I Love You but I Cyberbully You: The Role of Hostile Sexism

Both Hostile and Benevolent Sexism Predict Men's Infidelity

Infidelity has destructive effects on romantic relationships. Several idiographic characteristics or experiences in an intimate relationship have been linked to unfaithfulness. Yet, relatively little research has been paid to investigate how sexist beliefs might sabotage relationships by incurring infidelity. The present research examined the association between men's ambivalent sexism - hostile sexism and benevolent sexism - and men's infidelity as well as women's perception of the likelihood of men's infidelity. The results showed that men's hostile sexism and benevolent sexism predicted their increased infidelity (Studies 1 and 2). In addition, the indirect association between ambivalent sexism (both hostile sexism and benevolent sexism) and infidelity was through the importance placed on power in one's intimate relationship in general (Study 2). Importantly, women were unaware of benevolently sexist men's increased infidelity, such that women rated benevolently sexist men as having a lower likelihood of engaging in infidelity than hostilely sexist men and believed benevolently sexist men's infidelity level was similar to nonsexist men (Study 3). Therefore, these findings contribute to the psychology of infidelity by revealing that ambivalent sexism, both hostile sexism and benevolent sexism, are significant predictors. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Is Adolescents' Cyber Dating Violence Perpetration Related to Problematic Pornography Use? The Moderating Role of Hostile Sexism

Intimate partner violence is an important public health problem. Cyber dating violence (CDV) is a form of intimate partner violence perpetrated within a dating relationship via new communication technologies. This study investigated the moderating roles of hostile and benevolent sexism in the relationship between problematic pornography use and CDV perpetration. The Cyber Pornography Use Inventory, the Cyber Dating Violence Inventory, and the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory were completed by 421 Italian adolescents (M = 16.53; females = 63.7%). Results indicated that problematic pornography use was positively related to CDV perpetration. In addition, the relationship between problematic pornography use and CDV perpetration was found to be moderated by hostile sexism. In participants with low levels of hostile sexism, the relationship between problematic pornography use and CDV perpetration was not significant. Conversely, in those with high levels of hostile sexism, this relationship was stronger and significant. Benevolent sexism was not found to be a moderator in the relationship between problematic pornography use and CDV perpetration. Thus, hostile sexism could be a risk factor for the relationship between adolescents' problematic pornography use and their engagement in CDV. Conversely, low levels of hostile sexism could be a protective factor.

Social networks and aggressive attitudes: who is who. Scoping review of the scientific production on their relationships

Introduction

In the current world, an increasing number of people use social networks as a scenario for socialization, which have come to stay as a part of human development. During this socialization process, violent situations occur all too often, despite their virtuality, and seriously compromises the emotional well-being of the other participants. Based on the work conducted on this subject, the following systematic review aims to establish the state of the art regarding the relationship between moral disengagement, disruptive behavior and emotional intelligence of social network users.

Method

A scoping review is carried out, according to the PRISMA-ScR criteria, consulting the WoS, Scopus, Education database, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, PLOS one and ScienceDirect databases, from 2021 up to the present day.

Results

A total of 999 articles related to the research topic were collected, although the result of research responding to the specific search criteria was reduced to 10.

Discussion

The research identified shows that there is a relationship between the level of moral development of social network users and their participation in aggressive online behavior. However, more research is needed, as it has not been demonstrated whether it is the networks that develop or favor the emergence of these attitudes, or simply act as facilitators for their amplified expression.

Listening to stakeholders in the prevention of gender-based violence among young people in Spain: a qualitative study from the positivMasc project

OBJECTIVE

This study seeks to deepen current knowledge of the phenomenon of gender-based violence (GVB) among young people in Spain, identifying the main challenges in terms of prevention from the perspective of key stakeholders in the field.

METHODS

23 semi-structured qualitative interviews were performed with professionals whose work involves youth and comes from different areas: social work, policy making, youth education, feminist and LGBTQ activism and anti-violence masculinities engagement (13 women and 10 men).

