Cyberbullying and its relation to right and left authoritarianism, trait victimhood, and mental illness.

Abstract

Many policymakers, advocates, and the general public perceive online discourse as having become aggressive, with widespread issues related to cyberbullying and harassment. However, not all individuals engage in noxious online behaviors equally. The current study sought to identify correlates of cyberbullying behaviors in a community sample of 361 adults (range 18-69). All methods and analyses were preregistered. Results suggested that cyberbullying was related to trait victimhood and directly to right-wing authoritarianism. In exploratory analyses, trait victimhood was itself related to both right-and left-wing authoritarianism, as well as to general mental health symptoms. It is concluded that cyberbullying is related to a tendency to report mental health issues, along with perceiving oneself as a victim and with a willingness to embrace authoritarian worldviews, particularly from the right. By contrast, trait victimhood is related to both right and left authoritarianism. Public Policy Relevance StatementOnline bullying remains a common experience for many. The current research highlights that a combination of traits, specifically both left-and right-wing authoritarianism, mental health problems, and trait victimhood, work together to increase the risk of cyberbullying perpetration. By understanding better who most engages in cyberbullying, we can examine policies to reduce these behaviors.