Defining cyberbullying: A multiple perspectives approach
Abstract
To date, there has been a lack of consensus among researchers, practitioners, and laypersons about the definition of cyberbullying. Researchers have typically applied the key characteristics of intent to harm, power imbalance, and repetition from the definition of traditional bullying to cyberbullying, but how these characteristics transfer from the real world to a technology-mediated environment remains ambiguous. Moreover, very few studies have specifically investigated how cyberbullying is defined from the perspective of bullies, victims and bystanders. To this end, this article will propose a three-part definition of cyberbullying, which incorporates the perspective of bullies, victims and bystanders.
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Repetition may occur through a single act of perpetration that is repeatedly shared.
“For example, repetition may occur through a single act of perpetration that is repeatedly shared (18, 22);”
From A thematic analysis of adolescents’ perceptions of cyberbullying and cyberaggression: definitional distinctions and educational gaps (2026) · cites this paper as [18]
Efforts to establish a universal cyberbullying definition have largely relied on deductive, theory-driven approaches or consensus-based approaches involving cyberbullying researchers.
“Efforts to establish a universal cyberbullying definition have largely relied on deductive, theory-driven approaches (18, 43), or on consensus-based approaches involving cyberbullying researchers (53).”
From A thematic analysis of adolescents’ perceptions of cyberbullying and cyberaggression: definitional distinctions and educational gaps (2026) · cites this paper as [18]
Defining cyberbullying has proven challenging due to a lack of consensus regarding its definition and criteria.
“Defining cyberbullying has proven challenging due to a lack of consensus regarding its definition and criteria, with researchers unable to agree upon a standardized definition (15, 18, 43, 44), reflecting its characterization in the literature as a complex and multifaceted phenomenon (45).”
From A thematic analysis of adolescents’ perceptions of cyberbullying and cyberaggression: definitional distinctions and educational gaps (2026) · cites this paper as [18]
Researchers have advocated for incorporating these perspectives to ensure stronger conceptual alignment.
“As a result, researchers have advocated for these perspectives to be incorporated to ensure stronger conceptual alignment (14, 18, 43, 54, 55).”
From A thematic analysis of adolescents’ perceptions of cyberbullying and cyberaggression: definitional distinctions and educational gaps (2026) · cites this paper as [18]
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العوامل النفسية الكامنة وراء الحكم الخلقي فى علاقته بالتنمر الإلكترونى لدى المراهقين
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- Authors
- Alexandra, A., Jason, S., Stephen, T., & Lisa, W.
- Venue
- Studies in health technology and informatics
- Publisher
- IOS Press
- Published
- 2015
- Volume
- 219
- Pages
- 9-13
- ISSN
- 0926-9630 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2299693955
- Cited by
- 19
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 5.55
- Type
- book chapter
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Studies in health technology and informatics (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Swinburne figshare (Swinburne University of Technology) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › Hate Speech and Cyberbullying Detection
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Workplace Violence and Bullying
- Keywords
- cyberbullying, definition of cyberbullying, multiple perspectives, bullying perpetrators, victims, bystanders, intent to harm, power imbalance, repetition, traditional bullying
- MeSH terms
- Humans, Terminology as Topic, Crime Victims, Bullying
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