Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

The New Era of Cyberbullying

 

            
             Bullying-its one of the most common occurrences on schoolyards, in the halls, and even in the classrooms. Parents, teachers, and students all can say they have at least seen some type of bullying in their lifetime. Li (2006) defines bullying as "a specific type of aggression in which (1) the behavior is intended to harm or disturb, (2) the behavior occurs repeatedly over time, and (3) there is an imbalance of power, with a more powerful person or group attacking a less powerful one. This asymmetry of power may be physical or psychological, and the aggressive behavior may be verbal (eg, name-calling, threats), physical (e.g., hitting), or psychological (e.g., rumors, shunning/exclusion)" (p.163).
             Bullying is something that school districts, parents, and the public have taken serious notice of-even more so in recent years. Today with the advancement of the internet, bullying has developed beyond physical aggression to include cyberbullying. According to the Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act, cyberbullying is defined as "any communication, with the intent to coerce, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress to a person, using electronic means to support severe, repeated, and hostile behavior" (Sanchez, 2009, p.2). Cyberbullying is something that has become a hot topic in schools and in the public, not only because anyone can seem to do it (e.g., students, parents, teachers), but because sometimes-it can be untraceable. Cyberbullying has become a large-scale issue that is all too often detrimental to the mental-health of our students; it is up to the schools to inform students, parents, and teachers on what to do when cyberbullying occurs, and how to promote safe internet and technological use.
             Ormrod (2008) states that "certain cognitive and motivational factors seem to underlie aggressive behaviors" (p.133), and that bullying can lead to many immediate and long term problems also explains that unless someone actively intervenes to a student's aggressive behavior, the student's aggression will most likely only grow and worsen with age (Ormrod, 2008).


Essays Related to The New Era of Cyberbullying