Deviant behavior in virtual space: cyberbullying and cyberloafing
Abstract
Introduction. Internet technologies have become integral to modern life, giving rise to novel forms of deviant behavior in virtual space, such as cyberloafing and cyberbullying. Therefore, the relationships between these phenomena require further investigation. Aims: to identify the relationship between cyberloafing and cyberbullying among school and university students. Materials and methods: a survey of 344 students aged 14–22 was conducted (128 schoolchildren, 216 university students; Chelyabinsk) using Y. Akbulut’s cyberloafing scale and A.A. Rean’s cyberbullying scale. Data were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U test, CHAID analysis, and chi-squared test (IBM SPSS Statistics v 27.0). Results. The study revealed that while students rarely engage in phone use during classes, they frequently utilize communication and information-seeking functions on social media. Most respondents were not involved in cyberbullying, but approximately one-quarter had experienced it in the past month. Gender differences emerged, with girls less likely to engage in cyberbullying than boys. Being a witness or a victim of cyberbullying was associated with a frequency of phone communication during classes, while being an aggressor was linked to phone communication and gaming cyberloafing during classes. Conclusion. This research demonstrates the relationship between gaming/communicative cyberloafing and cyberbullying. The findings contribute to a better understanding of deviant behavior in virtual space and highlight the need for further investigation into these phenomena
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