Online public shaming of professional athletes: Gender matters

Self-promotion and online shaming during COVID-19: A toxic combination

“…Concerning the gap on self-promotion and online shaming in the context of COVID-19, the study infers self-reported behaviour by considering the factors of relationship building, perceived enjoyment and self-presentation. Therefore, the study validates perceptions regarding gender with the studies ( MacPherson and Kerr, 2020 ) and our findings are consistent with it i.e., (i) socially constructed conceptions about gender are at the foundation of hostile, sexualized, and sometimes hateful views; (ii) in contrast to being inherent and categorical, gender is a performative characteristic. Similarly, De Vries (2015) focused on age and our findings are consistent with it i.e., young people are more likely to engage in online shaming and engage in socially undesirable behaviours.…”

“…The existing research on online shaming has examined changes in shaming with the introduction of the widespread use of computer networking, concentrating in particular on administrative structures ( Oravec, 2020 ); explored how the public humiliation activities of fans may be impacted by the gender of professional athletes ( MacPherson and Kerr, 2020 ); and examined factors such as socioeconomic status and how a belief in a just world contributes to online shaming ( Hou et al, 2017 ). Online shaming is portrayed as a destructive and serious threat with significant consequences such as ruining reputations and careers, and experiencing depression, negative thoughts, social isolation and negative self-perception ( Muir et al, 2021 ).…”

Shaming

“…Consistent with the use of public shaming in criminology, online shaming is used as a means of communicating social disapproval and pun-ishment to promote behavior change and adherence to norms. 26 An aspect of online shaming that is unique, however, is the possibility of anonymous shaming. Anonymous shaming may lack the power dynamic 7,25,26 that makes it an effective behavior modification tool.…”

“…The perceived norm can be individual, group, or societal; however, it is often believed by the person/group doing the shaming that others equally subscribe to their norms and should conform to these norms. 7,18,20,26 The perception of moral superiority is another antecedent to the act of shaming. 8,18,28 Those who initiate shaming do so from a perceived higher ground.…”

“…29 More recently, "pandemic shaming" has skyrocketed across online forums, including shaming those who do not wear masks, engage in travel, and fail to maintain physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. 3 Many studies of online shaming focus on the sociological and behavioral aspects of the act 25,26 including structures of power within society. Online shaming is described as the newest form of public shaming.…”