Empathy and cyberbystander behavior: The role of moral disengagement

Cyberbystanders are generally defined as witnesses of cyberbullying performed through electronic media. They might support the perpetrator (reinforcer), help the victim (defender), or do nothing (outsider). Limited research has investigated the different roles of cyberbystanders and the factors that influence their behavior. This study aimed to advance the understanding of cyberbystander behavior by focusing on the role moral disengagement plays in the relationship between empathy and behavior. Four hundred and thirty-five participants (45% males) with an average age of 30 years completed the Interpersonal Reactivity Index-C, the Moral Disengagement Scale, and the Cyberbystander Behavior Questionnaire. The results indicate that gender and age have non-significant associations with cyberbystander roles. Both cyberbullying perpetration and victimization had significant effects only on reinforcer behavior. Moreover, moral disengagement mediates relationships between either emotional or cognitive empathy and reinforcer/defender/outsider roles, respectively. The significance and limitations of these results are discussed.