Citation

Barlett C, Chamberlin K, Witkower Z. Aggressive Behav. 2016; 43(2): 147-154.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, International Society for Research on Aggression, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/ab.21670

PMID

27605394

Abstract

The Barlett and Gentile Cyberbullying Model (BGCM) is a learning-based theory that posits the importance of positive cyberbullying attitudes predicting subsequent cyberbullying perpetration. Furthermore, the tenants of the BGCM state that cyberbullying attitude are likely to form when the online aggressor believes that the online environment allows individuals of all physical sizes to harm others and they are perceived as anonymous. Past work has tested parts of the BGCM; no study has used longitudinal methods to examine this model fully. The current study (N = 161) employed a three-wave longitudinal design to test the BGCM. Participants (age range: 18-24) completed measures of the belief that physical strength is irrelevant online and anonymity perceptions at Wave 1, cyberbullying attitudes at Wave 2, and cyberbullying perpetration at Wave 3.

RESULTS showed strong support for the BGCM: anonymity perceptions and the belief that physical attributes are irrelevant online at Wave 1 predicted Wave 2 cyberbullying attitudes, which predicted subsequent Wave 3 cyberbullying perpetration. These results support the BGCM and are the first to show empirical support for this model. Aggr. Behav. 9999:1-8, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Language: en