Empathic responses by cyberbystanders: The importance of proximity

MACHÁČKOVÁ, Hana, Lenka DĚDKOVÁ, Anna ŠEVČÍKOVÁ and Alena ČERNÁ. Empathic responses by cyberbystanders: The importance of proximity. Journal of Youth Studies. 2016, vol. 19, No 6, p. 793-804. ISSN 1367-6261. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2015.1112882.

Basic information

• Original name: Empathic responses by cyberbystanders: The importance of proximity
• Authors: MACHÁČKOVÁ, Hana (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution), Lenka DĚDKOVÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Anna ŠEVČÍKOVÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution) and Alena ČERNÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution).
• Edition: Journal of Youth Studies, 2016, 1367-6261.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Article in a journal
• Field of Study: 50100 5.1 Psychology and cognitive sciences
• Country of publisher: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• WWW: URL
• Impact factor: Impact factor: 1.440
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14230/16:00089208
• Organization unit: Faculty of Social Studies
• Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2015.1112882
• UT WoS: 000380222000005
• Keywords in English: Cyberaggression; cyberbullying; bystanders; empathic response; adolescence
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

Cyberaggression, and its' specific sub-type, cyberbullying, have become a widely debated and studied issues, but we still lack knowledge about cyberbystanders, whose reactions (or lack thereof) can play a crucial role. One of the important factors determining behavioral outcomes is cyberbystanders’ empathic response to the incident. Certain features of cyberaggression incidents (e.g. distance and the invisibility of those involved) raise the question of what conditions tend to encourage (or inhibit) empathetic responses on the part of cyberbystanders. Therefore, we investigated the link between the empathic responses of 453 Czech adolescent cyberbystanders (age 12–18) and the context in which they become aware of ongoing cybervictimization. We found that being directly present and being informed by the victim increased emotional response, while witnessing it only online or being informed by others had no effect. We discuss the importance of including the dimensions of ‘proximity’ or ‘directness’ in both prevention and intervention efforts and future research on cyberbystanders’ reactions.

Links

• EE2.3.20.0184, research and development project: Name: Vytvoření interdisciplinárního týmu v oblasti výzkumu internetu a nových médií