This research paper was written to investigate and analyze the problem of cyberbullying in adolescence. Its intentions are to clarify the reasons behind bullying behavior and how cyberbullying can affect those undergoing the various stages of adolescence. Cyberbullying, although not as pretentiously threating as physical bullying in schools, it plays a tremendous role in influencing adolescents media-wise. Research has been conducted with various journal articles by professionals in fields ranging from criminology, political science, and doctors of philosophy. The research used in supporting how cyberbullying affects adolescence include: the study of adolescents’ health, the amount of media female adolescents use, and the reasoning for those …show more content…
It also affects adolescents’ emotional rather than physically. The best way to prevent such bullying from being exposed to an adolescent is the precision of monitoring their media usage. The dangers of cyberbullying is not worth the risk of an adolescent’s emotional and mental stability. According to one research on prevention efforts, “attention be directed towards enhancing adolescents’ empathy and self-esteem, decreasing adolescents’ problem behaviors, promoting warm, nurturing relationships with their parents, and reducing their time spent online” (Nixon, 2014). Preventive steps to reduce such malicious and conniving behaviors online is also effective. If a parent, colleague, or a teacher looks to help a cyberbully the numbers of victims bullied online would descend drastically. In order to reduce the number of cyberbullies online, there must be interceptive measures in increasing the adolescent cyber bully’s’ affection and understanding for others. In fact, “results from the study suggest that future prevention and intervention efforts be targeted towards increasing adolescents’ affective and cognitive empathy” (Nixon, 2014). The overall problem that would be encountered, however, would be finding the cyberbully culprit. Those who are victims of cyberbully fail to report the harassment and humiliation caused to them. For example, “Pupils recommended blocking/avoiding …show more content…
As technology rapidly increasing from generation to generation, years from now cyberbullying will be more known than school bullying is today. In order to effectively reduce the rate of growth, acts of love, compassion, understanding and concern should be taught everywhere. In fact, the Bible is a superb resource for such lessons of empathy and affection. Those that are victims of such bullying could teach those that are bullying them the Bible verses God set for us to adhere and
Teens use technological devices as weapons through the use of social networking websites, text messaging and other ways. Teenager use these social networking websites and text messaging to make fun of one another, call each other names and threaten one another all to the point where the victim feels worthless and ends up with psychological problems or in the worst scenario, committing suicide. The most famous website that teenagers use these days for cyberbullying is Facebook; they login to their account and write a status about their victim and tag their victim on the status or ask a friend who has the victim as a friend to tag him or her in a comment below the status. Teenagers also use chat rooms to post pictures of their victim and publicly humiliate and make fun of their victims and others usually join in adding to it. I decided to write about cyber bullying because it has been happening a lot lately and as a mother I am really concerned about it, so I would like to know what to do in case my children were to go through a situation like that. I took advantage that it’s a good topic for a research essay...
In her article “How the Internet Has Changed Bullying”, Maria Konnikova explained how bullying has reached technology, and in the workplaces of many adults. The Internet has made it harder to escape from bullying, and easier for bullies to escape from confronting their victims. Furthermore, the author stresses that cyberbullying not only targets high schoolers, but it’s affecting the lives of college students as well (Konnikova 1). Cyberbullying takes place in the Internet world where is easier for a bully to gossip and humiliate multiple of victims in a faster pace. The studies have shown that cyberbullying is making a greater impact in the victims’ and the bullies’ lives more than the traditional bullying and many people are not aware of it; therefore the schools, witnesses, and employers should work together to fight against cyberbullying and provide help to the victims and bullies.
There may also be ways to help limit or prevent cyberbullying from occurring. Nixon argues that health care professionals, educators, and parents should all work together to help prevent cyberbullying and to help those who are targeted by it. (Nixon, 2014, pg. 150) Many victims of cyberbullying are scared to tell someone. This may be due to feelings of embarrassment or lack of faith that anyone can help end the bullying. It is important to show adolescents that there is always someone they can talk to. Whether it be a family member, friend, guidance counselor, or teacher. Schools should make students aware of what services are available to them in the school and let them know there are people willing to listen and help. In schools it is important for teachers to maintain a positive learning environment for all students. Teachers should try to create classrooms where all students address each other with respect and step in when bullying is recognized. Schools or communities can also offer prevention programs. Programs may show students how to use the internet safely or the effects cyberbullying has on others. Many argue that schools should also have monitoring programs to help detect cyberbullying and help prevent it. (Nixon, 2014, pg. 151) Limiting internet use for adolescents may also help limit their chances of getting cyberbullying as there is an
Since Teen suicide is the second leading cause of teenage death in the United States, there is a need for legislation that promotes awareness and education about Cyber-Bullying. Due to the growth of technology in the American society, the younger generations of adolescents are adapting to the excessive use of computers, cell phones, and social-networking sites. According to a study done by Amanda Lenhart, 87% of adolescents who are between the ages of 12 and 17 are using the internet on a daily basis (Trolley, Shields, and Hanel, “Demystifying and Deescalating Cyber Bullying in the Schools”).With these numbers increasing across the nation, the numbers of adolescents being harassed through technology means is growing as well. The relationship between cyber bullying and teenage suicide has been named “cyber bullycide”. Studies show that 1/3 of teenagers who have used the internet have stated that they have received threatening or offensive messages either through text, e-mail, IM, and other technology related programs. In 2007 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially labeled “electronic aggression” being cyber bullying as an “emerging public health problem” (Billitteri 387).
