THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SOCIAL MEDIA USE, CYBERBULLYING, AND GENDER

Abstract

Cyberbullying has emerged as a pressing global issue, impacting internet users worldwide. This study examines the association between social media, bullying, and gender, with the aim of assessing the influence of social media on the aggressive tendencies of adolescents. The study involved 157 young adults aged 18 to 28 in Israel, who completed a self-report questionnaire regarding their social media usage and inclination toward cyberbullying. The findings revealed an association between the extent of adolescents' social media engagement and their inclination to cyberbullying, specifically in the context of gender. Notably, this effect was primarily observed among men. While young women demonstrated higher online platform usage compared to their male counterparts, they exhibited a lower inclination towards cyberbullying. The study underscores that prolonged exposure to an environment lacking normative behavioural reinforcement contributes to an increase in bullying tendencies. Given the widespread use of social networks by young people, it is imperative for the educational system to address this issue during adolescence and provide guidance on the various facets and consequences of social media usage. School programs should be developed to establish online behaviour standards, akin to those practiced in face-to-face interactions among young adolescents. Keywords: сyberbullying problem, post-Covid period, social media, WhatsApp groups, young adults