Effects of victimization and perpetration in observing bullying scenes: an eye-tracker study

Laura Menabò, Simona C.S. Caravita, Grace Skrzypiec, Phillip Slee, Annalisa Guarini

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    Abstract

    Introduction: Previous research showed that bullying experiences are associated with different ways of interpreting and behaving in bullying dynamics. However, it remains uncertain whether these distinctions can already be present during the first step of information processing: the allocation of attention. Aims: The study explored attentional patterns of Italian students with different bullying experiences in daily life while observing different roles represented through bullying vignettes. 

    Methods: Participants (72 students, Mage= 11.18) were categorized as victims, bully-victims, or not involved based on their scores on a self-report questionnaire. They observed 9 bullying vignettes on which different portraits were presented (bully, victim, pro-bully, defender, bystander) while the eye-tracker registered attentional indexes (fixation, visit and duration). 

    Results: Kruskal- Wallis and pairwise comparisons revealed a significant effect for the portraits of the bully and the pro-bully as bully-victims exhibited greater fixations and visits than victims, while students not involved showed no significant differences with the other groups. 

    Conclusion: Our research reveals that bully-victims focused more on threatening cues while victims diverged their gaze from them, confirming that the experience of bullying influences how they explore aggressive situations. Learning how involved students direct their attention helps us understand different responses, leading to powerful interventions.

    Original languageEnglish
    Article number100451
    Number of pages9
    JournalInternational Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology
    Volume24
    Issue number2
    Early online date28 Feb 2024
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Apr 2024

    Keywords

    • Bully/victims
    • Bullying
    • Eye-tracker
    • Roles, Attention allocation

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