Cyber Bullying Behaviours

Background

Interest in understanding victimisation experiences and bullying behaviours was initially prompted by Olweus’ work in the 1970s and subsequently by the wealth of research evidence that has reported longitudinal relationships between experiences of bullying and wellbeing (e.g., Renda, Vassallo, & Edwards, 2011; Sinclair et al., 2012; Wolke, Copeland, Angold, & Costello, 2013). Together, these studies have suggested that negative consequences may occur for those individuals who engage in bullying behaviour and those who experience victimisation. Therefore, because of the reported association between bullying and psychosocial adjustment, a number of researchers and educational practitioners have sought to understand the various forms of bullying behaviours that individuals engage in. Bullying behaviours have been conceptualised as: (a) Direct attacks on an individual including verbal attacks, physical attacks, and non-verbal exclusion from social relationships and (b) indirect attacks on the individual such as damaging reputations (see Hawker & Boulton, 2000). Consequently, victimisation experiences can be considered to be verbal, physical, or social.