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Adolescence

Cyberbullying

Glossary entries in the Adolescence category

INDEX
What is Cyberbullying?
What are the differences between bullying and cyberbullying?

What is Cyberbullying?

It is the enactment through the internet of those behaviors that fall under the definition of bullying, that is, in short: a threatening and aggressive behavior carried out by one or more individuals to the detriment of one or more others, in a dynamic particularly frequent among young people, especially adolescents.

Furthermore, three characteristics distinguish bullying:

  • intentionality: it is a behavior intentionally carried out towards one or more people to whom aggression is directed;
  • power imbalance: the aggression is exercised due to a power imbalance which can be determined by the social position of the victim(s), or by their isolation. Furthermore, isolation is one of the most frequent damages caused by bullying;
  • repetition: acts of bullying are repeated over an undefined period of time, which contributes to reinforcing the effect of uncertainty for the victim(s).

What are the differences between bullying and cyberbullying?

Compared to bullying, cyberbullying has some specific characteristics that have led to its differentiation in research, as well as from a legal perspective. Some of these characteristics include:

  • delocalization: the interaction can take place anywhere in the world thanks to information technologies;
  • anonymity: cyberbullies can be anonymous and involve followers who remain passive;
  • temporal continuity: given the nature of communication tools, the action can occur 24/7.

Also read: Fondazione Patrizio Paoletti on the front line against bullying

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Bibliography
  • Bacher-Hicks, A., Goodman, J., Green, J. G., & Holt, M. K. (2022). The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted both school bullying and cyberbullying. American Economic Review: Insights, 4(3), 353-70.
  • Estrada-Vidal, L. I., Epelde-Larrañaga, A., & Chacón-Borrego, F. (2022). Predictive model of the factors involved in cyberbullying of adolescent victims. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 6159.
  • McLoughlin, L. T., Lagopoulos, J., & Hermens, D. F. (2020). Cyberbullying and adolescent neurobiology. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 1511.
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