This assignment is a continuation of assignment one (1). In Assignment one (1) you chose from one of the six (6) problems listed. For this assignment, address the same issue from an applied (applicati

ONLINE CYBERBULLYING

Online Cyberbullying

Jordan Ogden

American Military University

July 21, 2024

Online Cyberbullying

Describe the problem

Bullying through technology has become rampant in the present society and refers to the act of using technology to threaten, embarrass or have a negative impact on others. Compared to ordinary bullying, cyberbullying does not have a restricted time and place; thus, the victim cannot escape easily. It can include sending nasty messages, gossiping, or sharing embarrassing pictures or videos of another person without permission (Kowalski, 2018). This form of aggression is very destructive and has serious impacts on victims' psychological well-being, and may lead to anxiety, depression and suicidal behaviour. Cyberbullying also targets the entire online community and erodes trust in Internet-based interactions and communications.

How common is this problem?

Bullying through the use of technology has risen, especially where children and adolescents own smartphones and engage in social media usage. A Pew Research Center study revealed that 59% of the American teenagers are direct victims of at least one form of cyber abuse. There is naming-calling, which is evident in 42% of the teens, false rumours in 32%, intrusive questions about their activities in 21%, and physical threats online in 16%. Furthermore, there have been worrying trends noted in the survey, including 25 per cent of teens reporting having been sent unwanted nude pictures and 7% reporting having had their nude pictures shared without permission (Anderson, 2018). All these highlight the effects of cyberbullying on the youths and the reason why parents have cause to worry, with 57% of them having anxiety over their teens receiving or forwarding bad pictures online. There is broad awareness of the issue among teens, yet there is still controversy and discussions regarding how to address it and how to prevent and treat it. Teens feel that teachers, social media companies, and politicians are not doing enough to address cyberbullying, in contrast to how teenagers self-organize and parents manage these issues. These findings support the idea that cyberbullying is a dynamic phenomenon which requires constant work to prevent negative outcomes for the young generation.

Who is affected by the problem?

Cyberbullying occurs among students, especially youths, teenagers and adolescents who are ever in touch with the Internet and social media. The research reveals that a large proportion of teenagers encounter different forms of cyberbullying, such as name-calling, rumor-telling, asking personal questions, and even threatening them with physical attacks over the Internet. Such behaviours can have significant effects on their psychological well-being, self-esteem, and social interactions. Some categories of individuals who are more susceptible to cyberbullying include those with diverse identities or backgrounds, including LGBQT+, people of colour, and those with disability (Angoff & Barnhart, 2021). These groups could be at a higher risk because they are targeted based on their identity. However, the increased prevalence of cyberbullying implies that it can be present in the lives of youths in different socio-economic statuses and geographical regions. This is due to the veil that the Internet provides for those who engage in such behaviours, making it difficult for the victims to run away from the harassment. Peers of teenagers also suffer in that parents and guardians also worry about their teenagers, the material that they are subjected to and the emotional trauma of being bullied online. Such prevention and intervention approaches should take into account these varied effects and the risk factors associated with cyberbullying among the youth.

What theories explain this problem?

There are various theories that can be used to explain cyberbullying, which gives some understanding of what makes people act in such a negative manner on the Internet. The social learning theory states that learners acquire behaviours through observation and imitation. Regarding the case of cyberbullying, the youth may see their friends or celebrities using Internet aggression and consider them correct or beneficial in their social environment. The other related theory is the Social Cognitive Theory, which builds on the Social Learning Theory but includes the aspect of cognition, self-regulation and efficacy (Usher & Schunk, 2017). The self-regulation theory holds that the behaviour of individuals producing and using cyberbullying is determined by their perception of the possibility of regulating their behaviour on the Internet and the expected consequences of their actions. Moreover, the Moral Disengagement Theory postulates that people can psychologically neutralize the ethical consequences of destructive actions by alienating themselves from them. Perpetrators may also justify cyberbullying as less personal due to the detached nature of digital interactions, which makes it easier for individuals to participate in such behaviour. Altogether, these theories offer a basis for comprehending the cognitive, social, and moral aspects related to cyberbullying behaviours and guiding the attempts to prevent negative behaviours and encourage more beneficial actions in the online interactions of youth.

