Abstract
Objective: This study aims to determine how the main and interaction effects of peer bullying and victim severity level affect empathic anger and empathic sadness, and to examine relative influence of empathic anger and empathic sadness on defensive behavior against peer bullying. 
 Methods: The participants were 482 first and second year middle school students. Using a scenario-based factorial design, The participants were provided with one of four questionnaires based on a combination of the severity of bullying and victim in peer bullying situations, and questions measuring empathic anger and sadness, the severity of bullying and victim perceived by youth, and defensive behavior. responded. Data analysis methods included reliability Cronbach' α, t-test, two-way Anova, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. These were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0.
 Results: First, both empathic anger and sadness in adolescents showed differences depending on the severity level of peer bullying. A significant difference presented only in empathic sadness depending on the severity level of victimization. The interaction effect between bullying and victim severity appeared only for empathic anger. Second, empathic anger and empathic sadness had a significant effect only on adolescents' prosocial defensive behavior. Neither empathic anger nor sadness had a significant effect on aggressive defensive behavior.
 Conclusions: First, in a situation of peer bullying, surrounding peers must first empathize with the victim's pain in order for anger toward the bully to arise. Second, to increase pro-social defensive behavior, surrounding peers have to sympathize with the victim's pain and simultaneously be morally sensitive to bullying that violates the victim's well-being and rights.
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