Abstract
Understanding the covert events surrounding the undergraduate students’ experience is essential to educators’ and counselors’ involvement in their success. Research into bullying behaviors has documented victims’ feelings of anger, sadness and poor concentration. Affordable technologies have propagated this concern into cyberspace. This exploratory study evaluated the instances of cyberbullying experienced by undergraduate students. Additionally, the forms of technology utilized in cyberbullying were queried. A 27-item survey was distributed to 120 undergraduate students in social science, technology and education departments. The majority of all respondents (54%) and 100% of male respondents indicated they knew someone who had been cyberbullied. The perpetrators primarily used cell phones, Facebook and instant messaging. The study results provide legitimate concerns regarding the undergraduate students’ exposure to cyberbullying and numerous areas for future research.
Article PDF
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Beran, T., & Li, Q. (2005). Cyber-harassment: A study of a new method for an old behavior [Electronic version]. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 32(3), 265 – 277.
Chapell, M., Casey, D., De la Cruz, C., Ferrell, J., Forman, J., Lipkin, R., Newsham, M., Sterling, M., & Whitaker, S. (2004) Bullying in university by students and teachers [Electronic Version]. Adolescence, 39, 53 – 64.
Chapell, M.S., Hasselman, S.L., Kitchin, T., Lomon, S.N., MacIver, K.W., & Sarullo, P.L. (2006) Bullying in elementary school, high school, and university [Electronic Version]. Adolescence, 41 (164), 633-648.
CTIA (2009, June). Wireless Quick Facts. Retrieved from http://www.ctia.org/advocacy/research/index.cfm/AID/10323
Dilmac, B. (2009). Psychological needs as a predictor of cyber bullying: A preliminary report on college students [Electronic Version]. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 9(3), 1307 – 1325.
Facebook (2010). Press Room. Retrieved from http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics
Finn, J. (2004). A survey of online harassment at a university campus [Electronic Version]. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 19(4), 468 – 481.
Haber, J. D. & Haber, S. B. (2007). Cyberbullying: A “virtual” camp nightmare? [Electronic Version]. Camping Magazine, 80, 52 – 57.
Juvonen, J. & Gross, E.F. (2008). Extending the school grounds? – Bullying experiences in cyberspace [Electronic Version]. Journal of School Health, 78(9), 496 – 505.
Li, Q. (2006). Cyberbullying in schools: A research of gender differences [Electronic Version]. School Psychology International, 27 (2), 157 – 170.
Li, Q. (2007). New bottle but old wine: A research of cyberbullying in schools [Electronic Version]. Computers In Human Behavior, 23, 1777 – 1791.
Pratto, F., Sidanius, J., & Levin, S. (2006) Social dominance theory and the dynamics of intergroup relations: Taking stock and looking forward [Electronic version]. European Review of Social Psychology, (17) 271 – 230.
Smith, R. G. & Gross, A. M. (2006). Bullying: Prevalence and the effect of age and gender [Electronic Version]. Child & Family Behavior, 28, 13 – 37.
Spitzberg, B.H. & Hoobler, G. (2002) Cyberstalking and the technologies of interpersonal terrorism [Electronic Version]. New Media & Society, 4, (1), 71 – 92.
Wikipedia (2010, January, 4). Rickrolling. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rickrolling
Ybarra, M.L., Diener-West, M., & Leaf, P.J. (2007). Examining the Overlap in Internet Harassment and School Bullying: Implications for School Intervention. Journal of Adolescent Health, 41, S42 – S5
Ybarra, M.L. & Mitchell, K.J. (2004). Online aggressor/targets, aggressors, targets: A comparison of associated youth characteristics [Electronic Version]. Association for Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45 (7), 1308 – 1
Author information
Consortia
Additional information
“With the advent of affordable, user-friendly technology comes cyberbullying - bullying in cyberspace.”
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Carol M. Walker, Beth Rajan Sockman and Steven Koehn. An Exploratory Study of Cyberbullying with Undergraduate University Students. TECHTRENDS TECH TRENDS 55, 31–38 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-011-0481-0
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-011-0481-0