“Threat Perception, School Climate and Prejudice as Mediator to Student’s Cyber Aggression”

            This study was published by the Journal of Cybersecurity and aims to test the role of school climate and perceived threats on high school students’ cyber aggression behavior mediated by prejudice (Mardianto et al.). The participants in the study consisted of 1118 social media active high school students from Indonesia, in which 45.3% of participants were male, and 54.7% of participants were female. The first research question of this study was, do threat perceptions and school climate mediated by prejudice contribute to students’ cyber aggression? The second question is how much do these variables contribute to shaping students’ cyber aggression? The hypotheses tested in the study were that there is a significant contribution of threat perception to cyber aggression behavior, school climate to cyber aggression, threat perception to adolescent cyber aggression through prejudice, and school climate to cyber aggression behavior through prejudice among students (Mardianto et al.).

            Previous data and social psychology studies have shown that when comparing threat perception to cyber aggression behavior, there is a positive relationship between the two, and these threats are divided into two forms which are known as tangible and symbolic threats. A tangible threat could involve job competition, housing competition, resource ownership, and other physical factors. Symbolic threats consist of societal values and norms. When observing the relationship between prejudice and cyber aggression, previous data shows that social inequality is a predictor, as some individuals believe that the presence of foreigners, minorities, and immigrants pose a threat to their security and stability. Lastly, previous data has shown that a positive school climate can increase engagement among students, which reduces aggression interactions among students. (Mardianto et al.).

            To test if previous studies and research still held up, researchers collected data for the study by having participants use web-based self-report personality scales. The reports included a threat perception scale, an assault behavior scale, cyber aggression scale, social environment support, and psychological comfort scale.  The study also utilized a quantitative approach using the structural equation model, which is used to analyze the relationship between variables in a study. Upon completion of the study, the hypotheses were all accepted, as results from the participants showed that there is a simultaneous influence between threat perception and school climate, on a student’s levels of cyber aggression and prejudice. It was also concluded that the two most prevalent factors that determined high levels of cyber aggression were prejudice and threat perception.

            There are several scientific principles that are utilized within this study. Empirical evidence is used heavily throughout the study, as the researchers tested using self-reported data, and observed and calculated the data results to test their hypotheses. The study also uses a small scope, as the participants within the study were all in high school. Ethical neutrality is also utilized throughout, as the study mentions that all participants gave informed consent, and that the study was also approved by the Health Research Ethics Community. When discussing ideas learned from class content, behavioral theories can have a direct connection to the potential prejudice and cyber aggression being portrayed among teens and adolescents. This could be due to having a prejudice family, or maybe the existence of a poor school climate. The study is also fully backed by psychological and sociological factors, and is based around the idea of cyberbullying, which is a form of cybercrime.

            The study findings draw attention to how perception and prejudice play a role in potential cyber aggression on social media applications. The data concluded raises concerns for young members of marginalized groups and minorities, as they are seemingly the main target of prejudice and cyber aggression among teens and adolescents. By addressing and testing theories within the topic of prejudice, this research study can play an important role in society, as the data results draw attention to the need for additional social and educational intervention including curriculum that focuses efforts on reducing prejudice between individuals and teaching tolerance and self-respect not only in the classroom, but in the cyber realm as well.

Works Cited

Mardianto, Mardianto, et al. “Contribution Threat Perception, School Climate and Prejudice                     as Mediator to Student’s Cyber Aggression.” Journal of Cybersecurity, vol. 9, no. 1, Jan.        2023, https://doi.org/10.1093/cybsec/tyac017.