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Defender, Passive, and Pro-Bully: Exploring Bystanders' Intentions toward Cyberbullying
Cirenia Quintana-Orts1, Ana Alcántara-Lázaro2, Joaquín A Mora-Merchán2
1University of Malaga Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology Malaga Spain Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Malaga, Spain.
Psychosocial Intervention
|January 26, 2026
Summary
The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) helps explain adolescent cyberbullying bystander intentions. Empathy and attitudes toward helping victims are key, while cyberbullying experience and gender influence pro-bully intentions.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cyberbullying Research
- Adolescent Behavior
Background:
- Cyberbullying is a prevalent issue among adolescents.
- Understanding bystander intentions (defending, pro-bully, passive) is crucial for intervention.
- The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) offers a framework to explore these intentions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the Theory of Planned Behavior's (TPB) utility in explaining adolescent cyberbullying bystander intentions.
- To examine the roles of social norms, attitudes, perceived control, and empathy.
- To identify factors influencing defending, pro-bully, and passive intentions.
Main Methods:
- A quantitative study involving 2,539 adolescents (aged 11-18).
- Multiple regression analyses were used on a sample of 1,825 non-witnesses.
- Data collected on demographics, cyberbullying experiences, social norms, attitudes, control, and empathy.
Main Results:
- Empathy and a positive attitude toward helping victims significantly predicted all three intention types.
- Cyberbullying perpetration experiences and gender were associated with pro-bully intentions.
- Social norms (friends, family, teachers) were particularly effective in reducing pro-bully intentions in girls.
Conclusions:
- The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) provides a valuable framework for understanding cyberbullying bystander intentions.
- Interventions should consider fostering empathy and positive helping attitudes.
- Future research should explore both witnesses and non-witnesses to bridge intention-behavior gaps.
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