Chan, T. K., Cheung, C. M., & Wong, R. Y. (2019). Cyberbullying on social networking sites: the crime opportunity and affordance perspectives. Journal of Management Information Systems, 36(2), 574-609. Web.
A study by Chan et al. focused on cyberbullying in the context of social networks. According to the authors, the problem with cyberbullying on social networking sites or SNS bullying has recently become more widespread and severe due to the increase in the number of users. Therefore, there is a need for a detailed study of this topic, for which the authors form two research questions. Firstly, they investigate the key factors that trigger SNS bullying. Secondly, they explore how the availability of SNS affects the ability to evaluate them in the context of cyberbullying.
To effectively address this issue, Chan et al. use two tools as a methodology. They compiled a meta-framework based on crime opportunity theory and the affordance perspective to predict the acts of SNS bullying, which was tested using a longitudinal online survey. As the study showed, the framework proposed by the authors predicted Internet abuse with a sufficient degree of accuracy, but at the same time, it had some limitations. Chan et al. tested it on only one Internet platform and had a limited sample consisting only of adult American test subjects. However, the presented model can serve as a basis for further research and emphasizes the possibility of applying criminological theory. Together with the project’s innovativeness, this factor makes this a valuable article for a potential research paper.
Englander, E. (2019). Childhood access to technology and cyberbullying. Journal of Pediatrics and Pediatric Medicine, 3(2).
Englander’s study looks at the phenomenon of cyberbullying from a pediatric perspective. According to the author, the development factors and access to technology are rarely covered in this field, which formulates the theme and direction of this article. Englander seeks to analyze the prevalence of cyberbullying and its relationship with the rates of children’s access to technology, which is the main research question. For a detailed study of the features of this situation, the author uses a literature review of relevant sources, focusing on statistical information and research papers.
As the article shows, the results of the review are mixed data. While such findings do not allow clear conclusions, they highlight the need for a more detailed investigation. In all studies studied, the values of the prevalence of this phenomenon were different but relatively high. The found statistics also demonstrate a significant increase in children’s access to the information network. Between 2013 and 2016, the number of teenagers owning smartphones increased from 37 percent to 73 percent. Although the lack of a clear academic consensus limits the availability of information, this article helps highlight the prevalence of the problem and the need to address it. Moreover, Englander’s work contains valuable statistics on the prevalence of technology among children, which allow concluding that this factor is associated with the spread of cyberbullying.
Hsieh, M. L., Wang, S. Y. K., & Cao, L. (2021). Understanding cyberbullying victimization from an integrated approach: Offline preventive attributes and behavior problems do matter. Victims & Offenders, 16(4), 610-630. Web.
The research topic of Hsieh et al. is victimization in the context of cyberbullying and its various aspects. As the authors themselves write, many criminological theories have already been applied to this concept, including self-control and general strain theories. However, traditional approaches are often not enough to fully explore all aspects of cyberbullying, as a more theoretical approach with attention to context is required. The authors pose as a research question the need to study the suitability and guardianship of the cyberbullying targets, evaluate offline socio-behavioral factors, as well as the possibility of applying the propositions of collective efficacy.
To answer these questions and confirm the hypotheses put forward, the authors used the General Social Survey from the Office of Statistics Canada. This research method involved exploring the perspective of cyberbullying victims and their experiences. The survey results showed that people with social or behavioral problems are more likely to be cyberbullied. In contrast, people with strong protective bonds are less likely to be victims of this phenomenon. In addition, the study demonstrates that the collective efficacy perspective can be effectively used as a defense against victimization. Therefore, this article is helpful, first of all, for its criminological perspective. In addition, the text highlights the potential causes of cyberbullying and puts forward theories regarding preventive measures, making this source even more practical for future research.