RESULTS

Among the main challenges identified by stakeholders in relation to GBV preventive strategies in young populations there is a need to focus on transformative programmes within educational settings. The findings indicate that specific programs and interventions in this area may not be yielding the expected effectiveness. This outcome could be attributed less to a lack of resources and more to a failure to address the core issues and challenges adequately. Thus, the results underline that intervention programmes should emphasise equitable gender norms and gender relations and incorporate content on anti-violence masculinities. Finally, a pivotal aspect seen by professionals to facilitate GBV prevention is the design and development of interventions based on participatory and active approaches, close to young people's everyday situations. The results also draw attention to the need to analyse the impact of new forms of violence in greater depth, especially those that occur through information and communication technologies.

CONCLUSION

Among other implications for policy and practice, the study points to the need to articulate interventions designed to work simultaneously at different levels of influence acting on people.

"I Reject it, But That's What Normally Happens": Grey Zones of Gender-Based Violence and Gender Roles in Young People

There has been growing concern about the increase in gender-based violence (GBV) among young people. The aim of this study was to explore the grey zones in GBV alongside gender (masculinities and femininities) discourses in young adults. We used the concept of a "grey zone" as an analytical tool to identify possible contradictory discursive positions where the notions of victims and perpetrators of GBV converge and become ambiguous. We performed a qualitative study based on 20 semi-structured interviews and 4 focus groups (October 2019 to February 2020) in Spain with a sample of 49 cisgender women and men, aged between 18 and 24, some involved in feminist activism and some not. We conducted a sociological analysis of the discourse system. Study findings show how culturally constructed gender norms intervene in the ways in which young people understand and deal with GBV. When asked general questions about GBV, this concept was problematized along with gender assumptions and two discursive positions were identified: the discourse of "men as authors of GBV" and the discourse of "GBV as an individual genderless issue." When vignettes of everyday GBV situations were shown, grey zones became visible when discussing subtle forms of GBV influenced by the myths of romantic love, victim-blaming around sexual violence, digital GBV and bystander men intervention on GBV. In those grey zones, discourses on GBV were articulated around unequal notions of gender that, in turn, served as its justification, reproduction, and normalization. The grey zones identified represent contexts of oppression that illustrate how GBV is systematically reproduced, as well as the ways in which young people can be involved in it, perpetuating power and health inequalities. Our findings provide information as a guide to design GBV interventions and prevention actions that incorporate a focus on gender configurations.

Sending of Unwanted Dick Pics as a Modality of Sexual Cyber-Violence: An Exploratory Study of Its Emotional Impact and Reactions in Women

The sending of sexually explicit images by men to women without prior request, a practice commonly referred to as sending or receiving a "dick pic," is a fairly common manifestation of sexual cyber-violence that has grown in recent times. As research on this type of sexual cyber-violence is limited, the current study analyzed the prevalence of this phenomenon in a sample of 347 Spanish women between 18 and 30 years of age, studying the factors that influence the emotional impact reported by women if they received an unsolicited dick pic (using a hypothetical scenario) and exploring the various coping strategies that women would use in that situation. Results showed a significant prevalence of this type of cyber-violence in the sample, as 48.1% of the participants had received an unsolicited dick pic from an unknown man at some point. Women with lower levels of hostile sexism-but not of benevolent sexism-reported a higher depressed and angry/annoyed emotional impact of the sexual cyber-violence scenario. This was also the case for women with a less conservative political ideology, with less religious beliefs, as well as those women who perceived that their female friends receive this type of images frequently (descriptive norm) and who perceived that their female friends are less accepting of these situations (injunctive norm). In addition, from the strategies presented to the participants to cope with this situation of sexual cyber-violence, it was observed that a significant percentage of women would choose strategies, such as talking about the incident with other people and blocking the sender's access. Yet, fewer women would employ effective strategies, such as reporting the perpetrator's profile to the managers or administrators of the social network or reporting the incident to the police. This study is one of the first studies in Spain that addresses this new form of sexual cyber-violence against women by unknown men and suggests that, in online social networks, women experience the same situations of abuse, harassment, and sexual objectification that they have faced offline in everyday life. Therefore, more work needs to be done to raise awareness and try to prevent these situations, while also providing more support to these women so that they can adopt effective coping strategies.

