11–13 Jun 2025
Stavanger Forum
Europe/Oslo timezone
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Examining the Role of Socio-Emotional Functioning in Italian and Dutch Bystanders' Responses to Cyberbullying on Social Media

13 Jun 2025, 12:15
1h
Stavanger Forum

Stavanger Forum

Gunnar Warebergsgate 13 4021 Stavanger
Poster Protective and risk factors for bullying and cyberbullying within individuals and contexts Room: Mastrafjorden B

Speaker

Dr Alessandra Ragona (Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome)

Description

Cyberbullying occurs through digital devices, often on social media, where bystanders can respond through public or private comments by supporting the bully, supporting the victim, or remaining uninvolved. This study investigates how online connectedness, empathy (cognitive and affective), and social self-efficacy predict bystanders' responses to cyberbullying—specifically, inaction (IN), victim support (VS), reporting the perpetrator (RP), and supporting the perpetrator (SP)— controlling for roles in cyberbullying (cybervictim or cyberperpetrator) and country. An online survey was administered to 280 young adults from Italy (n = 186) and Netherlands (n = 94), aged 18-28 years (M = 21.03; SD = 2.64; 77.1% females) who had witnessed cyberbullying at least once in the past three months. Regression analyses showed that online connectedness predicted negatively IN, β = - 0.19, p = 0.04, and positively VS, β = 0.11, p = 0.005, and RP, β = 0.14, p = 0.004. Affective empathy was positively related to VS, β = 0.14, p = 0.007, while cognitive empathy to RP, β = 0.12, p = 0.03. Finally, being a cyberbully was the only positive predictor of SP, β = 0.31, p < 0.001. Interestingly, the Dutch tended to be more inactive, β = -0.83, p < .001, while the Italians tended more to embrace the investigated active behaviours: (VS) β = 0.29, p = 0.008, (RP) β = 0.23, p = 0.046, (SP), β = 0.17, p = 0.02. The study highlights significant implications for developing effective interventions focused on the online context.

Keywords

Cyberbullying, social media, bystanders' responses, online connectedness, empathy

Please also indicate what kind of contribution it is: Scientific
Please indicate what type of scientific contribution it is Quantitative method study

Primary authors

Dr Alessandra Ragona (Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome) Prof. Mara Morelli (Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome) Prof. Noelia Muñoz-Fernández (Department of Developmental Psychology and Education, Universidad de Sevilla) Prof. Sara Pabian (Department of Communication and Cognition, Tilburg University) Prof. Antonio Chirumbolo (Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome ) Prof. Elena Cattelino (Department of Human and Social Science, University of Valle d’Aosta ) Prof. Emiddia Longobardi (Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome) Prof. Maria Rosaria Nappa (Department of Systems Medicine, Tor Vergata University of Rom)

Presentation materials

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