Indian adolescents’ cyber aggression involvement and cultural values: The moderation of peer attachment

Abstract

Although research on cyberbullying and cyber aggression is growing, little attention has been given to examinations of these behaviors among adolescents in Asian countries, particularly in India. The present study examined the relationships among cyber aggression involvement and cultural values (i.e. individualism, collectivism), along with peer attachment as a moderator in these associations, while controlling for gender and faceto-face aggression involvement. Participants were 480 adolescents (ages 13-to 15-years-old) from India. Findings revealed that individualism and collectivism were related positively to peer attachment. In addition, individualism was associated positively with cyber aggression perpetration and cyber victimization, whereas these relationships were negative for collectivism. Peer attachment was related negatively to cyber aggression involvement. At lower levels of peer attachment, the association between cyber aggression perpetration and individualism was stronger. In contrast, the relationships between cyber aggression involvement (i.e. perpetration, victimization) and collectivism were more negative at higher levels of peer attachment. These results are discussed in the context of cultural values and peer attachment, and recommendations are given for future research and for school personnel in India.

Book Review: Online Hate and Harmful Content – Cross-National Perspectives

“…These differences are explained by the authors by cultural characteristics and different online activities and infrastructure, but also the legal, societal and political characteristics of each country. This meets other research by Wright, Kamble and Soudi (2015), for instance, comparing the prevalence of cyberbullying between countries with cultures based on collectivism (China), individualism (Japan) or with mixed background (India), which shows that cultural differences have an impact. The authors adopt a risk-factor approach and identify that the youngest and most isolated people, as well as off-line victims, tend to be more at risk of being exposed to self-harm sites, to online hate and to suffer bigger negative consequences.…”

The Mediating Role of Romantic Attachment in the Relationship Between Attachment to Parents and Aggression

“…For this reason, relationships with peers critically affect the expression of aggression in both males and females (Zara and Farrington, 2009; Casey and Beadnell, 2010). Many studies have confirmed that the quality of an adolescent’s relationships with peers is the first risk or protective factor for the expression of antisocial or aggressive behavior (Brown and Bakken, 2011; Burton et al, 2013; Wright et al, 2015).…”

“…Laible et al (2000) also demonstrated that attachment to peers affected aggression; additionally, the authors showed that this influence appeared to be greater than that of attachment to parents. Similarly, Wright et al (2015) reported that adolescents with higher scores on the assessment of attachment to peers were less involved in aggressive behaviors. Conversely, lower scores on the attachment to peers assessment were a significant risk factor for the emergence of threatening or aggressive behaviors.…”

“…Many studies (Burton et al, 2013; Karakurt et al, 2013; Wright et al, 2015) have found that peer groups also play an essential role in eliciting aggression in adolescents. Thus, it seems that the most important risk factor for the expression of anti-social behaviors in adolescence is the influence that a peer group exerts on its members (Zara and Farrington, 2009; Casey and Beadnell, 2010).…”

The Relationship between Adolescents’ Levels of Hopelessness and Cyberbullying: The Role of Values

“…According to their findings, all sub-scales from the Human Values Scale (responsibility, friendship, respect, honesty, tolerance, and pacifism) predicted cyberbullying. Wright, Kamble, and Soudi (2015) examined the relationships between cyber aggression and cultural values, as well as the effect of peers on this relationship, over 480 adolescents in India. That study's findings revealed that cyberbullying and cyber-victimization positively correlate to individualistic values and negatively correlate with collectivist values, and peer commitment negatively correlates to cyber aggression.…”