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Bystanders play an essential role in school bullying prevention. This study examines student bystanders' perceptions of severity and willingness to intervene in scenarios involving physical, verbal, relational, and cyberbullying. It focuses on five distinct victim reactions: pretending nothing happened, seeking help, fighting back, crying, and no description as a control group. Using a combination of four bullying types and five victim reaction forms, a survey experiment comprising 20 scenarios (4 × 5) was designed and conducted among primary, middle, and high school students in China (N = 5,075), aged between 8 and 19 years (M = 14.07; SD = 2.10) in 2019. The reactions of victims significantly influenced how bystanders perceived the severity of bullying events and their willingness to intervene. Overall, victims who responded with "crying" evoked a greater intention to intervene among bystanders, while those who "fighting back" or "pretending nothing happened" were seen as less severe. These findings enhance our understanding of bystanders' perspectives on victim responses across different types of school bullying. The outcomes of this study can contribute to the development of more specific antibullying program strategies in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Group-based situations are common settings for cyberbullying, making bystander responses crucial in combating this issue. This study investigated how adolescent bystanders respond to various victims, including family members, friends, teachers, and celebrities. This study also examined how different parenting styles influenced children's cyber bystander involvement. Methods: This study employed data from a cross-sectional school survey covering 1,716 adolescents aged 13–18 years from public and vocational schools in China collected in 2022. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to measure demographic characteristics, cyberbullying experiences, and parental rearing behaviors in predicting bystander reactions. Results: The findings showed that middle school students preferred to "ask for help" while high school students tended to choose "call the police" when witnessing cyberbullying incidents. Bystanders growing up with parental rejection and overprotection, having previous cyberbullying victimization experiences, where the victims were disliked by them, exhibited fewer defensive reactions. Conclusions: This study has implications for future research and practices involving parental involvement in cyber bystander interventions, which could provide implications for future practice in designing specific intervention programs for cyberbullying bystander behavior. Future research and interventions against cyberbullying may provide individualized training including parents' positive parenting skills and parent-child interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research shows positive bystander intervention effectively mitigates bullying experiences. Yet, more evidence regarding bystander responses to bias‐based social exclusion (BSE) is needed in intergroup contexts, especially in the majority world and in areas of intractable conflict. This study assessed the effectiveness of skills and skills + contact‐based interventions for BSE among 148 Palestinian Citizens of Israel (Mage = 10.55) and 154 Jewish‐Israeli (Mage = 10.54) early adolescents (Girls = 52.32%) in Tel Aviv‐Yafo. Bystander responses were assessed by participants' reactions to hypothetical BSE scenarios over three time points. Repeated measures ANOVAs revealed both interventions significantly increased positive and decreased negative bystander responses, with changes maintained at the follow‐up. The opposite result pattern emerged for the control group. Findings suggest that both interventions can effectively encourage youth to publicly challenge BSE, even amidst intractable conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bystander Intervention Model (BIM) has been validated for face-to-face emergencies and dictates that observers’ decision to intervene hinges on five sequential steps, while barriers block progress between steps. The current study is the first, to our knowledge, to apply the BIM in its entirety to cyber aggression and explore the ways that individual factors such as experiences with depression, social anxiety, and cyber aggression either as the target or the aggressor influence bystanders. In our preregistered study, emerging adults (N = 1,093) viewed pilot-tested cyber aggressive content and reported how they would engage with each of the steps and barriers of the BIM, if they were observing this content as a bystander in real life. Regarding the actions they would take, most participants chose non-intervention (36.3%) or private direct intervention (39.4%). Path analysis suggested that overall, the BIM can explain bystanders’ responses to cyber aggression. Nonetheless, there were some discrepancies with prior work on face-to-face emergencies, specifically that cyber bystander intervention does not appear to be as linear. As well, in contrast to the faceto-face applications of the BIM that prescribes barriers to affect only a single specific step, here we found some barriers were negatively linked to multiple steps. These findings elucidate ways in which cyber aggression in the online context may be similar to, as well as different from, aggression that occurs face-to-face. Implications of these findings for interventions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Disruptive behaviours are a recurrent concern in online gaming and are usually dealt with through reactive and punitive strategies. However, in