Article Analysis: Narcissism in Cyberbullying

Article

Fan, C. Y., Chu, X. W., Zhang, M., & Zhou, Z. K. (2019). Are narcissists more likely to be involved in cyberbullying? Examining the mediating role of self-esteem. Journal of interpersonal violence, 34(15), 3127-3150.

Justification for Article Selection

The article was selected because it addresses one of the world’s most pressing issues today, cyberbullying. 46% of teens have been victims of online harassment and intimidation (Vogels, 2022). Cyberbullying has become the number one safety concern for teachers, with victims of the practice aged 25 and below more likely to self-harm and enact suicidal behavior (Vogels, 2022). Cyberbullying and its adverse consequences make it a serious criminal offense that can no longer be ignored. Therefore, the article is a good starting point for understanding this emerging aggressive behavior online and attempting to link it with particular personality and psychological characteristics among the perpetrators.

Summary

In the article, Fan et al. (2019) sought to examine the relationship between cyberbullying perpetration and narcissism as well as the mediating role of self-esteem in exerting influence among narcissistic individuals. To achieve this goal, questionnaires were distributed anonymously to adolescents, after which 814 were completed and returned. Inferential statistics with the use of multiple regression were adopted to analyze the data collected. According to the results, covert narcissism was found to be a positive predictor of both cyberbullying perpetration and victimization (Fan et al., 2019). In addition, self-esteem mediated the correlation between cyberbullying perpetration and victimization.

Statistical Tests Used

The study employed three statistical procedures to analyze data – descriptive, correlational, linear regression, and test for hypothesized mediation model. Descriptive analysis with the help of SPSS was instrumental in understanding the general condition of the variables, in this case, how widespread cyberbullying perpetration and victimization is. The researchers also adopted two-way ANOVA to explore the impact of participant characteristics (gender, student status) on the variables. Also, Pearson’s correlation analysis was employed to examine the relationship among independent, mediator, and dependent variables. While Pearson’s correlation examines the potential relationship between variables, linear regression was instrumental in understanding the degree to which independent variables and mediator impact dependent variables.

Correlation and regression analyses are statistical techniques referred to as inferential statistics used to test for a causal relationship between variables. Inferential statistics play a crucial role in helping a researcher draw conclusions and make predictions about a research problem using data (Haden, 2019). In other words, as the name suggests, inferential statistics is a way of making inferences about a population. For example, from the article, covert narcissism was found to be a positive predictor of cyberbullying perpetration and victimization, with self-teem mediating the relationship. Therefore, it can be inferred that covert narcissists with self-esteem issues are more likely to harass users online.

Analysis of the Research Question

A research question is a question that a researcher sets out to answer. It is an essential part of a quantitative investigation since it pinpoints what a researcher intends to discover. Research questions for the article include:

1. What is the relationship between covert and overt narcissism and cyberbullying perpetration and victimization?
2. Does self-esteem have a mediating role in the association between narcissism and cyberbullying perpetration and victimization?

The article sufficiently responds to the set research questions. That is because the questions were essential to the research process. They influenced most of the steps taken to fulfil the established research objectives. In other words, research questions informed the choices for the research design, data collection instruments, and data analysis techniques.

Appropriateness of the Procedures and Results to the Initial Research Question

As mentioned above, the choice of research design and procedures were informed by the research questions. Therefore, the procedures and outcome of the research study are consistent with the initial research questions. According to Newman and Covrig (2013), the first four steps – title, purpose, problem, and research questions – must be aligned. Building consistency between these crucial parts of research helps focus on what literature to review and what research methods are appropriate. Being competent and experienced researchers, Fan et al. (2019) adhere to quality research standards, resulting in alignment between procedures, results, and research questions.

Inferential statistics offer a reliable framework for testing the relationship between variables to infer or predict phenomena in a population. However, it is not without limitations. A significant weakness of the statistical technique is that researchers are limited in what they can explore. For example, in the research problem, Fan et al. (2019) attempt to answer “how” narcissism and cyberbullying are related. The statistical method fails to answer questions such as “why” the two variables relate in the first place. Furthermore, inferential statistics do not provide further information on what can be done to address cyberbullying.

Another limitation is that the study uses a small sample (814 respondents) to draw estimates and conclusions about a population. As such, the inferences made – covert narcissism is a positive predictor of cyberbullying perpetration and victimization and self-teem mediating the relationship – may not be 100% accurate. As long as the entire population is not studied, a degree of uncertainty is always involved. Also, the investigation may have been subject to the adverse implications of response bias whereby participants either inaccurately or falsely answered questions in the questionnaires. It is a prevalent bias in research involving participant self-report, which was the case in the article.

References

Fan, C. Y., Chu, X. W., Zhang, M., & Zhou, Z. K. (2019). Are narcissists more likely to be involved in cyberbullying? Examining the mediating role of self-esteem. Journal of interpersonal violence, 34(15), 3127-3150.

Haden, P. (2019). Inferential statistics. The Cambridge handbook of computing education research, pp. 133–172.

Newman, I., & Covrig, D. M. (2013). Building consistency between the title, problem statement, purpose, & research questions to improve the quality of research plans and reports. New Horizons in Adult Education and Human Resource Development, 25(1), 70–79.

Vogels, E. A. (2022). Teens and cyberbullying 2022. Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech. Retrieved February 7, 2023, from https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/12/15/teens-and-cyberbullying-2022/