vulnerable than them.
Also, social dominance may encourage online aggression. According to the social dominance theory, people may either belong to a dominant group or a subordinate group in the social hierarchy (Watts, Wagner, Velasquez, & Behrens, 2017). Adolescents who feel that they belong to a dominant group are likely to dominate over the vulnerable adolescents. For instance, adolescents who are popular in school are likely to humiliate the less popular age mates. The desire to exert their social dominance pushes the perpetrators to cyberbully their victims. The bullies do it for fun and entertainment without concern for their victim's feelings. According to research, anonymity causes a reduction in concern and empathy an effect that social psychologists refer to as disinhibition (Watts, Wagner, Velasquez, & Behrens, 2017). The perpetrators disregard their victim’s feelings since they cannot perceive their reactions to the bullying.
References
Aronson, E., Wilson, T. D., Akert, R. M., & Sommers, S. R. (Eds.). (2019). Social psychology (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Barlett, C. P., & Kowalewski, D. A. (2018). Learning to cyberbully: An extension of the Barlett Gentile cyberbullying model. Psychology of Popular Media Culture.
Watts, L. K., Wagner, J., Velasquez, B., & Behrens, P. I. (2017). Cyberbullying in higher education: A literature review. Computers in Human Behavior, 69, 268-274.
