Examining the Relationships between Aggression, Bullying, and Cyberbullying among University Students in Saskatchewan

Abstract

While cyberbullying research has grown exponentially in the past decade, little attention has been paid to cyberbullying among postsecondary students and to informing research through the use of theory. In addition, definitional concerns abound, as scholars continue to disagree whether cyberbullying is a similar or discrete construct from traditional bullying. Attempts to demonstrate that the core components of traditional bullying—repetition, the intent to harm, and the presence of a power differential—are present in cyberbullying instances have produced mixed results. Additionally, cyberbullying presents with myriad unique features, including anonymity, the amplification of harm, and the particular medium (i.e., text or pictorial) through which the bullying act is conveyed. This study utilized survey methodology to assess the relationships between aggression, bullying, and cyberbullying among a sample of 398 university students, while also testing a novel theory of aggression (the I3 Model; Finkel, 2014) to explicate the findings. Results indicate that a high percentage of university students were cyberbullying victims (84.7%) and perpetrators (70.6%). In addition, the only definitional component to predict cyberbullying victimization was repetition. Finally, moderation analyses provided evidence that Internet addiction served as an instigating trigger while proactive aggression served as an impellor; however, none of the models were mediated by gender. While the current study was limited by its cross-sectional methodology, as well as certain concerns related to measurement and study design, the results indicate the utility of the I3 Model in conceptualizing cyberbullying incidents and the need to better conceptualize the measurement of the definitional components of aggression, bullying, and cyberbullying.