Bystander behaviour in response to traditional/cyber bullying scenarios: a consideration of victimisation/perpetration, empathy and severity

Macaulay, Peter

dc.contributor.advisor	Boulton, Michael J.	en
dc.contributor.author	Macaulay, Peter	*
dc.date.accessioned	2017-02-28T09:43:56Z
dc.date.available	2017-02-28T09:43:56Z
dc.date.issued	2016
dc.identifier.citation	Macauley, P. (2016). Bystander behaviour in response to traditional/cyber bullying scenarios: a consideration of victimisation/perpetration, empathy and severity (Master's thesis). University of Chester, United Kingdom.	en
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10034/620408
dc.description.abstract	The current study aimed to investigate bystander behaviour across traditional and cyber bullying scenarios that changed in severity: mild, moderate and severe. Participant’s victimisation/perpetration and emotional/cognitive traits were also measured and considered in respect to bystander behaviour. A total of 868 adolescent pupils’ (males: N = 458, females: N = 410) completed a self-report questionnaire comprising of three hypothetical traditional and cyber bullying scenarios respectively that increased in severity. Victimisation/perpetration and emotional/cognitive trait items were also included within the questionnaire. The findings showed that positive bystander behaviour was higher in cyber compared to traditional bullying, with females showing higher positive bystander behaviours in both traditional and cyber bullying scenarios. No relationship of age was found. A positive relationship was found between victimisation and perpetration experience in both types of bullying, although victimisation experience was not associated with positive bystander behaviour. With the exception of traditional perpetration, cyber perpetration was associated with negative bystander behaviour where males had higher perpetration scores compared to females in both types of bullying. No gender differences on victimisation were found. Findings to support previous literature on empathy were found. It was found that severity did have an effect on bystander behaviour with more severe scenarios leading to positive bystander behaviour in both types of bullying, although no difference between severe traditional or cyber were found. The practical application of these findings encourages educators and intervention developers to utilise adolescent’s bystander knowledge to reduce bullying acts in the school environment. Future research should examine the effect of bystander awareness training on adolescent’s positive bystander behaviour across two time periods.
dc.language.iso	en	en
dc.publisher	University of Chester	en
dc.rights.uri	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/	*
dc.subject	bullying	en
dc.subject	bystander behaviour	en
dc.title	Bystander behaviour in response to traditional/cyber bullying scenarios: a consideration of victimisation/perpetration, empathy and severity	en
dc.type	Thesis or dissertation	en
dc.type.qualificationname	MSc	en
dc.type.qualificationlevel	Masters Degree	en
html.description.abstract	The current study aimed to investigate bystander behaviour across traditional and cyber bullying scenarios that changed in severity: mild, moderate and severe. Participant’s victimisation/perpetration and emotional/cognitive traits were also measured and considered in respect to bystander behaviour. A total of 868 adolescent pupils’ (males: N = 458, females: N = 410) completed a self-report questionnaire comprising of three hypothetical traditional and cyber bullying scenarios respectively that increased in severity. Victimisation/perpetration and emotional/cognitive trait items were also included within the questionnaire. The findings showed that positive bystander behaviour was higher in cyber compared to traditional bullying, with females showing higher positive bystander behaviours in both traditional and cyber bullying scenarios. No relationship of age was found. A positive relationship was found between victimisation and perpetration experience in both types of bullying, although victimisation experience was not associated with positive bystander behaviour. With the exception of traditional perpetration, cyber perpetration was associated with negative bystander behaviour where males had higher perpetration scores compared to females in both types of bullying. No gender differences on victimisation were found. Findings to support previous literature on empathy were found. It was found that severity did have an effect on bystander behaviour with more severe scenarios leading to positive bystander behaviour in both types of bullying, although no difference between severe traditional or cyber were found. The practical application of these findings encourages educators and intervention developers to utilise adolescent’s bystander knowledge to reduce bullying acts in the school environment. Future research should examine the effect of bystander awareness training on adolescent’s positive bystander behaviour across two time periods.