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An Exploratory Study of Cyberbullying with Undergraduate University Students

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Abstract

Understanding the covert events surrounding the undergraduate students’ experience is essential to educators’ and counselors’ involvement in their success. Research into bullying behaviors has documented victims’ feelings of anger, sadness and poor concentration. Affordable technologies have propagated this concern into cyberspace. This exploratory study evaluated the instances of cyberbullying experienced by undergraduate students. Additionally, the forms of technology utilized in cyberbullying were queried. A 27-item survey was distributed to 120 undergraduate students in social science, technology and education departments. The majority of all respondents (54%) and 100% of male respondents indicated they knew someone who had been cyberbullied. The perpetrators primarily used cell phones, Facebook and instant messaging. The study results provide legitimate concerns regarding the undergraduate students’ exposure to cyberbullying and numerous areas for future research.

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Carol M. Walker, Beth Rajan Sockman and Steven Koehn

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“With the advent of affordable, user-friendly technology comes cyberbullying - bullying in cyberspace.”

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Carol M. Walker, Beth Rajan Sockman and Steven Koehn. An Exploratory Study of Cyberbullying with Undergraduate University Students. TECHTRENDS TECH TRENDS 55, 31–38 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-011-0481-0

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