Cognition and gender differences in cyberbullying in China: an investigation of textual cues and sentimental clues

Abstract

Purpose Cyberbullying is a globally pervasive problem and not novel in academia. Previous studies mainly focussed on the features, consequences and technological management of cyberbullying. However, most of the studies took cyberbullying examples in the West, and some issues still need to be addressed in the Chinese context. Thus, this study investigates how participants use cyberbullying words and why they use them in that particular way in China.Design/methodology/approach This study uses content analysis to summarise the typical features of cyberbullying words, revealing a positive relationship between cyberbullying words and sentimental expressions. This paper also uses the questionnaire (N = 705) to explore the prevalence of cyberbullying among Chinese Internet users and to compare the gender differences in the cognition of cyberbullying words and involvement in cyberbullying, in line with the social cognitive theory.Findings This study stated that people prefer repetitively using offensive words to achieve cyberbullying goals. Interestingly, this study does not find obvious gender differences in cyberbullying roles and cyberbullying language use. However, it explained the relationship between cognition and the use of cyberbullying words from a gender perspective.Practical implications Theoretically, this study expands cyberbullying studies into a new cultural environment, pointing to a novel term, “imbalanced relation,” for exploring cyberbullying behaviours. This study highlights the significance of technology and education in detecting and preventing cyberbullying, suggesting that educators and social media platforms can directly predict and prevent cyberbullying through textual perspectives and individuals' cognition of cyberbullying.Originality/value This study aims to examine cyberbullying linguistic and emotional features and individual differences in cyberbullying behaviour in a high-context culture like China. Its values include comparing the differences between cyberbullying in China and cyberbullying in the West from the linguistic and cultural directions and reconsidering the “power imbalance” feature of cyberbullying.

Digital Dilemma of Cyberbullying Victimization among High School Students: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Associations with Stress and Mental Well-Being

“…To develop effective prevention and intervention strategies, it is crucial to identify the risk factors associated with cyberbullying among high school students [ 35 , 36 , 37 ]. While some studies suggest that girls are more likely to experience cyberbullying [ 38 , 39 ], others have found no significant gender differences [ 40 , 41 , 42 ]. The role of age remains inconclusive, with inconsistent findings regarding the peak of victimization during adolescence [ 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 ].…”

“…To address this variability and provide a more accurate understanding of the prevalence of cyberbullying, it is essential to use standardized measures and clearly define the study context, population, and time frame [ 73 ]. Furthermore, while several risk factors have been identified, such as gender, time spent online, and prior victimization [ 39 , 40 , 53 ], the relative contributions and complex interactions of these factors in the context of high school cyberbullying remain understudied [ 74 ]. The current study aims to contribute to understanding the prevalence of cyberbullying and its associated factors in the specific context of high school students in Zagazig, Egypt, using well-defined measures and a clear timeframe, thus addressing the need for more context-specific research in this field.…”