health and educational settings, workplaces, and the context of interpersonal relationships, positive behaviour interventions have been implemented as well. This systematic review assessed the use of positive behaviour strategies as well as their effectiveness in a range of environments to suggest routes for transferring such interventions to (multiplayer) online gaming. Methods: We included 22 records in the review and examined (a) the targeted individuals/groups, (b) the specific disruptive behaviour problems that were addressed, (c) the nature of the positive behaviour strategy intervention, and (d) its effectiveness. Results: Findings showed that the most common interventions that have been investigated thus far are the promotion of active bystander intervention, the good behaviour game, and tootling/positive peer reporting. These sought to prevent or reduce aggressive behaviour, negative peer interaction, name-calling, cyberbullying, and hate speech. The identified interventions differed in their effectiveness; however, all demonstrated some degree of positive impact. Conclusions: Considering similarities and differences between online and offline settings, we propose that tootling and the good behaviour game are most suitable to be applied to (multiplayer) online gaming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What solutions can we find in the research literature for preventing sexual violence, and what psychological theories have guided these efforts? We gather all primary prevention efforts to reduce sexual violence from 1985 to 2018 and provide a bird's-eye view of the literature. We first review predominant theoretical approaches to sexual-violence perpetration prevention by highlighting three interventions that exemplify the zeitgeist of primary prevention efforts at various points during this time period. We find a throughline in primary prevention interventions: They aim to change attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge (i.e., ideas) to reduce sexual-violence perpetration and victimization. Our meta-analysis of these studies tests the efficacy of this approach directly and finds that although many interventions are successful at changing ideas, behavior change does not follow. There is little to no relationship between changing attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge and reducing victimization or perpetration. We also observe trends over time, including a shift from targeting a reduction in perpetration to targeting an increase in bystander intervention. We conclude by highlighting promising new strategies for measuring victimization and perpetration and calling for interventions that are informed by theories of behavior change and that center sexually violent behavior as the key outcome of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers have a growing interest in measuring the role of bystanders in cyberbullying. Two independent studies with Mexican adolescents (Sample 1 and Sample 2; N1 = 612, N2 = 612) were used to analyze the psychometric properties of the Styles of Bystander Defender Intervention Scale (SBDI) in adolescents. In two samples, confirmatory factorial analyses revealed that a first-order two-dimensional factor structure comprising constructive and aggressive intervention factors was equivalent. The results demonstrated configural, metric, and scalar measurement invariance in the SBDI across gender and education level (secondary vs. high school). Latent mean comparisons indicate differences by gender and education level in the model dimensions. Finally, the results indicate that defenders' aggressive interventions are positively correlated with cyberbullying and negatively associated with moral identity. On the other hand, constructive interventions were negatively related to cyberbullying and positively related to moral identity. The findings suggest that the SBDI is a helpful measure of the styles of bystander defender intervention in cyberbullying events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As online access grows widespread, individuals may be increasingly subjected to cyberbullying, including cyber‐harassment targeting one's gender. Although bystander intervention can help stop bullying, little is known about factors that promote bystander intervention in instances of gender‐based cyberbullying. This study examines expected bystander responses to gender‐based cyberbullying with emerging adults from the United States (N = 373, Mage = 18.89, SD =.94). Hierarchical regressions demonstrated that women, those with prior experience as victims of gender‐based discrimination and those encountering male transgressors were more likely to expect that they would support a victim of gender‐based cyberbullying. Additionally, the better participants were at perceiving and understanding emotions, the less they expected that they would support the cyberbully and the more they expected they would support the victim of gender‐based cyberbullying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequent occurrences of cyberbullying on social platforms have sparked a great deal of social conflict, and bystander intervention plays a crucial role in preventing the escalation of cyberbullying. This research examines the impact of victim self-disclosure on bystander intervention in cyberbullying through two experimental studies. The studies collected data from March to July of 2022, utilizing a convenience sampling approach to recruit university students as experiment participants. Study 1 recruited 247 valid participants, while Study 2 recruited 522 eligible participants. The results of Study 1 indicate that the perceptible dimensions (frequency, privacy, and