Article Review 2

By

Matthew Mattozzi

01184001

for

https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.475.1398&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Battle of the sexes: An examination of male and female cyber bullying

1. How the topic relates to the principles of social sciences

Bullying, and more specifically, cyberbullying, is a multifaceted issue deeply rooted in both human psychology and societal traditions. Cyber bullying is defined in this research article as the “intentional, aggressive behavior toward another person that is performed through electronic means.” This distinction of electronics being necessary for cyber bullying helps differentiate this relatively new method of bullying. Bullying is nothing new, even if there are new forms emerging for it. Devices such as cellphones and computers have allowed this malevolent behavior to evolve in new and difficult ways. It is now possible to manipulate others through various forms of cyber bullying in separate states or even countries. An old issue or not, the scope and capacity for offenders to commit these crimes is likely to only increase, and as we’ll soon see, it affects males and females differently in both the matter of methodology to perform the bullying, and the personal experiences from receiving it.

1. The study’s research questions or hypotheses

The research team acknowledges that there is some literature on the effects and methods of cyberbullying, but what is not so prevalent is research documenting the differences between male and female cyberbullying, in particular the tendency to gossip about others online. This difference in cyberbullying tactics and experiences is precisely what the research team hopes to explore and expound upon.

1. The types of research methods used

The type of research method used for this study was the survey method. The researchers sent surveys to just shy of 20,000 students at a unnamed southeastern university, with around 1100 responding to the survey. Surveys are one of cheapest ways to reach a large population of people. They are, however, easy to disregard, which is not surprising considering how often they are used in traditional mail and email. This typically means that only a small percentage will respond to the survey, which is exactly what we see here with 1100 responses of 20,000 surveys.

1. The types of data and analysis done

The team utilized a variety of different measures in the study, which will be described in greater detail below. Each of these measures used a point scale for the participant to record their responses with.

The dependent measure was a question asking the participant if they had posted harmful gossip online on a 1-5 scale, with 1 being never and 5 being seven-plus times.

Several independent measures were also accounted for. These included: age, sex, and dorm or off-campus housing. Other independent measures recorded using a point-scale were parent-attachment, school commitment, and self-control. Each of these three measures also had sub-measures, as well. Finally, two internet behavior measures were surveyed, including social media use in hours and the number of friends that also use these platforms.

• How concepts discussed in class relate to the article

Victims of online bullying can exhibit unhealthy coping mechanisms such as self-medicating with drugs and alcohol. Intense feelings of betrayal can often lead to increased neuroticism in victims. This can lead to succorance as the result of having their personal reputation destroyed by online gossip, resulting in a stronger need for the support of others. While it is worth mentioning that this study focuses on the topic of online gossiping instead of more extreme cases such as revenge porn, it is an attack on one’s reputation all the same. It is also important to note that this study was performed on the demographic of college students. Adults in this age group are particularly susceptible to online defamation, as they are less self-actualized than older demographics. Reputation is a structure that is never actually fully completed, but the early days of construction showcase the shakiness of the foundation if attacked.

This research did not significantly touch on any marginalized groups. However, it was seen in the research that whites were 2.18 times more likely to post gossip about others online than blacks.

• The overall contributions of the studies to society

Ultimately, this research helped illuminate some gaps in the previously established literature when it came to online gossiping. It was concluded that females gossiped online with greater frequency than males. Another significant finding was that whites are more likely to gossip online compared to other minority groups. The final point illustrated was that it was seen in the survey results that as self-control decreased, the probability of participating in cyber bullying increased. It could be theorized that prolific cyber bullying offenders are Machiavellian in nature, with a lower level of conscientiousness. This demonstrates the appeal of manipulating perspectives on others through the utilization of online gossip. The better this is understood, the better able we are to combat harmful practices such as online gossiping and quell its effects before people and reputations get hurt.