Cyber bullying Presentation

CYBER BULLYING An investigation of factors which influence adolescents’ vulnerability to being cyber bullied and becoming cyber bullies?

By Courtney Cole

CM6004Criminology

Kingston University London

2016

INTRODUCTIONBullying is described as an aggressive behaviour which is perpetrated against a ‘victim’, it is ‘a form of abuse that is based on an imbalance of power’, (Smith & Sharp, 1994; Rigby, 2002; cited in Slonje and Smith, 2008. p.147). Over the years bullying has transformed from traditional playground bullying into a ‘New form’ known as Cyber bullying. Cyber bullying has been identified as, bullying through the means of electronic devices, and an aggressive act carried out by an individual or group through electronic forms of contact. A systematic explanation for the motives as to why adolescents cyber bully and become victims of cyber bullying has not yet been examined, and was the reason it was introduced in my dissertation. The focus was aimed on the different types of motives which make adolescents vulnerable of becoming cyber bullies and becoming victims of cyber bullying. • The awareness of cyber bullying has emerged in the United Kingdom in 2001

Nokia- 2000-2001

Sony Ericsson- 2005

Blackberry Bold- 2010

IPhone 6s- 2015

LITERATUREMy dissertation was examining the reasons why adolescents are vulnerable to being cyber bullied and becoming cyber bullies. It suggested why they are more prone to cyber bullying than others and explains in depth what the key motives are, as well as explaining how and why adolescents get victimised. Sub Categories: • History:

‘Traditional bullying take three forms, ‘physical, verbal and relational’, (Wang, Nansel, and Iannotti, 2011, p417).

• Awareness: ‘Use computers outside the purview of parents, teachers or other adults and therefore participate online

without much (if any) supervision or specific guidance’, (Patchin and Hinduja, 2010, p615).

• Age: ‘When identity development is particularly important’ (Patchin and Hinduja, 2010, p615).

• Gender: ‘Girls who are less often traditional bullies seem to draw level with or even outrun boys in cyberbullying’,

(Pabian and Vandebosch, 2016, p147).

• Impacts and Problems: ‘Feelings of sadness, anxiety and fear’, (Mishna, Saini & Solomon, 2009, p1223).

• Motives: ‘It seems much easier to be cruel and malicious through a text message, e-mail, posted photo or video, or another form of digital harassment because of the physical distance separating the offender and the victim

when engaging in electronic communications’, (Patchin and Hinduja, 2010, p615).

DISCUSSIONThe focus of this part of my dissertation was to sum up all the motives which influence adolescents vulnerability to cyber bully and to be cyber bullied. Current research discusses these categories as motives which explain adolescents vulnerability to cyber bully others:

Entertainment and Boredom. Revenge Social Status and

Power

Discussion Continued…

Anonymity Research has continually

mentioned the use of anonymity within cyber bullying, however has not pin pointed it as a key motive.

This lead to a gap within research and has been the main focus of my dissertation.

It is a great disguise for adolescents and gives them confidence to cyber bully others.

It also becomes extremely hard to catch out the perpetrator and puts victims in fear, as punishments are very slim.

ANONYMITY CONTINUED…• Anonymity provides a disguise for adolescents, they become fearless and confident. • It gives them confidence and creates opportunities for adolescents to cyber bully.• Those who were victims of traditional bullying often become cyber bullies- to get

revenge on someone who affected them previously in their life, ‘because they picked on me at school’, (Konig, Gollwitzer & Steffgen, 2010, p211).

• Victims become scared and isolated because they do not know who their perpetrator/perpetrators are.

• Cyber bullying takes place away from parents or guidance supervision, which makes it really hard to catch the perpetrator as well as being able to punish them and stop the bullying which is taking place.

• Cyber bullies gain a sense of power, control and a high social status when bullying others, where as victims of cyber bullying become isolated, depressed, fearful and anxious.

All the motive points made in research are conclusive to this study and were elaborated throughout my dissertation, but anonymity was not contributed at a main motive. But has been explained through my dissertation that anonymity puts adolescents in vulnerable situations to become cyber bullies and to be cyber bullied.

