Document Type
Dissertation
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Major/Program
Psychology
First Advisor's Name
Dionne Stephens
First Advisor's Committee Title
Committee Chair
Second Advisor's Name
Asia Eaton
Second Advisor's Committee Title
Committee Member
Third Advisor's Name
Bethany Reeb-Sutherland
Third Advisor's Committee Title
Committee Member
Fourth Advisor's Name
Yu Liu
Fourth Advisor's Committee Title
Committee Member
Keywords
Online Aggression, Anonymity, Social Modeling, Emerging Adults, Religiosity, Political Ideology, Cyberbullying, Cyberdisinhibition
Date of Defense
8-28-2017
Abstract
This dissertation investigated online aggression in emerging adults to understand the contextual power of anonymity and social modeling. Emerging adults are characterized as undergoing a period of identity exploration, instability, self-focus, transition, and possibility (Arnett, 2004). Given the importance of identity development at this stage of the lifespan, this research explored religiosity/spirituality and political ideology; two pivotal belief systems that are introspectively evaluated and molded in emerging adults as they separate their identities from their world views (Barry & Nelson, 2004). Furthermore, this dissertation sought to apply religiosity/spirituality and political ideology to the previously established link of anonymity and social modeling and their joined impact on online aggression (Zimmerman & Ybarra, 2016). Behavioral temptation to aggress and participant responses following interaction on a mock blog was recorded and analyzed in situations of anonymity and positive or neutral social models. Aggressive social modeling influenced blog posts and behavioral temptation to aggress. Religiosity/spirituality and political attitudes moderated aggression in blog posts.
Identifier
FIDC004002
Recommended Citation
Zimmerman, Adam, "Impact of Anonymity and Social Modeling: Online Aggression in Emerging Adults and Their Religious and Political Ideologies" (2017). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3564.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/3564
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