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From Normative Influence to Social Pressure: How Relevant Others Affect Whether Bystanders Join in Cyberbullying
Author(s) -
Bastiaensens Sara,
Pabian Sara,
Vandebosch Heidi,
Poels Karolien,
Van Cleemput Katrien,
DeSmet Ann,
De Bourdeaudhuij Ilse
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
social development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.078
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1467-9507
pISSN - 0961-205X
DOI - 10.1111/sode.12134
Subject(s) - bystander effect , social norms approach , psychology , normative , social psychology , affect (linguistics) , norm (philosophy) , normative social influence , social pressure , association (psychology) , join (topology) , communication , political science , mathematics , combinatorics , law , psychotherapist
As cyberbullying is a phenomenon that is inherently social, the normative social influence of significant others can play an important role in the behaviour of adolescents involved in cyberbullying incidents. Using data from 525 adolescent bystanders of cyberbullying, we created a path model in order to investigate whether injunctive and descriptive norms of certain reference groups can cause bystanders to experience social pressure and join in cyberbullying. The results showed that social pressure fully mediated the relationship between the injunctive norm of friends approving of cyberbullying and joining in cyberbullying as a bystander. Furthermore, both the injunctive norm of parents approving of cyberbullying and bystanders’ involvement in cyberbullying perpetration were related to joining in cyberbullying as a bystander.