Anxiety, Depression, Self-Esteem, Internet Addiction and Predictors of Cyberbullying and Cybervictimization among Female Nursing University Students: A Cross Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Cyberbullying and cybervictimization, which have been linked to the growth of the Internet and issues with mental health, can have serious psychological and academic consequences for young individuals, yet they have received relatively little scientific attention at universities. These phenomena have become an alarming social issue due to their rising rate and devastating physical and psychological effects on undergraduate university students.

AIM

to estimate the prevalence of depression, low self-esteem, cybervictimization, anxiety, cyberbullying, and Internet addiction among Saudi female nursing university students and to identify the factors that predict cybervictimization and cyberbullying.

METHODS

Convenience sampling was used to select 179 female nursing university students with an average age of 20.80 ± 1.62 years for the purpose of conducting a descriptive cross-sectional study.

RESULTS

The percentage of students who reported having low self-esteem was 19.55%, depression (30.17%), Internet addiction (49.16%), anxiety (34.64%), cyberbullying (20.67%), and cybervictimization (17.32%). There was an inverse relationship between students' self-esteem and their risk of engaging in cyberbullying (AOR = 0.782, 95% CI: 0.830-0.950, p = 0.002) or becoming cybervictims (AOR = 0.840, 95% CI: 0.810-0.920, p < 0.001). Further, Internet addiction predicted both cyberbullying (AOR = 1.028, 95% CI: 1.012-1.049, p = 0.003) and cybervictimization (AOR = 1.027, 95% CI: 1.010-1.042, p < 0.001). The likelihood of experiencing anxiety was linked to cyberbullying (AOR = 1.047, 95% CI: 1.031-1.139, p < 0.001) and cybervictimization (AOR = 1.042, 95% CI: 1.030-1.066, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Importantly, the findings suggest that programs designed to help university students avoid participating in cyberbullying activities or becoming cybervictims should take into account the influence of Internet addiction, mental health issues, and self-esteem.

Profiles and Risk Factors for Teen Dating Violence in Spain

Teen dating violence (TDV) refers to a wide range of partner-directed harmful behaviors among adolescents. Since it was first documented in the 1980s, there is a growing interest in TDV due to its potentially devastating mid- and long-term consequences. Aiming at the early detection of TDV onset with prevention purposes, research has focused on the detection of typologies of perpetrators and/or victims as well as on identifying risk and protective factors for its occurrence. Research with Spanish adolescents, however, is very limited. To fill this gap, we recruited a total of 2,319 adolescents from different regions in Spain, out of which, 1,079 reported having had a romantic partner during the last year. These filled out measures of TDV (perpetration and victimization), school aggression, hostile and benevolent sexism, empathy, assertiveness, psychological inflexibility (general measures), and psychological inflexibility with prejudice thoughts. A cluster analysis revealed that adolescents could be divided into two clusters as a function of their TDV profile: Cluster 1, including close to 76% of the sample (boys and girls), presented low TDV perpetration and victimization; Cluster 2, including 24% of the sample (boys and girls), presented higher TDV perpetration and victimization. Regression analyses revealed that, as compared to those in Cluster 1, adolescents in Cluster 2 were more likely to be older boys who scored high in benevolent sexism, overt and relational school aggression, and personal distress, and low in behavior regulation skills, perspective taking, and practical personal ability. We discuss the implications of these findings for the design of evidence-based TDV prevention campaigns.

