What Hurts Most? A Comparison of College Students' Perceptions of Cyber and Traditional Victimization

Although the research literature has demonstrated that cyber victimization is associated with a variety of negative psychological and social consequences, the support for the uniqueness of cyber bullying as distinct from traditional bullying is mixed. The current study conducted a quasi-experimental comparison of college students' perceptions of the anticipated hurt and reputational ramifications of cyber and traditional victimization. Generally, students rated the negative implications of cyber bullying as similar to those of traditional bullying. As exceptions, participants perceived greater hurt associated with face-to-face "flaming" behavior compared to experiencing the same situation online. Regardless of modality, "flaming" victimization was considered to be the least harmful emotionally and to the reputation, while "outing" was considered to be the most harmful. Finally, personal experiences with traditional victimization and poorer self-esteem were associated with perceptions of more emotional harm, or perceived hurt, associated with traditional victimization. However, among those with personal histories of traditional bullying, men were more likely than women to anticipate being hurt by cyber bullying. In summary, the type of victimization may be more important than the modality (online versus face-to-face).