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Mechanisms of Moral Disengagement and their Associations with Indirect Bullying, and Pro-Aggressive Bystander Behavior
Linköping University, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Education, Teaching and Learning. Linköping University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
Linköping University, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Education, Teaching and Learning. Linköping University, Faculty of Educational Sciences.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-9233-3862
Linköping University, Department of Computer and Information Science, The Division of Statistics and Machine Learning. Linköping University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Linköping University, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Education, Teaching and Learning. Linköping University, Faculty of Educational Sciences.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-6590-3847
University of Padua, Italy.
2020 (English)In: Journal of Early Adolescence, ISSN 0272-4316, E-ISSN 1552-5449, Vol. 40, no 1, p. 28-55Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

This study examined the links between seven specific mechanisms of moral disengagement and indirect bullying, direct bullying, and pro-aggressive bystander behavior. In addition, the moderating role of gender on these associations was examined. Participants were 317 Swedish students in Grades 4 to 8 (𝑋⎯⎯⎯age=12.6X¯age=12.6, SD = 1.35; 62% girls). Multivariate multiple regression analyses showed that indirect bullying was predicted by gender and victim attribution. Direct bullying was predicted by moral justification, and for girls, by victim attribution. Pro-aggressive bystander behavior was predicted by diffusion of responsibility, victim attribution, gender, and age. That is, boys and younger students were more prone to take the aggressor’s side compared with girls and older students. Furthermore, the relation between pro-aggressive bystander behavior and distortion of consequences appeared stronger in boys than in girls. These results highlight the relative importance of specific moral disengagement mechanisms and may have implications for interventions targeting bullying.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Sage Publications, 2020. Vol. 40, no 1, p. 28-55
Keywords [en]
bullying, aggression, moral development, middle school
National Category
Psychology (excluding Applied Psychology)
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-159663DOI: 10.1177/0272431618824745ISI: 000501898500002Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85060626909OAI: oai:DiVA.org:liu-159663DiVA, id: diva2:1343075
Note

Funding agencies: Swedish Research CouncilSwedish Research Council [D0775301]

Available from: 2019-08-15 Created: 2019-08-15 Last updated: 2023-06-02Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. The association between moral disengagement and bullying in early adolescence
Open this publication in new window or tab >>The association between moral disengagement and bullying in early adolescence
2021 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

School bullying occurs when a student is repeatedly exposed to negative actions by other students. The victim is often at some form of a disadvantage. Bullying can take many forms, such as physical, verbal, and relational. It can also occur online. With social cognitive theory as a theoretical framework, this dissertation examined some of the (individual and collective) moral processes that underlie bullying. More specifically, the aim was to enhance the understanding of the association between moral disengagement (MD) and bullying in early adolescence. Self-reported survey data was collected and analyzed using various statistical methods, such as multivariate regression and multilevel analysis. The results show that MD (individual and collective) is associated with bullying perpetration, both in a school context and online. The results also show that individual MD varies over time, and that changes are related to changes in bullying perpetration. The results also indicate that the mechanisms of MD are differentially associated with different forms of bullying. For instance, diffusion of responsibility is (positively) associated with assisting and reinforcing bullying, while moral justification is (positively) associated with indirect bullying. Overall, the results point to the importance of taking into account and analyzing both individual and contextual factors when examining the role that moral disengagement plays in bullying.

Abstract [sv]

Skolmobbning är när en elev upprepade gånger blir utsatt för negativa handlingar av andra elever. Den som utsätts är ofta i någon form av underläge. Det kan handla om att bli retad, utesluten eller slagen. Mobbning kan också ske på nätet. Med utgångpunkt i den socialkognitiva teorin studerades i den här avhandlingen några av de (individuella och kollektiva) moraliska processer som är involverade i skolmobbning. Mer specifikt var syftet att öka kunskapen om hur moraliskt disengagemang (MD) hänger samman med mobbning bland elever i åldrarna 10–14 år. Självrapporterad enkätdata samlades in och analyserades med hjälp av olika statistiska metoder, så som multivariat regression och flernivåanalys. Resultaten visar att individuellt och kollektivt MD hänger samman med att utsätta andra, både i en skolkontext och på nätet. Resultaten visar också att MD (individnivå) varierar över tid och att dessa förändringar sammanhänger med förändringar i att utsätta andra. Resultaten pekar också på att de olika mekanismerna av MD delvis sammanhänger med olika former av mobbning. Exempelvis sammanhängde ansvarsdiffusion (positivt) med att assistera och förstärka i mobbningssituationer, medan moraliskt rättfärdigande sammanhängde (positivt) med indirekt mobbning. Sammantaget pekar resultaten på betydelsen av att ta hänsyn till och analysera såväl individuella som sociala och kontextuella faktorer när man studerar mobbning.  

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Linköping: Linköping University Electronic Press, 2021. p. 96
Series
Linköping Studies in Behavioural Science, ISSN 1654-2029 ; 236
Keywords
Bullying, Moral disengagement, Social cognitive theory, Mobbning, Moraliskt disengagemang, Socialkognitiv teori
National Category
Pedagogy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-181739 (URN)10.3384/9789179291280 (DOI)9789179291273 (ISBN)9789179291280 (ISBN)
Public defence
2022-01-21, BL32, B-building, Campus Valla, Linköping, 13:00 (Swedish)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2021-12-10 Created: 2021-12-10 Last updated: 2022-01-11Bibliographically approved

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Thornberg, RobertWänström, Linda

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Bjärehed, MarleneThornberg, RobertWänström, Linda
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Journal of Early Adolescence
Psychology (excluding Applied Psychology)

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