The contributions of gender identification and gender ideologies to the purposes of social media use in adolescence

Gender differences in adolescent social media use are often documented in the research literature, yet few studies delve into why they occur. Accordingly, we investigated whether gender identification and gender ideologies are associated with five major purposes of social media use in adolescence (emotion and activity bonding with friends, social compensation, appearance validation, and bullying). Participants were 309 cisgender U.S. high school students (Mage = 15.74; 59% girls; 53% white) primarily using Instagram and Snapchat but also TikTok (more popular with girls) and Discord (more popular with boys) in 2019. Girls reported greater use of social media for emotion bonding, appearance validation, and social compensation compared to boys, who reported greater competitive activity bonding. Girls and boys did not differ in their use of social media for bullying. In linear regressions, masculinity ideology predicted purposes associated with girls (appearance validation, social compensation), as well as those associated with boys (competitive activity bonding), regardless of gender. Femininity ideology uniquely predicted emotion bonding and social compensation but only mediated the effect of gender for the latter. Findings illustrate that gender is important for understanding uses and gratifications of social media in adolescence, but traditional masculinity ideology is similar across genders and relates to multiple functions of social media in boys' and girls' lives. More work is needed to conceptualize gender beliefs and values in Gen Z, given recent challenges to gender binary ideology and low reliability of the scales in this study, which were developed before social media.

Personal Relative Deprivation Increases Men's (but Not Women's) Hostile Sexism: The Mediating Role of Sense of Control

Hostile sexism is a blatant and explicit form of sexism consisting of antagonistic attitudes toward women. We hypothesized that men's personal relative deprivation, a subjectively perceived disadvantage, would predict their hostile sexism toward women. In addition, we expected that, if this effect occurs, a sense of control would act as a mediator. Five studies ( N = 1352) confirmed these hypotheses. Study 1 showed that personal relative deprivation predicted hostile sexism only for men, but not for women among Chinese college students. In addition, we observed the effect of personal relative deprivation only on hostile sexism, but not on benevolent sexism. Study 2, which employed participants from the United States, directly replicated the findings of Study 1. Studies 3 and 4 further showed that a sense of control acted as a mediator in this process. As such, increased hostile sexism attitude (Study 3) and hostile sexism behavior (Study 4) predicted by personal relative deprivation could result from a reduced sense of control. Study 5 further provided causal evidence that a temporarily induced state of personal relative deprivation resulted in a higher level of hostile sexism via a reduced sense of control. We discuss theoretical and practical implications for relative deprivation, gender inequality, and interventions.

Sexual Health among Youth in Residential Care in Spain: Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors

Adolescents in the child welfare system often face multiple maladaptive experiences that predispose them to worse sexual health outcomes. This study aims to (1) describe the sexual health of adolescents in Spanish residential care by exploring their sexual knowledge, attitudes toward sexuality, and sexual behaviors and (2) to find out whether there are certain characteristics that make a subgroup particularly vulnerable to engaging in risky sexual behaviors. A total of 346 adolescents recruited from 47 Spanish residential care facilities (34.1% girls, 65.9% boys) aged between 11 and 19 years old completed some self-report instruments. Descriptive analyses and tests to prove gender and age differences were conducted. Their knowledge of sexuality was lower than observed in the general adolescent population, their attitudes more negative, and their tendency to engage in risky sexual behaviors higher. Girls made very infrequent use of condoms, while boys had more sexist attitudes and made habitual use of withdrawal. Although more than 20% of them had experienced sexual exchange activities before the age of 13 until 17, they did not use condoms systematically. The low level of knowledge, the early initiation of sexual exchange activities, and the scarce use of protection methods, together with sexist attitudes, place this group in a situation of great vulnerability, increasing the risk of unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and even teen dating violence.

[Sexism and intimate partner violence in adolescents]

OBJECTIVE

Despite the efforts to reduce gender inequality, sexism persists. There are still few studies on this matter that consider variables such as sexual desire or migration background. The aim of this study is to analyse the social circumstances (individual and from the immediate context) associated with sexism as well as its relationship with intimate partner violence perpetration amongst adolescents.

