The maladaptive side of Internet altruists: Relationship between Internet altruistic behavior and cyberbullying victimization

Abstract

The association of Internet altruistic behavior with cyberbullying victimization and the moderating mechanisms underlying this relation are still unclear. This study examined the relation between Internet altruistic behavior and cyberbullying victimization, and the moderation effects of core self-evaluations and gender in this relation. 820 Chinese adolescents (48.78% males; mean age = 13.12) completed Internet Altruistic Behavior Scale, Cyber Bullying Inventory, and Core Self-Evaluations Scale. Results indicated that Internet altruistic behaviors predicted adolescents’ cyberbullying victimization. The moderation effects of core self-evaluations and gender revealed that adolescents low (versus high) in core self-evaluations and males (versus females) were more likely to be cyberbullied when they used more Internet altruistic behaviors. The three-way interaction effect indicated that the relationship between Internet altruistic behavior and cyberbullying victimization became stronger among males low in core self-evaluations than female those, whereas, Internet altruistic behavior did not significantly predict cyberbullying victimization among both males and females high in core self-evaluations. Internet altruistic behavior plays an important role in adolescents’ cyberbullying victimization, and core self-evaluations and gender moderate this relation respectively and simultaneously. It reminds schools and parents to focus on males low in core self-evaluations and promote adolescents’ core self-evaluations to provide appropriate interventions for creating a good Internet environment and reducing the risk of cyberbullying victimization.