Cyberbullying, or bullying using technology, has become a prominent issue in today’s society due to large social media platforms that are at the finger tips of almost every person due to cellphones. This issue is especially prominent in children who use technology as a way to hide their identity and therefore say and do things they might not in person, especially when they see other people doing the same things online. I am always surprised how one instance of digital bullying spirals out of control due to mob mentality.
WebMD describes mob mentality as occurring when “individuals
are influenced by a larger group” (2021). Children are already susceptible to
influence and peer pressure, so this idea of conforming to a group is easily
caused by their desire to fit in or at least not draw unwanted attention to
oneself. It is easier for a child to hide behind a screen and “bully” another
child when they feel both anonymous and like they are doing the same thing all
their friends are doing.
So how can the idea of mob mentality, or “all my friends are
doing it too!”, be addressed with children before it gets out of control? Cyberbullying
has led to some very tragic ends and it is best to preclude the possibility of any
sort of bullying before it happens, if possible. In one academic study “teachers
and administrators [surveyed] felt that grater attention needed to be given to
policy development, implementation, and programs based on research” (Faucher,
Cassidy, Jackson, 2015, pg. 118). This belief that schools need more policies
about cyberbullying has taken root across the nation where public schools are
working to implement programs to help students understand the severity of their
actions regarding using technology in negative ways. One New York governor went
so far as to enact a law training teacher on identifying and handling
cyberbullying issues, as well as requiring them to report an incident within
one school day (Orech, 2012).
However, most educators know that more policies are not
always what is needed to help students understand the negative effects of
cyberbullying on their victims and themselves. Often sharing real life examples
of what cyberbullying has led to, especially when it is accompanied by mob
mentality with multiple people targeting one individual. Children also need
guidance on how to safely use technology and social media in order to not become
a victim themselves. The website Cyberbulling.org
is a great resource for educators, parents, and students and offers of
information and is kept up to date with relevant information such as how to
safely use TikTok.
References:
Brennan, D. (2021, October 25). What is mob mentality?
WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-is-a-mob-mentality
Faucher, C., Cassidy,
W., & Jackson, M. (2015). From the sandbox to the inbox: Comparing the
acts, impacts, and solutions of bullying in k-12, higher education, and the
workplace. Journal Of Education And Training
Studies, 3(6), 111-125.
Orech, J. (2012, July 25). How
it's done: Incorporating Digital Citizenship into your everyday curriculum.
TechLearningMagazine. https://www.techlearning.com/news/how-its-done-incorporating-digital-citizenship-into-your-everyday-curriculum
Hi Samantha,
ReplyDeleteYou have posed a great question: How can we address the idea of mob mentality when it comes to cyberbullying? Students need to understand that even though someone else is doing it, doesn't make it right and it doesn't mean they have to follow. I think about the Dr. Seuss book..."Oh, the Places, You'll Go" and the snippet..."You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose". Students have to realize what is right, what is wrong, and how to make the best decision about situations that arise - not just follow the crowd.
Yes, there should be teacher trainings, but there should also be trainings and workshops held with students and parents as well. If teachers do what they can at school and parents extend the expectations at home regarding digital citizenship, students would be submerged with ongoing support.
One district I worked for implemented the 'See Something, Say Something' campaign. The campaign allowed all stakeholders to anonymously report things like cyberbullying. It was effective because the caller knew they could remain anonymous. What resonated with me as I read your post was what kids always say 'snitches get stitches', so they do not report. In Jennifer's Blog (Wiser People so Full of Doubts), she mentions that people do not always like to report. The Maybe if policies were in place to allow people to anonymously report it would help to break down the 'mob mentality'. Hmmm... 🤔
Thank you for your perspective,
- Wendy -
Like Wendy said, I really like how you focused your post around mob mentality. I think any educator learns early on that if you don't immediately shut down rude comments students make about others, it quickly turns into a mob mentality. I also like how you mentioned that while policies aren't a bad thing, they're not effective if no one knows how to implement them. I think that's why I liked the Orech article so much; I loved reading about a practical way schools began complying with digital citizenship teachings and how successful it was. Not to negate all the work that went into that successful project, but I think a simple mindset shift is often helpful here; policies can sometimes be opportunities to create something really useful and enriching. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteSam,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Rachel and Wendy, you hit the nail on the head with the mob mentality problem. All we have to do is open the comments section on almost any news article on Facebook and we can see that this problem is definitely not limited to adults. People say things online that they would not dream of saying in person. In the readings this week they talked about how cyberbullies fly under the radar because they often don't fit the stereotypical "bully" mold. How do we address this when even adults are showing so little self control? As you and the others have said, teaching compassion, empathy and shifting the culture are key. We can't just address the issue when it comes up, we have to head it off at the pass so to speak.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Lauren Jordan
This was an engaging read that really got me thinking about how to address mob mentality with my students. Like you said, it is easy for a child (or sadly, an adult) to hide behind a screen and not feel the immediate ramifications of their actions. I'm a first-year media specialist and am currently beginning to use the Common Sense Media lessons on digital citizenship with my K-2 students. One lesson in particular, Putting a Stop to Online Meanness, invites the students to consider the difference between saying something in person versus online. We have not specifically covered mob mentality, but we have talked about standing up for what's right. This is definitely a point that needs to be covered though: What do you do when everyone else is joining in?
ReplyDelete