Bystander intervention style and motivational factors influencing behavior in bullying situations

Abstract

Whether to intervene or not during a bullying situation influences how the interaction plays out. The researchers present a theoretical model of social dominance orientation, moral disengagement, and intervention self‐efficacy vis‐à‐vis intervention behaviors. Data were collected from 284 Israeli Hebrew speaking adolescents. Participants were recruited using a snowball sampling technique. The results of structural equation modeling reveals that moral disengagement was a mediator between the association of social dominance orientation with the pro‐bully bystander and outsider behaviors. Pro‐bully bystander and victim‐defender behaviors positively influenced the outsider behavior, and self‐efficacy was related to the victim‐defender behavior. Our results expand the understanding of the relationship between bystander intervention behaviors and motivational factors.