Abstract

In today's technologically sophisticated world, people have many electronic methods of exchanging information and communicating. Unfortunately, these methods are not always used in positive ways; they can also be used to convey aggression and bullying. Recently, such acts of aggression have been labeled many things from cyberbullying to online social cruelty, and have received much media attention due to their tragic consequences including victim suicide. This study explores the impact of victim and bully gender in relation to perception of bully likability, punishment, impact on victim, and victim responses. Participants reviewed a Cyberbullying scenario in which the gender of the victim and perpetrator were manipulated. All scenarios were identical except for the gender pairs of the victim and perpetrator: Male (bully)-Male (victim), Male (bully)-Female (victim), Female (bully)-Female (victim), and Female (bully)-Male (victim). Participants then completed the Likability of Bully, Punishment for Bully, Impact on Victim, and Victim Response scales. A main effect of gender on the Punishment Scale for the gender of bully indicated that participants desired lighter punishment for females independent of the gender of the victim. The results of this study suggest that increasing awareness of the seriousness of all cyberbullying regardless of gender of bully is important.

Notes

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Thesis Completion

2011

Semester

Spring

Advisor

Mottarella, Karen

Degree

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

College

College of Sciences

Degree Program

Psychology

Subjects

Dissertations, Academic -- Sciences;Sciences -- Dissertations, Academic

Location

UCF Palm Bay

Format

PDF

Identifier

CFH0003805

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Document Type

Honors in the Major Thesis

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Included in

Psychology Commons

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