valence) of victim self-disclosure impact bystander intervention. Specifically, in a low privacy context, positive self-disclosure increases bystander intervention, while negative self-disclosure does the opposite. The results of Study 2 suggest that the valence of self-disclosure affects bystander intervention through the mediation of victim blaming, with interpersonal distance moderating the impact of victim self-disclosure valence on the extent of victim blaming. This moderated mediation model clarifies the psychological process by which the valence of victim self-disclosure affects bystander intervention. The findings of this study contribute to the understanding of the social psychological process behind bystander intervention, providing a scientific basis and pathway for reducing cyberbullying and fostering a harmonious online environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cyberbullying poses a significant challenge among adolescents. If bystanders stand up and help victims, their helping behavior may be able to reduce the frequency and negative impact of cyberbullying. This study investigates the association of empathy, internet moral judgment, and internet self-efficacy with bystander helping behavior among adolescents, building upon the empathyaltruism hypothesis, bystander intervention model, and dual-process model of morality. Methods: A sample of 919 Chinese adolescents from 3 schools in Hunan, Jiangxi and Guangdong provinces completed the Basic Empathy Scale, Internet Moral Judgment Questionnaire, Internet Self-Efficacy Questionnaire and Styles of Bystander Intervention Scale. And we constructed a moderated mediation model to examine the relationship between empathy and bystander helping behavior in cyberbullying and assessed the mediating role of internet moral judgment and the moderating role of internet self-efficacy. Results: Our findings revealed a significant positive correlation between empathy and bystander helping behavior in cyberbullying. Internet moral judgment mediated the relationship between empathy and helping behavior, whereas internet self-efficacy moderated the latter half of the mediation pathway. Specifically, the association between internet moral judgment and helping behavior was stronger for bystanders with higher levels of internet self-efficacy compared with those that have lower levels. Discussion: These results further deepen our understanding of the mechanisms involved in bystander helping behavior in cyberbullying, thus providing a basis for future interventions to encourage more helping actions from bystanders during cyberbullying incidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bullying is a significant problem in the USA, with both school bullying and cyberbullying peaking in middle school. Although 80% of students witness bullying, only half of middle school students report bullying to their teachers. Bystander training is effective in teaching students how to intervene; however, teachers play an instrumental role in shaping bystander behavior. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the perspectives of middle school personnel on the content, usefulness, relevance, and feasibility of a teacher training designed as a companion module to a brief, bullying bystander intervention (STAC). School personnel (N = 15) recruited from two schools participated in focus groups to provide feedback on the STAC Teacher Module. Thematic analyses elicited eight key themes. Participants provided specific feedback on ways the program could be improved, including providing more information about cyberbullying. Overall, participants liked the content of the training, but shared they would like built-in discussion time. Participants also indicated the program was useful, relevant, and feasible for middle schools in their communities. Participants indicated their current school offerings are limited and that there is a need for bullying-specific training. Participants also identified implementation challenges, including limited time and financial resources, as well as the need for teacher buy-in. Finally, participants reported liking the flexibility of a technology-based program, but expressed concerns that it would be harder to engage teachers in an online format. This study serves as a first step in developing the STAC Teacher Module for middle schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coercive sexual harassment (CSH) by faculty is a risk factor for women in higher education. Bystander intervention and support for a victim are critical. Social networks can influence peers' social reactions to victims of sexual violations. This is the first study to explore the responses of peers who learn about CSH of a peer indirectly, thus becoming indirect bystanders. In this scenario, a peer classmate learns of CSH of a classmate from another classmate who witnessed the CSH. The 181 participants (52.8% female) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions where a written vignette described an interaction between the instructor faculty member and a student; the interchange involved either moderate or severe CSH (severity). The peer informant who witnessed the CSH and shared the information with the potential indirect bystander was described as either a close friend in the same class or only a classmate (friendship status). The vignette was followed by a series of items with Likert-type scales that measured cognitive appraisals (offensiveness of interaction, harm to victim, the believability of information, personal responsibility to act), emotional reactions (fears of negative consequences for taking action, emotional reactions to perpetrator and victim), and