• Majority of adolescents would not contribute to the cyber bullying world, if it wasn’t for the use of anonymity.

• Most adolescents would not gain the confidence to cyber bully openly.• Cyber bullying is more common than traditional bullying, due to the anonymous

disguise, which gives adolescents confidence and makes them fearless.

Unfortunately cyber bullying just like traditional bullying can not be fully erased, the difference is traditional bullying has more of a chance of being stopped than cyber bullying.

As technology grows, so will electronic devices and so does cyber bullying. As along as there is the opportunity for adolescents to act anonymously through the means of electronic devices and the internet, then cyber bullying will continue to grow.

NO ANONYMITY- NO CYBER BULLYING:If there is no anonymous use involved with electronic equipment then cyber bullying will decrease, it may still take place among adolescents, but the chances of perpetrators getting caught and punished will increase and will lower the huge cases of cyber bullying.

NO ANONYMITY- NO VULNERABLE ADOLESCENTS

CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION CONTINUED…• Cyber bullying has only emerged since the early 2000’s and is classed as a new form of bullying, which is

currently still undermined in research.• It has been noted that cyberbullying encounters more damage than traditional bullying, because of the

internet’s extensive use and anyone can cyber bully due to its anonymity• The bullying has moved from the playground to the internet and from face to face contact to the use of

electronic devices.• Adolescents are very familiar with technologies electronic equipment and know how to use the internet

vastly, this has explained another reason to why they are likely to be victimized and become cyber bullies. • Victims feel trapped and are unable to escape the bullying which they receive, as it follows them home and

they can feel surrounded. • Adolescents have a lot of access to electronic devices and therefore are more than likely to engage in cyber

bullying. • Adolescents engage in a lot of social activity online, such as social media websites, where they can post

opinionated statues and upload photographs. This provides opportunities for adolescents to cyber bully.• All the motives which have been mentioned during this study link back to the medium anonymity and

therefore identifies that the reason adolescents cyber bully, is because of the internet’s anonymous use. • Unlike traditional bullying, the impact on victims in unseen because there is no face to face contact, and

may be another reason to why adolescents continue to bully• Because of the use of anonymity, most of the victims will not know who their perpetrator is and therefore

will not be able to confront them, tell someone else about it, or resolve the problem.• There will need to be further research on this expanding topic, as technology will keep growing and

research will have to keep developing, to get a better understanding of the topic cyber bullying.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to express my deepest appreciation to my mother who has shown volumes of support throughout my years at Kingston University and throughout my dissertation studies. She is my biggest inspiration. I am grateful to my Boyfriend, sisters and father who have supported me, and have encouraged me to work harder, as well as keeping my focused when I have felt distracted. I would like to thank all the Criminology and Faculty staff who have supported me throughout my years at Kingston University. You have all been so helpful and have persistently been supportive.

REFERENCES• Slonje, R. & Smith, P.K. (2008). Cyberbullying: Another main type of bullying?

Scandinavian Journal of Psychology. 49 (2), 147-154.• Slonje, R. Smith, P.K. & Frisen, A. (2013). The Nature of Cyberbullying and Strategies for

Prevention. Computers in Human Behaviour. 29 (1), 26-32.• Wang, J. Nansel, T.R. and Iannotti, R.J. (2011), Cyber and traditional bullying: differential

association with depression. J Adolesc Health. 48 (4), 415-417• Pabian', S. & Vandebosch', S. (2016). Developmental Trajectories of (Cyber) Bullying

perpetration and Social Intelligence during Early Adolescence. Journal of Early Adolescents. 36 (2), 145-170.

• Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2010). Cyberbullying and Self-Esteem. Journal of School Health.  80 (12), 614-621.

• Mishna, F. Saini, M. & Solomon, S. (2009). Ongoing and Online: Children and Youth’s Perceptions of Cyber Bullying. Children and Youth Services Review. 31 (12), 1222-1228.

• Konig, A. Gollwitzer, M. & Steffgen, G. (2010). Cyber Bullying as an Act of Revenge. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling. 20 (2), 210-224.