Psychology: Social Media and Bullying

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Discussion
Point of View
Concluding Points
Works Cited

Introduction

It is worth noting that one of the main processes happening in the world is globalization, which affects various sides of human life, including communication and interaction with other people (Kornblum and Julian, p. 411). The development of media channels contributes to the formation of a global information space in which different forms of inequality also persist. In the modern world, the gap between different social groups is widening every year, which leads to more complicated relations and aggravation of conflicts. The Internet is a space that has specific features, and within the framework of this new type of interpersonal communication, the problem of bullying of one person from the side of another arises often. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the issue of social media and bullying and express the authors opinion on the matter.

Discussion

Experts in the field of psychology believe that bullying in social media is a way for individuals to assert their authority in society (Agbasiere, p. 101). The main reason for this is that this method does not require financial expenditures since almost everyone has Internet access. Also, it is difficult to trace the person who was trying to harass another individual on social media. As a result, bullying is being observed frequently in different groups (Gunderson, p. 27). This is especially typical for adolescents, for whom, on the one hand, it is very important to achieve public recognition, and on the other hand, they often do not have enough resources to get that. At present, this issue is becoming increasingly pressing in terms of its effect on the psychological well-being of society.

According to studies, more than 20% of secondary school students become victims of bullying on social media. This phenomenon is most often observed in developed countries, where people have access to the Internet in 90% of cases (Gunderson, p. 42). As a result, almost every fifth of a teenager on the planet is subject to bullying. It is important that bullying is a cross-cultural phenomenon in all human communities, one can find examples of this form of abuse.

Interestingly, bullying in social media can have its advantages as well. In particular, bullying gives a person the opportunity to prove their superiority in physiological terms or in terms of position in society (Yates, p. 23). From a psychological point of view, evidence of excellence in relation to individual physiological benefits has a positive effect on growth and survival in resource-limited settings. Similar applies to individual sexual advantages children prone to bullying, reach puberty earlier and have greater potential in relationships. Bullying also has group advantages it allows getting a certain social status. In the future, this may be translated into physiological, sexual, or another form of dominance.

However, the effects of bullying on social media are often underestimated. This is due to the fact that bullying in a virtual environment does not threaten the physical security of a person directly, so one cannot attribute particular importance to it. Nevertheless, studies confirm that bullying can have serious consequences for all participants (Yates, p. 23). It affects the emotional and psychological well-being of both the victim and the aggressor. Teenagers who have not developed the ability to cope adequately with stress and respond to conflicts are more prone to crime and violence, and bullying on the Internet is a precursor to those.

In addition, there is a definite relationship between bullying on social media and the low self-esteem of individuals. Teenagers who are victims of bullying often have lower self-esteem than their peers who have never encountered this phenomenon. It is impossible to state definitely whether low self-esteem is a consequence of stress associated with bullying or if low self-esteem is one of the reasons for bullying (Gunderson, p. 27). However, adolescents with low self-esteem can use bullying as a means of self-affirmation among peers. Nevertheless, the most important and difficult consequences of this phenomenon are the psychological and emotional outcomes of bullying, which may result in suicide. It is not possible to say unequivocally whether bullying is leading teenagers to suicide, but it can clearly be one of the triggers.

Point of View

The author of this paper believes that social media have certain advantages since they offer ample opportunities for socialization and the establishment and maintenance of contact with individuals and social groups. Moreover, they provide new possibilities for self-expression and allow people to build careers in new areas. However, the negative effects are much more serious than the positive aspects. Bullying leads to anxiety disorders, episodes of depression, a tendency to unhealthy and dangerous behavior (Agbasiere, p. 101). Also, social media form high expectations in people, and they involuntarily compare themselves and others with the image that other users create and maintain online. The discrepancies between the online image and the real one also lead to bullying and the aggravation of psychological problems, especially among younger people with an unstable psyche.

Concluding Points

Thus, it can be concluded that bullying in social media is a frequently observed phenomenon, which can potentially undermine a persons well-being. Despite the fact that it opens up new opportunities for people, social media should be used carefully by younger generations. Moreover, a systematic approach to combating the issue of bullying should be developed so that both the victim and the aggressor receive the same degree of help and attention.

Works Cited

Agbasiere, Venatius. Welcome to the World of Social Media. AuthorHouse, 2018.
Gunderson, Josh. Cyberbullying: Perpetrators, Bystanders and Victims. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2017.
Kornblum, William, and Joseph Julian. Social problems. 14th ed., Pearson, 2012.
Yates, Judith A. Bullied to Death: A Story of Bullying, Social Media, and the Suicide of Sherokee Harriman. WildBlue Press, 2018.

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Introduction

Discussion

Point of View

Concluding Points

Works Cited

Related