behavioral intentions (helping peer victim, social responses to victim, behaviors towards professor/perpetrator). Results indicated that the severity of CSH was a critical factor in cognitive appraisals and both positive emotional reactions to the victim and negative emotions towards the perpetrator. Yet, the main effects for the severity of CSH were moderated by friendship status of the informant: when the source was a close friend in the moderate CSH condition, participants were more likely to act to support the victim, less likely to avoid/exclude the victim, and more likely to avoid/exclude the professor than when the source of the information was simply a classmate. Results support training programs that focus on peer social networks as sources of deterrence and enhanced support regarding SH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health consequences of being involved in bullying and cyberbullying are well described for adolescents, but many questions related to the role played by their life skills remain unanswered. Accordingly, this systematic review aims to provide a clear overview of research on the relationships between bullying involvement as a bully, victim, bully-victim or bystander, and adolescents' life skills. This article systematically reviewed 71 relevant empirical studies that met the inclusion criteria, extracted from the PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Sage, Wiley, and SpringerLink databases. Their main findings were categorized according to the three types of life skills described by the World Health Organization: decision-making/problem-solving skills, interpersonal and communication skills, and self-management skills. Results showed relatively consensual outcomes for communication and interpersonal skills (empathy, moral disengagement) and skills for managing stress (coping strategies). Other decision-making or interpersonal skills, such as executive function or theory of mind, were poorly explored, and require further research, if we are to understand how life skills may be involved in bullying. Taken together, our findings highlight methodological heterogeneity and measurement problems in bullying studies that make their results difficult to interpret. Recommendations for prevention/education health researchers and professionals are provided, emphasizing the importance of considering the sociocognitive development of adolescents in bullying prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper asks, "How might Hannah Arendt guide an understanding of cyberbullying attentive to its implications for the public, private, and social realms of contemporary life?" Arendt's philosophical distinctions can guide understandings of cyberbullying and response strategies that can constructively shape user communication in cyberspace. This paper contends that attentiveness to public and private differentiations can supply a background that informs foreground communication in online contexts that mitigate instances of cyberbullying. The paper first examines the ways in which cyberspace changes interpersonal communication in public and private life. Next, the paper identifies response strategies to cyberbullying from the field of communication, including corporate/institutional cyber discourse, regulatory mechanisms, and bystander intervention. Third, the paper turns to Arendt and theorists extending her work to understand the communication constituting private, public, and social spheres. The paper concludes with implications from the study grounded in the contention that Arendt's vita contemplativa can act as an antecedent to the vita activa – contemplation and reflection should accompany action to ensure that communication is thoughtful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyberbullying often happens in the presence of bystanders whose behaviors play a key role in changing dynamics of the situation. To examine the factors influencing cyberbystander likelihood of intervening in cyberbullying on social media, a 2 (degree of cyberbullying severity: high vs low) × 2 (level of interpersonal similarity: high vs low) between-subjects experiment was conducted (N = 132). Results indicated that cyberbystanders' empathic responses depended on the severity of cyberbullying. The more empathy bystanders felt, the more likely they were to publicly and privately intervene. Moreover, the indirect effect of cyberbullying severity on willingness to intervene through empathy was more pronounced when the interpersonal similarity between victim and cyberbystander was low, rather than it was high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media harassment, a cyberbullying behavior, poses a serious threat to users and platform owners of social media. In this paper, we contextualize the bystander intervention framework and reporting literature to social media in order to understand why bystanders report social media harassment. Our contextualized intervention framework focuses on three sociotechnical aspects—the online social environment, characteristics of the technology platform, and their interplay—that explain bystander reporting on social media platforms. We tested the model using data gathered from active Facebook users. Our findings direct practitioners' attention to the role of the platform in encouraging bystanders to help stop social media harassment. For policy makers, our findings direct attention to supporting programs that encourage social media users to feel responsible for reporting harassment and making transparent the outcomes of reporting social media harassment using anonymous reporting tools. For platform owners, our findings direct attention to investing in tools that