Bystander Effect Of Cyber Bullying

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Cyberbullying is a large issue in many schools. The issue stems from the fact that technology is ever adapting and changing and the younger generations are adapting and changing with it. It is sometimes easier for students to victimize one another when the anonymity of the computer screen, cell phone, or tablet is there. Something that Accordino and Accordino (2012) found was, “it is critical to provide methods for improving student-parent relationships. A major aspect of a good relationship between middle school students and parents is positive and open communication” (p. 25). This shows that having a face to face relationship with parents is helpful to make students less connected with technology and more connected with a relationship. …show more content…

The bystander effect is defined as the idea, “that individuals are less likely to exhibit prosocial behavior during an emergency situation if other bystanders are present than if they are not. The bystanders do not want to get involved so they continue to let the bullying happen. Machackova, Dedkova, and Mezulanikova (2015) state, “When participants were practically the sole witnesses, they were more supportive than when there were more witnesses” (p. 97). The problem with bystanders not standing up for others is the cycle will then perpetuate itself. Brody and Vangelisti (2015) have found, “research on the bystander effect, the number of bystanders to an online bullying incident was negatively related to participants intervening to stop the incident. Furthermore, the number of bystanders was positively associated with participants’ tendency to passively observe the incident” (p. 12). With this in mind, bystanders may be afraid to come forward and this will in turn create more problems with bullying. While the bystander effect is seen directly in classic bullying cases, students that become bystanders when it comes to social media, internet, and cyber issues make it even harder to catch a bully. Students can use the confidentiality of the screen to not be known. It is easy set up a fake account to see what others are doing and there is no way that other students will know that there is anyone else there. The issues of the bystander effect will help the study that I propose because the students learning ways to diffuse bullying will also learn that being a bystander is almost as bad as being a bully. If you know that something is going on but do not tell anyone, you are letting the problem