Culturally-Motivated Bullying and Bystander Intervention: The Role of Witness Situational Awareness, Intervention History, and Victim Race

Abstract

Research indicates that individuals who are not part of mainstream cultures may be disproportionately vulnerable to bully victimization. In response to culturally-motivated bullying vignettes, we explored bystander intervention/upstanding behavioral intentions in an experimental design involving 294 college student participants. Participants were randomly assigned to conditions that presented vignettes involving race-, gender-, and sexual orientation-based bullying. Race of victim was significantly related to upstanding behaviors. Perceived emergency of the situation and previous experience with upstanding interventions were also predictive of upstanding behavior. Empathy for the victims and intentions to comfort them were the primary rationales cited for preferring specific upstanding behaviors. Findings have implications for designing culturally-motivated bullying prevention programs in school and campus settings.