METHOD

Cross-sectional study with 1421 students aged 13-17 from Alicante and Terrassa (2019-2021). Sexism was measured with the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory, which assesses ambivalent, hostile and benevolent sexism. Generalized linear models were carried out and stratified by sex to identify variables associated with sexism. A logistic regression model was used to assess the association between sexism and intimate partner violence.

RESULTS

The likelihood of a high score in ambivalent sexism was higher in migrants (girls and boys: p<0.01) and adolescents with migrant parents (girls: p<0.01; boys: p<0.05). Non-heterosexual desire was negatively associated with sexism in girls (benevolent: p<0.01) and boys (ambivalent and hostile: p<0.01; benevolent: p<0.05). Hostile sexism showed association with intimate partner violence perpetration, independently of the rest of the adjustment variables included in the model, for both girls (odds ratio [OR]: 1.07; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.00-1.14) and boys (OR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.03-1.20).

CONCLUSIONS

Sexism is present amongst teenagers and its relationship with intimate partner violence is confirmed. Sexual desire and migration background should be taken into account for intimate partner violence prevention.

Image-Based Sexual Abuse as a Means of Coercive Control: Victim-Survivor Experiences

Scholars and practitioners increasingly acknowledge the ways that abusive partners create, distribute, or threaten to distribute intimate images without consent, yet little empirical research has comprehensively explored image-based sexual abuse within intimate partner contexts. This article responds to this gap and reports on the findings of a study involving interviews with 29 women and one gender-diverse person who experienced image-based sexual abuse as part of a pattern of "coercive control." The authors argue that abusive partners use intimate imagery as a means of exerting power and control, and as a tactic of intimidation, entrapment, and degradation. They note that law, policy, and practice responses should recognize the gendered nature of image-based sexual abuse and its growing use as a means of coercive control.

From Endorsement of Ambivalent Sexism to Psychological IPV Victimization: The Role of Attitudes Supportive of IPV, Legitimating Myths of IPV, and Acceptance of Psychological Aggression

Research on intimate partner violence (IPV) has recognized psychological abuse as a precursor of physical and sexual violence in intimate relationships. However, risk factors in predicting women's psychological abuse victimization in such a context are still unclear. The goal of the present work was to investigate the role of ambivalent sexism on psychological IPV victimization, by taking into account in the same study the effect of three additional social-psychological factors: women's (i) attitudes supportive of IPV, (ii) endorsement of legitimating myths of IPV, and (iii) acceptance of psychological aggression in intimate relationships. A total of 408 Italian young women (M age = 23.87; SD = 2.39) involved in non-marital heterosexual romantic relationships completed measures aimed at assessing (i) hostile and benevolent sexism, (ii) attitudes supportive of IPV, (iii) legitimating myths of IPV, (iv) prevalence of psychological abuse experienced within the last 12 months, and performed a task developed ad hoc to measure, and (v) acceptance of psychological aggression in intimate relationships. Results showed that the effect of ambivalent sexism on participants' prevalence of psychological abuse was mediated by the endorsement of attitudes supportive of IPV and legitimating myths of IPV, as well as by acceptance of psychological aggression. Findings are discussed based on literature about ambivalent sexism, and attitudes and beliefs about IPV.

The role of patriarchal structure and gender stereotypes in cyber dating abuse: A qualitative examination of male perpetrators experiences

