Unique and interactive effects of guilt and sympathy on bystander aggressive defender intervention in cyberbullying: The mediation of self-regulation

Abstract

Defending actions by bystanders may decrease the prevalence and adverse effects on victims of cyberbullying. While the defender bystander's role seems promising in lessening the incidence of cyberbullying, it remains crucial to distinguish between aggressive and constructive defending interventions since an aggressive intervention can spur on cyberbullying rather than prevent it. Despite its relevance, few studies have explored the factors surrounding bystanders' incidences taking aggressive defending interventions to stop cyberbullying. The present study examines the unique and interactive relationships between guilt, sympathy, and aggressive defending intervention in cyberbullying to reduce this gap. It also analyzes how self-regulation mediates the influence of moral emotions in this intervention. To do so, 1674 high school students were tested, 49.7% male (Mage = 15.99, SD = 1.03 years old) and 50.3% females (Mage = 16.02, SD = 1.04 years old). Results showed that guilt and sympathy have a unique and interactive direct negative relationship with self-regulation and bystanders taking aggressive defending interventions. Moreover, self-regulation partially mediates the negative unique and interactive relationship between guilt and sympathy with aggressive defending intervention. These findings emphasize the importance of considering the interaction between moral emotions and cognitive agentic processes when examining bystanders making defending responses in cyberbullying.