关键词: 情境线索, 旁观者, 网络欺负行为, 状态共情, 攻击行为规范信念

Abstract:

This study focuses on the psychological mechanism behind bystanders' cyberbullying behavior, the mediating effect of state empathy and the moderating effect of normative beliefs on aggressive behavior. In the study, 94 qualified participants were tested by using the one-factor between-subject experimental design with two different levels (situational clues: text, text + video). The results revealed that (1) Situational cues had a significant predictive effect on bystanders’ cyberbullying behavior, and it became marginal significant when state empathy was introduced as mediator; (2) Situational cues showed a significant predictive effect on state empathy, as the latter one significantly predicted bystanders’ cyberbullying behavior; (3) The moderating effect of normative beliefs on aggressive behavior was not significant. The research revealed that richness of situational cues influence bystanders’ state empathy when they witnessed bullying cases online, it would lead to, whatever their normative beliefs on aggressive behaviors are, cyberbullying toward those bullies in the name of “helping the victims before”.

Key words: situational cue, bystander, cyberbullying, state empathy, normative beliefs on aggressive behavior