In this study conducted Prof. Jane Wood and colleagues examine the relationship between such cognitions and engagement in traditional and cyber bullying. The findings have important implications for educators as well as equality and human rights policies.
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About
Bullying in secondary school is a common concern and can include physical, verbal or relational aggression. Research shows that both perpetrators and victims of bullying are at higher risk of psychosocial problems.
A range of cognitive mechanisms have been proposed to explain how bullying behaviours are justified from the perpetrator including moral disengagement (a person’s moral self-sanctions are not activated), hostile attribution bias (incorrectly attributing hostile intent to others) and expecting favourable outcomes from bullying.
These mechanisms serve to protect the perpetrator from negative feelings and self-condemnation, and to loosen inhabitation to harmful conduct. Relatively little is known about the relationship between traditional and cyber bullying in the UK and the shared and individual cognitive mechanisms involved.
In this study conducted Prof. Jane Wood and colleagues examine the relationship between such cognitions and engagement in traditional and cyber bullying.
Research Objectives
The primary objectives were:
• To examine the contribution of moral disengagement in cyber & traditional bullying
• To examine the contribution of hostile attribution bias in cyber & traditional bullying
• To examine the contribution of outcome expectancies in cyber & traditional bullying
Programme and Methodology
• 339 secondary school students, year 7-9
• Self-report measures:
• Bullying/victimization questionnaire
• Questionnaire for the assessment of moral disengagement, hostile attribution bias and outcome expectancies
Findings
• 55% of students reported having been cyber-victimised at least one in the past 6 months.
• Girls are more likely to engage in cyber bullying than boys.
• Moral disengagement and moral justification positively related to both forms of bullying
• Euphemistic language, displacement of responsibility and outcome expectancies positively related to traditional bullying
• Hostile attribution bias negatively related to traditional bullying
• Cyberbullying and cybervictimisation were associated with high levels of traditional bullying.
Impact
• This project offered new and important information on the specific shared and individual cognitive mechanisms involved in traditional and cyber bullying in secondary school students in the UK.
•The results from this study will be informative for the development of anti-bullying interventions.
• Insight into the specific cognitive mechanisms involved can guide teachers, clinicians and researchers which cognitive behaviours to address and alter in order to tackle and prevent bullying.