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Associations between Witnessing and Perpetrating Online Hate in Eight Countries: The Buffering Effects of Problem-Focused Coping

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  • Sebastian Wachs

    (Department of Educational Studies, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, Germany)

  • Michelle F. Wright

    (Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
    Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, 60200 Brno, Czech Republic)

  • Ruthaychonnee Sittichai

    (Kids and Youth Development Research Unit, Research Center for Educational Innovations and Teaching and Learning Excellence, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Prince of Songkla University, Muang, Pattani 94000, Thailand)

  • Ritu Singh

    (Department of Human Development and Family Studies, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar 263145, Uttarakhand, India)

  • Ramakrishna Biswal

    (Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela 769008, India)

  • Eun-mee Kim

    (Department of Communication, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea)

  • Soeun Yang

    (Department of Communication, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea)

  • Manuel Gámez-Guadix

    (Department of Biological and Health Psychology, Autonomous University of Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain)

  • Carmen Almendros

    (Department of Biological and Health Psychology, Autonomous University of Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain)

  • Katerina Flora

    (Department of Psychology, Neapolis University Pafos, 8042 Pafos, Cyprus)

  • Vassiliki Daskalou

    (Department of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece)

  • Evdoxia Maziridou

    (Department of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece)

Abstract

Online hate is a topic that has received considerable interest lately, as online hate represents a risk to self-determination and peaceful coexistence in societies around the globe. However, not much is known about the explanations for adolescents posting or forwarding hateful online material or how adolescents cope with this newly emerging online risk. Thus, we sought to better understand the relationship between a bystander to and perpetrator of online hate, and the moderating effects of problem-focused coping strategies (e.g., assertive, technical coping) within this relationship. Self-report questionnaires on witnessing and committing online hate and assertive and technical coping were completed by 6829 adolescents between 12 and 18 years of age from eight countries. The results showed that increases in witnessing online hate were positively related to being a perpetrator of online hate. Assertive and technical coping strategies were negatively related with perpetrating online hate. Bystanders of online hate reported fewer instances of perpetrating online hate when they reported higher levels of assertive and technical coping strategies, and more frequent instances of perpetrating online hate when they reported lower levels of assertive and technical coping strategies. In conclusion, our findings suggest that, if effective, prevention and intervention programs that target online hate should consider educating young people about problem-focused coping strategies, self-assertiveness, and media skills. Implications for future research are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Sebastian Wachs & Michelle F. Wright & Ruthaychonnee Sittichai & Ritu Singh & Ramakrishna Biswal & Eun-mee Kim & Soeun Yang & Manuel Gámez-Guadix & Carmen Almendros & Katerina Flora & Vassiliki Daskal, 2019. "Associations between Witnessing and Perpetrating Online Hate in Eight Countries: The Buffering Effects of Problem-Focused Coping," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-13, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:20:p:3992-:d:278168
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fabio Sticca & Katja Machmutow & Ariane Stauber & Sonja Perren & Benedetta Emanuela Palladino & Annalaura Nocentini & Ersilia Menesini & Lucie Corcoran & Conor Mc Guckin, 2015. "The Coping with Cyberbullying Questionnaire: Development of a New Measure," Societies, MDPI, vol. 5(2), pages 1-22, May.
    2. Sebastian Wachs & Michelle F. Wright, 2018. "Associations between Bystanders and Perpetrators of Online Hate: The Moderating Role of Toxic Online Disinhibition," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-9, September.
    3. Rosario Ferrer-Cascales & Natalia Albaladejo-Blázquez & Miriam Sánchez-SanSegundo & Irene Portilla-Tamarit & Oriol Lordan & Nicolás Ruiz-Robledillo, 2019. "Effectiveness of the TEI Program for Bullying and Cyberbullying Reduction and School Climate Improvement," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-13, February.
    4. Michelle F. Wright & Sebastian Wachs, 2018. "Does Parental Mediation Moderate the Longitudinal Association among Bystanders and Perpetrators and Victims of Cyberbullying?," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(11), pages 1-10, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Carlos Arcila Calderón & Patricia Sánchez Holgado & Jesús Gómez & Marcos Barbosa & Haodong Qi & Alberto Matilla & Pilar Amado & Alejandro Guzmán & Daniel López-Matías & Tomás Fernández-Villazala, 2024. "From online hate speech to offline hate crime: the role of inflammatory language in forecasting violence against migrant and LGBT communities," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-14, December.
    2. Karla Dhungana Sainju & Huda Zaidi & Niti Mishra & Akosua Kuffour, 2022. "Xenophobic Bullying and COVID-19: An Exploration Using Big Data and Qualitative Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-19, April.
    3. Nigel Harriman & Neil Shortland & Max Su & Tyler Cote & Marcia A. Testa & Elena Savoia, 2020. "Youth Exposure to Hate in the Online Space: An Exploratory Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-14, November.
    4. Sebastian Wachs & Juan Manuel Machimbarrena & Michelle F. Wright & Manuel Gámez-Guadix & Soeun Yang & Ruthaychonnee Sittichai & Ritu Singh & Ramakrishna Biswal & Katerina Flora & Vassiliki Daskalou & , 2022. "Associations between Coping Strategies and Cyberhate Involvement: Evidence from Adolescents across Three World Regions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-14, May.
    5. Magdalena Celuch & Atte Oksanen & Pekka Räsänen & Matthew Costello & Catherine Blaya & Izabela Zych & Vicente J. Llorent & Ashley Reichelmann & James Hawdon, 2022. "Factors Associated with Online Hate Acceptance: A Cross-National Six-Country Study among Young Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-13, January.

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