In Jordan, premarital romantic relationships are still socially unacceptable as they contradict traditional values and norms. Although previous studies have examined cyber dating abuse (CDA), few have utilized an exploratory qualitative design to clarify male abusers' perceptions of their motivations, particularly in Arabic and clan environments. Therefore, this study conducted a thematic qualitative analysis of 47 male university students aged 19-26 and asked about their experiences and beliefs regarding their engagement in CDA against female romantic partners via social media (WhatsApp, Facebook) and mobile phone. Two themes were identified: (1) contexts and motivations for male perpetration of CDA (2) consequences of CDA for the male perpetrators. The results revealed that control and direct aggression and sexual behaviors are common practices among male perpetrators; gender identity and male entitlement are related factors, enabling and normalizing male abusive behavior. Women, taught to be submissive by Jordanian society, are unable to defend themselves. Hence, CDA also predicts offline intimate partner violence-related behaviors. Moreover, the main motives for CDA from the perspective of male perpetrators are anger, jealousy, revenge, abandonment, feeling betrayed by female partners, earning money, sexual exploitation, and incitement by another woman. The results suggest that engaging in CDA behaviors can negatively impact perpetrators' physical and psychological health as well as their social and academic behaviors. These results confirm that efforts to reduce CDA that may lead to domestic violence against women must address the social pressures and context of violence, including masculinity and patriarchal domination.

The Mobile Phone Addiction and Depression Among High School Students: The Roles of Cyberbullying Victimization, Perpetration, and Gender

Objective

To examine the relation between mobile phone addiction and high school students' depression, and its inner mechanism-the sequential mediating roles of the cyberbullying victimization and the cyberbullying perpetration in this relationship.

Methods

1297 high school students were recruited to complete the Smartphone Addiction Scale, European Cyberbullying Intervention Project Questionnaire and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale.

Results

(1) Mobile phone addiction was positively correlated with and high school students' depression; (2) cyberbullying victimization and the cyberbullying perpetration significantly mediated the relation between mobile phone addiction and high school students' depression, which contained tow mediating paths-the independent mediating effects of cyberbullying victimization and the sequential mediating effect of cyberbullying victimization and the cyberbullying perpetration; (3) there are gender differences in the sequential mediation model, and boys who are victims of cyberbullying are more likely to develop into cyberbullying perpetrators than girls.

Conclusion

The results of this study indicate that depression among high school students with mobile phone addiction can be eliminated through the development of cyberbullying victimization and the cyberbullying perpetration.

Victims of Known and Unknown Cyberstalkers: A Questionnaire Survey in an Italian Sample

Cyberstalking is a behavior in which an individual, group, or organization uses information technology to harass one or more people, with possible consequences for the victims. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of cyberstalking in terms of physical and emotional consequences, depression, anxiety symptoms, attitudes toward telling of cyberstalking experiences, and coping strategies, comparing young adult victims of known cyberstalkers with those harassed by strangers. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 689 individuals. Of these, 242 victims were included in the analysis: 115 victims of unknown (UC) and 127 of known cyberstalkers (KC). The results emphasize that victims of KC more often reported fatigue as a physical symptom and sadness and lack of trust in others as emotional symptoms. In addition, scores for depressive symptoms and anxiety did not differ significantly between the two groups, whereas significantly higher scores for trait anxiety were found among victims of KC. Finally, victims of KC were significantly more inclined to use alcohol and drugs, reduce social contact with friends, buy a weapon, and try to reason with the cyberstalker, while victims of UC were more inclined to block online contact and ask a social network administrator to intervene. Implications of the findings were discussed, such as the need to intervene immediately and to promote victims’ ability to seek help.

Digital Identities of Young People from the South of Spain: An Online Sexual Differentiation

Through a mixed methodological approach, we want to know how adolescents aged between 14 and 16 years from the south of Spain express and identify themselves on social networks, with respect to their sex. As such differences can determine gender inequality, we will analyse differences between females and males regarding the expression of identity on social networks. Analysis of obtained results demonstrates that many relevant attributes still emerge such as the socio-cultural representation of gender as sex in social networks. Differences emerged between the identity expressions of females and males which can generate inequalities favouring females and males. This implies a series of repercussions and, ultimately, defines the so-called digital gender divide. Taking into account these results we could intervene in the population of children to carry out prevention activities focused on social networks.