Bullying has greatly evolved over the years. We have gone from face to face bullying to a new form called cyber bullying. Many believe cyber bullying to be far worse than its traditional partner because it can leave a tremendous psychological impact on the person being bullied. There are a lot more people who report being bullied now that cyber bullying has become evolved. After a survey of 264 kids from across 3 different schools was conducted, it came to show that about half of them had been bullied and about a quarter of them cyber bullied. Around half of the kids say they know someone who has been or is being cyber bullied. Most cyber bullies attack there victims multiple times and for some reason, the victims never report it to the adults. It was found that males were more likely to be cyber bullies compared to females and that the females were more likely to report to an adult if they had been being bullied by someone (“Cyberbullying In Schools”). It has become much easier for bullies to cyberbully people because of all the advancement in technology. With the rapid growth of computers and other technology, cyber bullying was bound to outbreak. Bullies can give crippling blows to someone’s psychiatric state of mind just by using the internet, and the effects can be everlasting. It is easy for more than one person to bully a single target when on the internet. Cell phones are also a big cause of pain for the victims as they cannot delete embarrassing pictures or messages off of the phones of others who have received them. ("Mr. Bullproof.”). Researchers have tried to look into cyber bullying to try and find out what the reasoning is behind it and maybe try and figure out a way to prevent it. There have been recent studies abo...
Internet usage in children and adolescents has been increasing in a steadily fashion in the past number of years and with the increase in internet usage, a new form of bullying has developed – Cyber bullying. Cyber bullying can be defined as “the electronic posting of mean-spirited messages about a person,” (Merriam-Webster, 2012). This form of bullying can come through various mediums including but not limited to text messages, emails, videos, and social networking sites. There is an overwhelming amount of information that defines cyber bullying, identifies the demographics of bullies and victims of cyber bullying, and identifies the outcomes of cyber bullying on victims. More focus needs to be placed on who the perpetrators of this form of violence are and how this form of violence is linked to traditional bullying. This will allow researchers and practitioners to move forward with research and implementation preventative methods and intervention once the problem has already occurred.
Technology has given individuals the opportunity to change the game of bullying. Cyber-bullying is one of the most common forms of bullying as of today. The Internet has no boundaries so the public has access to endless and countless number of things. Cyber-bully is the electronic posting of mean-spirited messages about a person (as a student) often done anonymously according to Merriam-Webster dictionary. While traditionally bullying and cyber-bullying are very comparable in forms of technique that also have many differences. Cyber-bullying gives the bully the benefit of hiding their identity behind a screen. This makes it easier to tear people down because they do not have to come in contact with anyone. It’s the easiest form of bullying. These can happen in text messages, chat rooms, email, websites, excluding people from certain online activities, digital photos, and social media. Cyber bullies have unlimited supplies of ways to hurt someone. It is difficult to conduct a study on cyber-bullying because the majority of people will not confess or admit to it. Instead, in the article “Cyber-bullying among adolescents: Measures in search of a construct.” Researchers sit and listen through the grapevine on what is going on inside of schools. They found out that cyber-bullying is more dealt with within adolescents than traditional interaction bullying. (Mehari, K. R., Farrell, A. D., & Le, A. H.) Cyber-bullying can cause more
This sort of phenomenon makes major headlines regularly in recent times and effects a clear majority of today’s youth. State and local lawmakers have taken steps to prevent this type of bullying by making illegal under several criminal law codes. Michele Hamm, a researcher in pediatrics explained, “There were consistent associations between exposure to cyberbullying and increased likelihood of depression.” Cyberbullying became widespread among students with the rapid growth in use of cellular devices and the Internet. With this kind of technology bullies have the ability to send harmful messages to their recipients at any given time. This type of bullying is the hardest to control because it involves students but often happens off school grounds. However, because the evidence is material, students and parents could bring this evidence to the school and local police departments if a situation were to happen. Parents should be mindful of their child’s use of the internet and electronic messaging, cyberbullying usually takes place in a medium in which adults are seldom present (Mason, 2008). Also, instead of sending direct messages to other students, bullies use platforms such as social media and anonymous blogs to post harmful things for others to see. Educators must understand the significance of social media use to their students, especially
Because cyberbullying is a relatively new phenomenon, there is some degree of variance in its definition. In its early inception, cyberbullying was thought to be limited to the internet. However, the rapid creation of new technology tolls has expanded the boundaries to include cell phones, instant messaging, chat rooms, and email (Campfield, 2006). Campfield (2006) conducted a study of middle school students to determine the incidence rates of cyberbullying. She found that nearly 70% of students were involved in cyberbullying in some capacity, as a bully or victim. In a similar study, Li (2007) found that 39% of students have been involved in cyberbullying, while 52% were aware of a peer being harassed through electronic m...
