Cyberbullying: Causes and Preventive Measures
Methodology Reflection and Preparation
The central research issue is the identification of the causes of cyberbullying as an international activity from the perspective of criminology and the analysis of existing preventive methods. In this context, survey research is the most appropriate quantitative research method for the proposed project. It features a combination of different questions that are flexible and effective means of obtaining information, which is ideal for identifying the causes of victims’ and perpetrators’ behavior (“Criminology and criminal justice research,” n.d.). Another promising method is meta-analysis, but its implementation is complicated by significant gaps in the current literature (Gaffney et al., 2019). Thus, survey research allows me to most effectively obtain the necessary information regarding the causes of cyberbullying, which is best suited for the project.
Proposal Preparation
The analyzed articles allowed me to learn several essential details about the subject of my research. First of all, the work of Ansary (2020) allowed me to visualize the conceptual basis of cyberbullying, which is necessary for further investigation. However, the author emphasizes that this area has been studied very little from a criminological perspective. From a study by Barlett et al. (2021), I extracted the correlation between cyberbullying and social events using the example of COVID-19, thereby exploring the mechanisms by which the causes of this behavior can be interpreted. Gaffney et al. (2019) show the potential effectiveness of preventive measures but note significant gaps in the literature. Finally, Zhu et al. (2021) emphasize the international perspective and the need for cooperative research on this topic. Thus, the studied works demonstrated to me that the topic I am researching is currently relevant but little studied, and there is a need for additional analysis of existing tools and patterns from a criminological point of view.
The survey research method I have chosen has several distinct advantages in this context. Firstly, this method of collecting information allows me to get the personal opinions of people associated with cyberbullying. These can be both victims and perpetrators themselves, making it possible to obtain a wide range of views. Due to the chaotic nature of this phenomenon, any long-term analysis or experimental study will not satisfy the current needs, while the survey research is flexible. In addition, such a practical study will fill the gaps in the existing literature that prevent the full use of meta-analysis as a technique.
References
Ansary, N. S. (2020). Cyberbullying: Concepts, theories, and correlates informing evidence-based best practices for prevention. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 50, 101343.
Barlett, C. P., Rinker, A., & Roth, B. (2021). Cyberbullying perpetration in the COVID-19 era: An application of general strain theory. The Journal of Social Psychology, 161(4), 466-476.
Criminology and criminal justice research: Methods. (n.d.). Law Library – American Law and Legal Information.
Gaffney, H., Farrington, D. P., Espelage, D. L., & Ttofi, M. M. (2019). Are cyberbullying intervention and prevention programs effective? A systematic and meta-analytical review. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 45, 134-153.
Zhu, C., Huang, S., Evans, R., & Zhang, W. (2021). Cyberbullying among adolescents and children: a comprehensive review of the global situation, risk factors, and preventive measures. Frontiers in Public Health, 167.