A Meta-Analytic Review of Moral Disengagement and Cyberbullying

With the development of technology, cyberbullying prevalence rates are increasing worldwide, and a growing body of the literature has begun to document cyberbullying behavior. Moral disengagement is often considered a key correlate factor in cyberbullying. This article aims to conduct a meta-analysis review of the relationship between moral disengagement and cyberbullying and some psychosocial and cultural variables. Based on the PRISMA method, a random-effects meta-analysis is employed in this study to obtain reliable estimates of effect sizes and examine a range of moderators (age, gender, measure method, and cultural background). Relevant studies, published from 2005 to February 30, 2021, were identified through a systematic search of the Web of Science, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Pubmed, EBSCO, and Wiley Online Library. Finally, 38 studies (N=38,425) met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis conclusion demonstrated that moral disengagement positively correlated medium intensity with cyberbullying (r=0.341). Age, gender, and cultural background had moderated the relationship between moral disengagement and cyberbullying.

Understanding the Man Box: the link between gender socialization and domestic violence in Jordan

The “Man Box” refers to a rigid set of expectations, perceptions, and behaviors that are considered “manly” and/or a “real man's” behavior, imposed on men by the society, such as superiority, cruelty, emotional suppression, lack of physical intimacy with other men, and expectations of socially aggressive and/or dominant behavior. Gender-based types of aggression and violence are central in the production of dominant heterosexual masculinities and male superiority that impose the dominating and violating behavior on men, and make these behaviors acceptable and naturalized. Therefore, adherence to the Man Box is one of the causes of violence against women, and to the creation and reinforcement of social environments conducive to domestic violence. This study shows how Jordanian males internalize and agree with “Man Box” beliefs and how these meanings affect their lives and behavioral patterns. Perceptions of Jordanian women on these issues were also included in the data collected through a survey distributed to 1,029 participants (525 men and 504 women) who live in Amman, Jordan. The results show that Man Box beliefs still prevail in Jordanian culture, promoted by parents, partners, and acquaintances. A total of 49.9% of the respondents show agreement with Man Box ideas. Jordanian men believe that society imposes rigid masculine gender roles, views on heterosexuality and homophobia, and expectations of aggression and control. Their personal attitudes, however, rejected the dictates of solving their own personal problems without help and fighting back when they were threatened. Most Jordanian women reported personal agreement with Man Box ideals for men, particularly in the areas of self-sufficiency, acting tough, and control, all of which can prevent men from breaking out of the Man Box. Our results also show that life inside the Man Box can impede men's formation of emotionally connected friendships and encourage them to show transgressive emotional behaviors. Furthermore, some men were more probable to violate the Man Box rules, such as being likely to talk to friends about something deeply emotional and feeling comfortable crying in front of them, or continuing to rely primarily on their mothers and romantic partners for emotional support. Additionally, inside the Man Box, men are more likely to experience physical and online bullying and perpetrate verbal and physical bullying; however, they are also more likely to attempt to intervene to stop violence.

Gender Differences Between Student-Student Relationship and Cyberbullying Perpetration: An Evolutionary Perspective

With the development of Internet technology, cyberbullying has become a serious social issue and public concern in modern society. Based on the general aggression model and an evolutionary psychological perspective, the present study aimed to examine (a) whether student-student relationship would be significantly related to cyberbullying, (b) whether materialism would mediate the link between student-student relationship and cyberbullying, (c) whether boys would be more likely to engage in cyberbullying than girls, and (d) whether there would be gender differences among the links between student-student relationship and cyberbullying. The research hypotheses were tested among 712 Chinese middle school students (M age = 13.66 years, SD = 1.36; 50% of the participants were boys) with a moderated mediation model. The results showed that student-student relationship was negatively related to cyberbullying, with their link mediated by materialism. Furthermore, boys were more likely to engage in cyberbullying than girls. Moderated mediation analyses indicated that gender moderated the path between materialism and cyberbullying, with the effect being significant only among the male participants. Gender did not moderate the link between student-student relationship and materialism, and between student-student relationship and cyberbullying. This study highlighted the importance of uncovering the links between adolescents' offline interpersonal relationships and cyberbullying, as well as the benefits of applying the evolutionary psychological perspective to study cyberbullying.