enable anonymous reporting, to fostering a climate that encourages reporting, and to ensuring that all users understand that reporting social media harassment results in swift, effective responses from platform owners. Taken together, we believe our research offer insight into how to build safer and secure social media platforms. Social media harassment, a cyberbullying behavior, poses a serious threat to users and platform owners of social media. A growing body of research suggests involving bystanders in interventions to combat deviant behaviors. In this paper, we contextualize the bystander intervention framework and reporting literature to social media in order to understand why bystanders report social media harassment. Our contextualized intervention framework focuses on three sociotechnical aspects—the online social environment, characteristics of the technology platform, and their interplay—that explain bystander reporting on social media platforms. We tested the model using data gathered from 291 active Facebook users. We found that four contextualized factors, (1) perceived emergency of the social media harassment incident, (2) perceived responsibility to report, (3) perceived self-efficacy in using built-in reporting functions, and (4) perceived outcome effectiveness of built-in reporting functions for tackling social media harassment, shaped bystanders' willingness to intervene against social media harassment. In addition, we showed that perceived anonymity of the reporting system counterbalances the negative influence of the presence of others on bystanders' willingness to intervene. For research, we contribute to the cyberbullying literature by offering a novel sociotechnical explanation of mechanisms that shape bystanders' willingness to report social media harassment. For practice, we offer insight into how to build safer and secure social media platforms for all users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of the bystander is integral to the longevity of cyberbullying incidents. Yet research on bystander intervention in the context of workplace cyberbullying has thus far been overlooked. Utilising the Bystander Effect paradigm and the Social Identity approach, this study seeks to determine the variables that influence bystander intervention in workplace cyberbullying episodes. Specifically, a quasi-experimental study with vignettes was used to examine whether the: (1) quality of relationship between bystander and victim and (2) the number of bystanders, influenced the propensity of the bystander to intervene. White collar professionals (N = 204) were asked to respond to online vignettes which described hypothetical workplace cyberbullying scenarios. Repeated measures MANOVA's and follow up ANOVA's showed that intervention was more likely when the victim was a work friend, but not when the victim was a work colleague. Participants also indicated that they were less likely to intervene when there were more bystanders (10 vs. 2). Overall the present findings shed light on the importance of organisations to consider the significance of social relationships in the workplace when developing strategies to promote bystander intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bystanders in cyberbullying may play a crucial role in reducing cyberbullying's harm for victims. This study assessed bystander responses, and the associations with adolescent victims' emotional reactions to cyberbullying and victims' mental health outcomes (symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress; suicidal ideation). A total of 1037 adolescents (49.8 percent female, mean age = 15.17 years) participated in the cross-sectional study and filled out an anonymous questionnaire. Victimization was measured with a single-item scale (cybervictims) and a multiple-item scale with cyberbullying examples (youth experiencing offensive practices). Associations of positive (e.g., defending) and negative (e.g., ignoring) bystander responses with victims' emotions (8 types of emotions rated on 5-point Likert scale) were assessed through correlations; and with victims' mental health outcomes (Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale [DASS-21], single item for suicidal ideation) using regression analyses, adjusting for the influence of gender and coping styles (KIDCOPE). Cybervictims (single-item scale) showed more victimization experiences, and more negative emotional and mental health outcomes than youth only experiencing offensive practices. Negative bystander responses predicted some mental health outcomes among cybervictims, but not among youth only experiencing offensive practices. Positive bystander behavior did not predict any mental health outcome. There is a clear need for cyberbullying prevention programs to include components that target bystander responses, to alleviate victims' emotional and mental health harm after cyberbullying. Attention is needed to create effective programs to reduce negative bystander behavior, while most current programs are focused on positive bystander behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study offers a multi‐dimensional analysis of 'real world' cyberbullying between members of a special school community. The purpose of this article is to analyse the social and educational contexts within which interactions of this nature are embedded. The interview both illuminated a number of themes pertinent to the current literature, and extended those related to the call for further analysis of the contextual determinants of cyberbullying. The influence of the conditions experienced by the children involved (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC)) is discussed