Cyber bullying : will showing emotions help?

• Main Author: Wee, Huey Hui.
• Other Authors: Lee Sau-Lai
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: DRNTU::Social sciences::Sociology::Social deviance
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/40078
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

In face-to-face setting, by showing that they were in pain after being attacked, victims of physical aggression can reduce the levels of subsequent aggression. Researchers have yet to establish a similar relationship between showing emotional pain and cyber bullying. Also, empathy might moderate this relationship as it is negatively related to and inhibits aggression. We hypothesized that showing emotional pain can reduce intensiveness of cyber bullying. Thirty participants were organized into two groups and were instructed to post negative comments to a confederate in a MSN chat. Emotional pain cues were available to one group only. The presence of pain cues resulted in lesser offensive comments. However, empathy was not a moderator. Possible explanations for the results are discussed.