Article 1
Aaron Jones
CYSE 201S
Professor Armistead
10/8/2023
Cyberbullying and Psychological Stress among Female Employees
The article “Cyberbullying and Psychological Stress among Female Employees” directly relates to various principles of social sciences. This article emphasizes understanding human behavior, social dynamics, and gender studies. This article studies the psychological wellness of women who experience cyberbullying and explores their emotional and mental responses in a social setting. Similarly, social sciences such as anthropology, sociology, and communications studies seek to analyze and understand social interactions and power structures within organizations.
The article uses five hypotheses to ensure the entire research methodologies are valid and scientific. The hypothesis included (Al Doghan & Arshad, 2023):
H1: Cyberbullying negatively affects the commitment of female employees within an organization.
H2: Workplace cyberbullying is directly associated with increased psychological stress among female personnel.
H3: Cyberbullying negatively affects how female employees perceive interactional justice.
H4: Positive perception of interactional justice enhances employee satisfaction.
H5: Positive perception mediates the relationship between job satisfaction and cyber bullying.
These hypotheses provide a structured framework for investigating the relationships and effects of workplace cyberbullying on female employees. Additionally, they showcase the complex relationship between workplace cyberbullying, psychological well-being, job satisfaction, and interpersonal dynamics.
This article utilized a quantitative approach. Data was collected using a self-administered survey method, where questionnaires were disseminated amongst female employees in organizations within Saudi Arabia. This research method allowed the authors to obtain raw data from reliable respondents for analysis. Analysis methods include SPSS, structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis, and regression models.
Various concepts discussed in class directly relate to this article—first, social dynamics such as power relations, social hierarchies, and interpersonal dynamics. The article explores the social interactions between employees and their colleagues or superiors, a fundamental concept of social sciences, particularly communication studies. Additionally, this article delves into gender studies by highlighting the intersectionality of gender and workplace experiences.
In addition to that, the article brings up the issue of marginalized groups and communities. Al Doghan & Arshad (2023) discusses gender-based discrimination as experienced by female employees in the workplace. Women in male-dominated careers and positions are more vulnerable to cyberbullying and other gender-based discrimination. The article further highlights inequities expressed in the workplace, where marginalized groups often face systemic disadvantages.
Overall, the article makes significant contributions to the community and various stakeholders. The study raises awareness of employee well-being and mental health in the workplace. By examining psychological stress due to cyberbullying, this article emphasizes the need for a supportive and healthy work environment that prioritizes employees’ mental health. Additionally, this article sheds light on gender equality, mental health support, legal protections, and policy development.
References
Al Doghan, M. A., & Arshad, S. (2023). Cyberbullying and Psychological Stress among Female Employees. International Journal of Cyber Criminology, 17(1), 166-184.
Article 2
Aaron Jones
CYSE 201S
Professor Armistead
10/30/2023
Understanding the Link between Sextortion and Suicide
Despite the online space offering an excellent opportunity for business and social interactions, it poses numerous threats. One of these challenges is sextortion, which is a cybercrime activity where perpetrators obtain sexually explicit material after gaining the trust of vulnerable individuals and use this information for personal, sexual, or financial gains. In the article “Understanding the link between Sextortion and Suicide,” Nilsson et al. (2019) applied such principles of social sciences as scientific method, scholarship, and peer review to explore the threats of technological advancement through the lens of sextortion.
The article’s authors hypothesized that sexual victimization should be understood to allow service providers to provide appropriate support services to traumatized victims to prevent suicide. They used a combination of case studies and a systematic review of the literature to explore the topic. Nilsson et al. (2019) undertook a search on YouTube and Google to gather crucial information regarding sextortion and its relationship with suicide. In this article, the authors used thematic analysis of the material containing information concerning the cases to discover themes linked to suicide and the origin of these themes in connection to sextortion. Notably, thematic analysis entails a rigorous qualitative approach researchers use to unearth, dissect, analyze, and organize themes from data to enable them to create detailed descriptions of possible patterns to answer specific research questions.
Nilsson et al.’s (2019) article is significantly connected to the concepts learned in the class, particularly the trauma associated with online bullying, the adverse effects of technology, the victimization of vulnerable individuals using sexually explicit content, and the psychological outcomes of the abuse of technology. In a study conducted by Howard (2019), sextortion was found to have severe psychological effects, which can result in trauma and suicide if the victims do not receive adequate support. Using a cross-sectional study, Howard (2019) examined the psychological effects of sextortion and the willingness of the affected persons to report these incidences. The study focused on such concepts as help-seeking, self-stigma, emotional distress, and disclosure expectations. The question that Nilsson et al.’s (2019) study sought to answer was whether sextortion leads victims to commit suicide. Major themes from this article include self-esteem, substance abuse, anxiety, shame, self-blame, suicidal thoughts, humiliation, helplessness, depression, social isolation, and suicide attempts. Some of these themes have been discussed in class when examining the negative consequences of technology, especially in cyber bullying and abuse of the online environment.
The digital age is a reality that cannot be escaped, and people must learn to adapt to numerous changes associated with technological advancements. It is not possible to run away from the fact that modern technology has various social detriments, which have become a major concern for modern society. Undoubtedly, sextortion is a phenomenon that adds significantly to the causes of psychological diseases and suicide. The article by Nilsson et al. (2019) provides fundamental insights into the adverse outcomes of sextortion and why it is a big concern to future generations. Marginalized groups can use the knowledge shared by this article to enlighten themselves about the emotional perils of sextortion, the need to seek psychological support to avoid suicide, and how these challenges can be avoided by escaping perpetrators. The two studies make immense contributions to society by highlighting critical issues associated with technological growth, which can impede societal growth by increasing emotional challenges. For instance, these studies provide vital knowledge on the link between sextortion and suicide, shedding light on the contribution of technology to suicide rates. Society can use such information to raise awareness of threats associated with the abuse of the online space and minimize the burdens of adverse emotional outcomes of such activities as cyber bullying, sexual harassment, and sextortion.
References
Howard, T. (2019). Sextortion: Psychological effects experienced and seeking help and reporting among emerging adults (Doctoral dissertation, Walden University).
Nilsson, M. G., Pepelasi, K. T., Ioannou, M., & Lester, D. (2019). Understanding the link between sextortion and suicide. International journal of cyber criminology, 13(1), 55-69.