Bullying is a worldwide problem and it requires immediate attention because it psychologically affects both the victims and the bullies. Victims may ultimately have suicidal thoughts and bullies will have uncontrolled behaviors that carry on through school and after school, but they can be helped. Although cyber bullying is a big obstacle due to the large-scale usage of internet and the ability to conceal identities, technological advancements and child supervision help to single out these individuals to reduce the amount of bullying that occurs.
A great number of children and young adults are the main target of bullying via the internet. In most instances the youngsters cannot understand that they are being bullied as this shows that that the once safe internet environment is over time becoming a great sources of anxiety and confusion (Berson, Berson & Ferron, 2002). Cyber bullying tend to have negative effects of the one being bullied in that the victim attains a confused feeling and are hurt since they have been targeted and insulted for no justifiable reasons. With time the victims develop feelings of loneliness and fear and may opt to stay at home where they feel secure and may even avoid to schools or in other social gatherings. This is likely to affects
Suicide is No. 3 killer of teens in the US. The prevention of cyber-bullying of teens and children are needed in society. Cyberbullying can be examples of mean text, messages, creating fake profiles, and spreading rumors on social networking sites. Preventing yourself from becoming a victim is most important. The parent’s part in preventing cyberbullying has a strong effect on their child.
Imagine being personally targeted and bullied by another individual constantly. Maybe never seriously injured but verbally abused in person and possibly online. The issue of cyberbullying can be quite pivotal in this new generation. Cyberbullying is a controversial matter that the world must address because of how it can occur anywhere at any time, causes harm to targeted people, and affects all associated parties.
The online bully’s goal is to make their target feel weak; these online bullies can be referred to as a cyber bully. Cyber bullying is the exercise of using technology to embarrass, threaten, harass, or target another person; according to its definition it occurs among young people (New, 4). It is usually performed by a child’s peers and surprisingly occurs early as the second grade (Jacobs 1). Cyber bullying can even be unintentional, especially through the use of emails, IMs, and text messages because the tone of the sender may be hard to depict. However, recurring emails, online posts, and texts are hardly ever unintentional (124). As the number of youths increase that have the availability to technology, cyber bullying is likely to continue to rise and continue to take its toll on youth. Due to its excessive effect that it has on children today, Cyber bullying should be taken more seriously.
Stutzky suggests that cyber bullying is the use of modern communication technologies to embarrass, humiliate, threaten, or intimidate an individual in the attempt to gain power and control over them. Bullying has been around since the beginning of time. These days however, bullying isn’t just happening on the playground, it’s happening on the internet and mobile phones, making it possible to bully a child 24 hours a day. Cyber bullying follows children around the clock and into the safety of their own bedrooms. A recent survey by MindOh!, an educational company that follows youth trends, reported that nearly 80% of the 5,500 teens that were surveyed said that they had been exposed to cyber bullying. Cyber bullying affects the mental health of so many young adolescents around the world, and the issue is steadily increasing as more and more ways to bully are created.In extreme incidents, cyber bullying has led teenagers to suicide. Most victims, however, suffer shame, embarrassment, anger, depression and withdrawal. While technology continues to evolve, new means of communication enable today’s bullies to become more effective in terrorizing and tormenting their victims. The aim was to increase awareness and decrease the prevalence of cyber bullying- Year 9 at Meridan State College being the stakeholders (people involved).