Page 207 - RUICHSS 2023 Proceeding

University of Ruhuna ISSN: 2706-0063
Matara, Sri Lanka

An Exploratory Study on the Consequences for Young People
of Cyberbullying - The New Form of Online Violence and
Aggression

*
Arabela Briciu , Victor-Alexandru Briciu, Eliza-Lorena Bortoș
Transilvania University of Brasov, Romania
arabela.baican@unitbv.ro*

Abstract

Following Thomas's (2012) observations, the early 20 century was dominated by
th
psychological and functionalist paradigms that theorised violence as a natural inclination
of human beings or as a product of social conditions; however, more recent research has
moved away from both evolutionary-biological and functionalist arguments and sought to
situate violence in the context of regional, state and global economic and political systems.
Today, online abuse and bullying show the negative side of absence, invisibility and
control, the factors that make the victim more vulnerable. It is pervasive, subtle, often
uncontrollable and therefore particularly stressful violence. Bullying and cyberbullying are
common in society and are caused by people who want to intentionally harm others without
thinking about the consequences. In this context, parents and teachers are concerned about
the effects and possible consequences of using the virtual environment on the personality,
emotional and cognitive life of children. The present quantitative and exploratory research
based on a questionnaire aims to identify the degree of influence of cyberbullying on the
individuals surveyed, the main reasons for triggering aggressive behaviour in the virtual
environment and to find solutions for how to manage the effects of cyberbullying attacks.
The conclusions of the study are relevant since the online environment occupies an
important place in people's routines, so that, bullying has made a transition from the real
environment to the virtual one turning into cyberbullying.

Keywords: Aggression, Bullying, Cyberbullying, Online Environment, Violence

1. Introduction and Research Problem

In its basic sense, aggression involves at least two people, an aggressor, and

a victim. Violence generally refers to injuring, killing, and destruction but
148