Has the problem changed over the last decade?

In the past decade, cyberbullying has changed a lot as a result of technological development and shifts in people's behaviour. Ten years ago, bullying was mainly through text messages and simple interactions through social platforms. However, today, it has gone beyond the traditional school setting to cover other social settings in social media, messaging apps, and video games. The advancement of information technologies and social media, in particular, has contributed to the expansion of the available means and opportunities for bullying and, as a result, the escalation of cyberbullying (Çakar-Mengü & Mengü, 2023). Thirdly, the use of the Internet has made it difficult for the bully to be easily apprehended as they hide behind the Internet, thus making it hard to stop the act of bullying. The negative functions of social media have also expanded, especially the active distribution of rumours, harassment, and other malicious content on platforms. Besides, the psychological consequences for the victims have worsened considerably as many of them suffer from severe anxiety, depression, and, in some cases, even suicidal tendencies. The features of a growing digital environment have contributed to the problem of cyberbullying, where preventive and intervention measures should be enhanced to safeguard sensitive youths.

How credible is the research you found related to this problem?

The reliability of studies on cyberbullying is good but not uniform due to scientific approaches and strict methods of reviewing. Research designs may incorporate large sample sizes, cross-sectional or longitudinal methods of data collection, and statistical tests to ascertain the frequency, effects and patterns of cyberbullying. This is important because peer-reviewed journals and academic publications ensure that research is scrutinized by academicians in fields such as psychology, sociology, and education, among others. Finally, research credibility is supported by reliable organizations and government agencies that fund investigations, gather data at the national level, and spread knowledge-based results. However, as with any field, there may be differences that depend on the study design, cultural background, and results interpretation. Thus, the consideration of methodological strengths and limitations of a source and its critical evaluation before generalizing its results are crucial when studying cyberbullying.

Is there generally a consensus about the key aspects of the problems, or is there a lot of controversy?

There is some consensus among scholars, teachers, and policymakers about the fundamentals of cyberbullying, especially regarding its negative impact on young people's psychological and social state. Almost all acknowledge that cyberbullying does result in such consequences as anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts in victims. It is also known that anonymity in the digital environment, social networks, and the ability to disseminate information quickly contribute to worsening the situation. However, there are areas of controversy and ongoing debate on some of the issues mentioned above. These are the efficacy of particular prevention and early intervention methods, criminal justice responses to cyberbullying, and the roles and duties of social media providers (Ang, 2015). Further, cultural dissimilarities and geographical factors may influence how people of different cultures view the issue and how it should be dealt with. Despite the agreement on the negative effects of cyberbullying, more studies and discussions are vital to address these issues and design suitable strategies to protect youths online.

References

Anderson, M. (2018). A majority of teens have experienced some form of cyberbullying. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/09/27/a-majority-of-teens-have-experienced-some-form-of-cyberbullying/

Ang, R. P. (2015). Adolescent cyberbullying: A review of characteristics, prevention and intervention strategies. Aggression and violent behavior, 25, 35-42.

Angoff, H. D., & Barnhart, W. R. (2021). Bullying and cyberbullying among LGBQ and heterosexual youth from an intersectional perspective: Findings from the 2017 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Journal of school violence, 20(3), 274-286.

Çakar-Mengü, S., & Mengü, M. (2023). Cyberbullying As A Manifestation Of Violence On Social Media. Multidisciplinary Perspectives In Educational And Social Sciences Vi, 47.

Kowalski, R. (2018). Cyberbullying. In The Routledge international handbook of human aggression (pp. 131-142). Routledge.

Usher, E. L., & Schunk, D. H. (2017). Social cognitive theoretical perspective of self-regulation. In Handbook of self-regulation of learning and performance (pp. 19-35). Routledge.