and demonstrated. This use of natural observation provides a current and 'real world' illustration of teacher perceptions of the complex behaviours and interactions occurring in cyberspace, which hold potential for grave consequences. A hopeful tone is maintained as the potential for selfless upstander behaviour and resolution via the involvement of supportive and knowledgeable pastoral staff is realised in the article's conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given recent public focus on the use of digital tools to engage in discrimination and harassment, online platforms have come under increasing scrutiny to address online incivility. Many of these efforts have been critiqued for relying too heavily on technical tools or burdening individuals with the responsibility for reporting inappropriate actions. This research examines practices of digital bystander intervention on the anonymous localized mobile app Yik Yak. Through an analysis of the firsthand experiences of college students in the United States, this research identifies and investigates practices of networked intervention—that is, strategies of content moderation where success relies on collective action. Rooted in a general uncertainty and skepticism regarding reporting tools provided by the platform, findings suggest a preference for intervention practices that depend on distributed responsibility and networked activity. Taking inspiration from research on college bathroom graffiti—a parallel discursive environment—this paper employs the feminist theory of relational autonomy to explore the possibilities and limitations of networked intervention to cultivate individual and collective empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Framed within theories of fairness and stress, the current paper examines bystanders' intervention intention to workplace bullying across two studies based on international employee samples (N = 578). Using a vignette-based design, we examined the role of bullying mode (offline vs. online), bullying type (personal vs. work-related) and target closeness (friend vs. work colleague) on bystanders' behavioural intentions to respond, to sympathise with the victim (defender role), to reinforce the perpetrator (prosecutor role) or to be ambivalent (commuter role). Results illustrated a pattern of the influence of mode and type on bystander intentions. Bystanders were least likely to support the victim and more likely to agree with perpetrator actions for cyberbullying and work-related acts. Tentatively, support emerged for the effect of target closeness on bystander intentions. Although effect sizes were small, when the target was a friend, bystanders tended to be more likely to act and defend the victim and less likely to reinforce the perpetrator. Implications for research and the potential for bystander education are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weather the silence of bystanders is consent or not in cyberbullying type incidents has risen a scientifically debate in the field of victim-aggressor-witness dynamics research. Silence implies consent represents a concept of social interaction, which generally states that people tend to assume lack of a response or opinion to an action as a tacit approval of that action. Our research team has developed the project Keeping youth safe from Cyberbullying, aiming to deeper understand the dynamics of different cyberbullying aspects in online environments among youth. Our focus was in analyzing the relationship between consent silence, seen as a core concept in bystanders' mindset and other psychological or behavioral traits like awareness, anonymity, fear, shame, school popularity and self-worth that fuel the tank of silence, in 140 Romanian high school students. Results show that consent silence represents the most significant predictor of future bystander, aggressor or victim type of response behavior when youth are directly or indirectly involved in cyberbullying incidents. Conclusions and implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyberbullying happens while bystanders are watching. To understand cyberbystanders' experience, the present experiment investigates how repetitive aspects of online communication influence bystanders' perceptions and intentions to halt cyberbullying. We consider the role repetition plays in identifying cyberbullying, and outline two of its mechanisms--power imbalance and intention. Participants (N = 133) were exposed to messages on Twitter that either contained retweets or original offenses from one or several offenders. Although cyberbystanders were generally unwilling to intervene, seeing several offenders increased their likelihood of engaging in the Bystander Intervention Model's (BIM) stages. Further, re-sharing moderated the effect of number of offenders suggesting cyberbystanders may be less willing to intervene when they read re-shared rather than original content. Implications for cyberbystander interventions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyberbullying can be harmful to adolescents using online technology, and one way of combating it may be to use interventions that have been successfully utilised for traditional bullying, such as encouraging peer bystander intervention. The online environment, however, differs notably from the environment in which traditional bullying takes place raising questions about the suitability of transferring traditional bullying approaches to the cyber environment. This study explored the perceptions of, and key influences on, adolescent bystanders who witness cyberbullying. In all, 24 interviews were conducted with students aged 13–16 years. Relationships emerged as a