Cyberbullying on Social Media: Definitions, Prevalence, and Impact Challenges
The authors within this article examine cyberbullying on social media through a social science lens. This article focuses on how technology has the ability to influence behavior, and give individuals a sense of power. It connects principles of sociology and psychology because, it analyzes how online environments are able to shape communication and social interaction.
The authors developed five research questions with the goal of: defining cyberbullying, identifying its causes, and assessing the psychological impact it may have. They use the PRISMA framework to review seventy one studies that were published between 2007 and 2022. The systematic approach provided by the framework allowed them to compare both quantitative and qualitative findings across multiple populations.
Their results showed that researchers often define and measure cyberbullying in inconsistent ways which makes it difficult to compare studies or design interventions to lessen its effect. They also found relationships between personality traits – such as narcissism and psychopathy and, the likelihood of them engaging in or experiencing cyberbullying. These findings connect to social science concepts like moral disengagement and group behavior.
The review also mentioned that some communities, like women and LGBTQ+ individuals, have higher victimization rates yet they are underrepresented within digital research. This highlights the need for more inclusive methods for surveying online experiences.
Overall, the study contributes to social science by revealing the need for a standardized framework for defining and studying cyberbullying. It encourages future researchers to also consider people of different demographics and, to create prevention strategies that align with both psychological and sociological perspectives on digital interaction.
Link to article:
https://academic.oup.com/cybersecurity/article/10/1/tyae026/7928395?searchresult=1