The role of shyness in cyberbullying perpetration: a moderated mediation model of relative deprivation, anger rumination, and Internet morality
Abstract Although the relationship between shyness and aggression has been well established, whether shyness is associated with cyberbullying perpetration and its underlying mechanisms has been unclear. Guided by the General Aggression Model (GAM), this study proposed that shyness, as a personal tra...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-04-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22503-y |
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| author | Xiaowei Chu Yating Lu Tingting Guo Qing Li Dong Xie Kexin Rong Yuju Lei |
| author_facet | Xiaowei Chu Yating Lu Tingting Guo Qing Li Dong Xie Kexin Rong Yuju Lei |
| author_sort | Xiaowei Chu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Although the relationship between shyness and aggression has been well established, whether shyness is associated with cyberbullying perpetration and its underlying mechanisms has been unclear. Guided by the General Aggression Model (GAM), this study proposed that shyness, as a personal trait, is related to cyberbullying perpetration through cognitive and emotional processes. Specifically, we developed a moderated mediation model to examine the mediating roles of relative deprivation and anger rumination, as well as the moderating role of Internet morality, in the relationship between shyness and cyberbullying. Results indicated that both relative deprivation and anger rumination operated as separate and sequential mediators in the relationship between shyness and cyberbullying perpetration. Additionally, Internet morality moderated the effects of shyness and anger rumination on cyberbullying perpetration, and the mediating effects through anger rumination and relative deprivation, and solely through anger rumination. These effects were substantially weaker for individuals with higher levels of Internet morality. The present study provides valuable insights into the potential mechanisms linking shyness and cyberbullying perpetration and emphasizes the critical role of Internet morality in alleviating college students’ cyberbullying. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d2fb098dd1ba4693b310b7fc2ca68a1c |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-d2fb098dd1ba4693b310b7fc2ca68a1c2025-08-20T03:06:55ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582025-04-0125111310.1186/s12889-025-22503-yThe role of shyness in cyberbullying perpetration: a moderated mediation model of relative deprivation, anger rumination, and Internet moralityXiaowei Chu0Yating Lu1Tingting Guo2Qing Li3Dong Xie4Kexin Rong5Yuju Lei6School of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal UniversitySchool of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal UniversitySchool of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal UniversitySchool of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal UniversityDepartment of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Louisiana Tech UniversitySchool of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal UniversitySchool of Teacher Education, Hubei University of Arts and ScienceAbstract Although the relationship between shyness and aggression has been well established, whether shyness is associated with cyberbullying perpetration and its underlying mechanisms has been unclear. Guided by the General Aggression Model (GAM), this study proposed that shyness, as a personal trait, is related to cyberbullying perpetration through cognitive and emotional processes. Specifically, we developed a moderated mediation model to examine the mediating roles of relative deprivation and anger rumination, as well as the moderating role of Internet morality, in the relationship between shyness and cyberbullying. Results indicated that both relative deprivation and anger rumination operated as separate and sequential mediators in the relationship between shyness and cyberbullying perpetration. Additionally, Internet morality moderated the effects of shyness and anger rumination on cyberbullying perpetration, and the mediating effects through anger rumination and relative deprivation, and solely through anger rumination. These effects were substantially weaker for individuals with higher levels of Internet morality. The present study provides valuable insights into the potential mechanisms linking shyness and cyberbullying perpetration and emphasizes the critical role of Internet morality in alleviating college students’ cyberbullying.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22503-yShynessCyberbullying perpetrationRelative deprivationAnger ruminationInternet morality |
| spellingShingle | Xiaowei Chu Yating Lu Tingting Guo Qing Li Dong Xie Kexin Rong Yuju Lei The role of shyness in cyberbullying perpetration: a moderated mediation model of relative deprivation, anger rumination, and Internet morality BMC Public Health Shyness Cyberbullying perpetration Relative deprivation Anger rumination Internet morality |
| title | The role of shyness in cyberbullying perpetration: a moderated mediation model of relative deprivation, anger rumination, and Internet morality |
| title_full | The role of shyness in cyberbullying perpetration: a moderated mediation model of relative deprivation, anger rumination, and Internet morality |
| title_fullStr | The role of shyness in cyberbullying perpetration: a moderated mediation model of relative deprivation, anger rumination, and Internet morality |
| title_full_unstemmed | The role of shyness in cyberbullying perpetration: a moderated mediation model of relative deprivation, anger rumination, and Internet morality |
| title_short | The role of shyness in cyberbullying perpetration: a moderated mediation model of relative deprivation, anger rumination, and Internet morality |
| title_sort | role of shyness in cyberbullying perpetration a moderated mediation model of relative deprivation anger rumination and internet morality |
| topic | Shyness Cyberbullying perpetration Relative deprivation Anger rumination Internet morality |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22503-y |
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