key theme with participants believing that a bystander’s relationship with both the perpetrator and the target influenced whether they would intervene when witnessing cyberbullying. Relationships also influenced their ability to understand the context of the situation, the perceived severity of the effect of the incident on the target and therefore the need, or otherwise, to seek help from adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the bystander effect in cyberbullying. On the basis of two experiments, we test whether individuals who witness cyberbullying are less willing to intervene when the number of others who have already observed the incident is increased. In addition, we inquire how differently severe cyberbullying incidents affect bystanders’ intention to intervene. Our results show that a very severe cyberbullying incident boosts individuals’ intention to intervene, mediated by the assessment of the situation as emergency and, in turn, by an increased feeling of responsibility. However, if there is a larger number of bystanders in a cyberbullying incident, rather than just a few, participants feel less responsible to help, and thus, they are less willing to intervene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents results from an evaluation of the ConRed cyberbullying intervention program. The program's impacts were separately determined for the different roles within cyberbullying that students can take, i.e., cyber-victims, cyber-bullies, cyber-bully/victims, and bystanders. The ConRed program is a theory-driven program designed to prevent cyberbullying and improve cyberbullying coping skills. It involves students, teachers, and families. During a 3-month period, external experts conducted eight training sessions with students, two with teachers and one with families. ConRed was evaluated through a quasi-experimental design, in which students from three secondary schools were separated into experimental and control groups. The sample comprised 875 students, aged between 11 and 19 years. More students (n = 586) were allocated to the experimental groups at the specific insistence of the management of all schools; the remainder (n = 289) formed the control. Repeated measures MANOVA showed that cyber victims, cyber aggressors and cyberbully/victims reduced their involvement in cyberbullying. Moreover, cyber-victims and bystanders adjusted their perceptions about their control of personal information on the Internet, and cyber aggressors and bystanders reduced their Internet dependence. The ConRed program had stronger effects on male participants, especially in heightening their affective empathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyberbullying incidents often occur in the presence of other bystanders. The inaction of bystanders can augment the deleterious effects of bullying on a victim. However, bystanders can intervene to stop a cyberbullying incident or offer support to the victim. Two studies were conducted to examine variables that were expected to influence the propensity of a bystander to take action in cyberbullying incidents: the number of bystanders, the anonymity of the bystander, and the closeness between the bystander and the victim. Results supported the diffusion of responsibility effect. A higher number of bystanders was negatively associated with bystander intervention. Moreover, the perceived anonymity of bystanders was negatively related to the propensity to intervene, and closeness with the victim was associated with a greater tendency to intervene and support the victim. Altogether, the results shed light on the interplay of context, relationships, and technology in the behavior of bystanders to a cyberbullying episode. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Bullying prevention is increasingly targeting education to bystanders, but more information is needed on the complexities of bystander actions across a wide variety of incidents, including both online and in-person peer harassment. The current study analyzes victim report data from a nationally representative survey of youth ages 10-20 (n = 791; 51 % female). Bystander presence was common across all harassment incident types (80 % of incidents). In contrast to previous research, our study found that supportive bystander behaviors occurred at relatively high rates. Unfortunately, antagonistic bystander behaviors, although less common, were predictive of higher negative impact for the victim. A large percentage of victims (76 %) also disclosed the harassment to confidants, who play an important role as secondary bystanders. While friends were the most common confidant, incidents were also disclosed to adults at high rates (60 %) and with mostly positive results. The findings suggest that prevention programs could increase their impact by targeting education to both direct witnesses and confidants, and considering a wider variety of peer victimization incident types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given their ubiquitous presence as witnesses to school-yard bullying, the role of the ‘bystander’ has been studied extensively. The prevalence and behaviour of bystanders tocyberbullying, however, is less understood. In an anonymous, school-based questionnaire, 716 secondary school students from South-East Queensland reported whether they had witnessed traditional and/or cyberbullying, and how they responded to each type. Overlap in bystander roles between online and offline environments was examined, as was their relationship to age and gender. Students who witnessed traditional bullying were more likely to have witnessed cyberbullying. Bystanders’ behaviour was sometimes similar in both contexts of traditional and cyberbullying, mainly if they were outsiders but half of the 256 students who reported witnessing both traditional and cyberbullying, acted in different roles across the two environments. The implications of the findings are discussed in the context of previous research on cyberbullying and traditional-bystanders. Future research should further explore the role of bystanders online, including examining whether known predictors of traditional-bystander behaviour similarly predict cyber-bystander behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The long- versus short-term effectiveness of empathy activation on reducing bystander behavior reinforcing cyberbullying was tested. The focus was on limiting the frequency of forwarding a message ridiculing a peer. Experimental research on adolescent students was conducted in conditions simulating online contact. The results confirmed the significance of cognitive empathy activated immediately prior to decision making on limiting involvement in reinforcing cyberbullying behavior. The long-term impact of empathy was markedly limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Although peer bystanders can exacerbate or prevent bullying and sexual harassment, research has been hindered by the absence of a validated assessment tool to measure the process and sequential steps of the bystander intervention model. A measure was developed based on the five steps of Latané and Darley’s (1970) bystander intervention model applied to bullying and sexual harassment. Confirmatory factor analysis with a sample of 562 secondary school students confirmed the five-factor structure of the measure. Structural equation modeling revealed that all the steps were influenced by the previous step in the model, as the theory proposed. In addition, the bystander intervention measure was positively correlated with empathy, attitudes toward bullying and sexual harassment, and awareness of bullying and sexual harassment facts. This measure can be used for future research and to inform intervention efforts related to the process of bystander intervention for bullying and sexual harassment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study explores behavioral determinants of self-reported cyberbullying bystander behavior from a behavioral change theoretical perspective, to provide levers for interventions. Nine focus groups were conducted with 61 young adolescents (aged 12-16 years, 52% girls). Assertive defending, reporting to others, providing advice, and seeking support were the most mentioned behaviors. Self-reported bystander behavior heavily depended on contextual factors, and should not be considered a fixed participant role. Bystanders preferred to handle cyberbullying offline and in person, and comforting the victim was considered more feasible than facing the bully. Most prevailing behavioral determinants to defend or support the victim were low moral disengagement, that the victim is an ingroup member, and that the bystander is popular. Youngsters felt they received little encouragement from their environment to perform positive bystanding behavior, since peers have a high acceptance for not defending and perceived parental support for defending behavior is largely lacking. These results suggest multilevel models for cyberbullying research, and interventions are needed. With much previous research into cyberbullying insufficiently founded in theoretical models, the employed framework of the Integrative Model and Social Cognitive Theory may inspire future studies into bystander behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescents are increasingly exposed to online bullying, yet little is known about how to promote bystander intervention in response to cyberbullying. This study examines the influence of personal, family, and societal factors on adolescents' moral judgments and expected bystander responses to cyberbullying with 6th (N = 425, M ageinyears = 11.31, SD = 0.62), and 9th (N = 403, M ageinyears = 14.31, SD = 0.52) grade public school students. Hierarchical regressions demonstrated that sympathy and family management were related to ratings of cyberbullying as less acceptable. Participants who reported experiencing more racial discrimination judged cyberbullying as more acceptable. Additionally higher levels of empathy, secure attachment, and family management were related to higher intentions to intervene. Our findings suggest that family, societal and personal factors are all relevant to adolescents' evaluations of and responses to cyberbullying. These findings can guide future anti-bullying interventions to encourage bystander intervention in online settings. • Adolescents read and responded to a cyberbullying hypothetical scenarios. • Younger adolescents and girls judged cyberbullying as more wrong. • Higher empathy and more family support were associated with intentions to intervene. • Youth who experience discrimination judge cyberbullying as more acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DOI: 10.1177/1461444820902541 In this article, Figure 1 is not the correct version. Wang S (2020) Standing Up or Standing By: Bystander Intervention in Cyberbullying on Social Media. [Extracted from the article]

The article presents the author's insights on how bystanders can prevent bullying of students perceived as different from others. The author mentions the need to understand the definition of bully ranging from physical and verbal abuses to cyberbullying. He says that most of the time, bullies do not know how seriously their actions impact people so they should be understand. He adds that students and teachers should work together to prevent school bullying.