The Role of Social-Interpersonal and Cognitive-Individual Factors in Cyber Dating Victimization and Perpetration: Comparing the Direct, Control, and Combined Forms of Abuse

The present study examined the relationship linking social-interpersonal factors (interpersonal dependency, social support, social skills), cognitive-individual factors (planning behavior and goal efficacy), and different victimization and perpetration forms of cyber dating abuse (direct abuse, control abuse, and the combination of both abuse types). The responses of 1,657 Spanish university students were analyzed (62.1% females, 37.1% males). The multinomial logistic regression model revealed similarities among the three victim groups and revealed that anxious attachment and lack of social support increased the likelihood of direct victimization, control victimization, and direct/control victimization. Differences were found in the three victim groups for social skills and planning behavior. Perpetration was significantly associated with anxious attachment in the three cyber dating perpetration forms. Differences were also found in emotional dependency, social support, and social skills among direct perpetrators, control perpetrators, and direct/control perpetrators. The results revealed that interpersonal and cognitive factors correlated with cyber dating victimization and perpetration.

Cyber-dating abuse in young adult couples: Relations with sexist attitudes and violence justification, smartphone usage and impulsivity

Technologies have become important for interaction in couples. However, in some cases, controlling and aggressive behaviors can occur in the context of virtual interactions in couples; this is known as cyber-dating abuse (CDA). Identifying factors linked to CDA, as perpetrator and victim, are relevant for its prevention; therefore, more research is needed in this novel field of study. To contribute to the literature, our first goal was to analyze the associations among certain risk factors for CDA perpetration and victimization of, i.e., sexist attitudes and violence justification, problematic smartphone usage and impulsivity; sex and age were also considered. The second goal was to study whether there were differences in direct aggression and control, from the perpetrator and victim perspectives, with consideration of the above-mentioned risk factors. Third, differences in the diverse range of control behaviors and direct aggression between women and men were explored. To this end, 697 young adults (aged between 18 and 35 years; 548 women) completed self-report questionnaires that allowed assessment of the above-mentioned variables. The results showed that, among the wide range of CDA behaviors, indirect ones such as control behaviors were the most common. The highest level of control was strongly associated with the inability to manage behaviors under certain emotional states, especially negative ones, along with problematic smartphone usage. Sex differences were also observed: men displayed more sexist attitudes and violence justification, and perceived that they were more controlled by their partners. Regarding CDA behaviors, men and women showed differences in control (e.g. men considered themselves to be more controlled in terms of location and status updates), and direct aggression (e.g. men used more insults and humiliations than women). The results were discussed in terms of the importance of better understanding these risk factors to attenuate the increasing prevalence of CDA in relationships.

Intimate Partner Cyberstalking, Sexism, Pornography, and Sexting in Adolescents: New Challenges for Sex Education

Background: Within the context of the widespread use of technologies by adolescents, the objectives of this study were to identify the perpetrators of intimate partner cyberstalking (IPCS) in adolescents; to analyze the relationship between IPCS and gender, age, sexting behaviors, pornography consumption, and ambivalent sexism; and to investigate the influence of the study variables as predictors of IPCS and determine their moderating role. Methods: Participants were 993 Spanish students of Secondary Education, 535 girls and 458 boys with mean age 15.75 (SD = 1.47). Of the total sample, 70.3% (n = 696) had or had had a partner. Results: Boys perform more sexting, consume more pornographic content, and have more hostile and benevolent sexist attitudes than girls. However, girls perpetrate more IPCS than boys. The results of the hierarchical multiple regression indicate that hostile sexism is a predictor of IPCS, as well as the combined effect of Gender × Pornography and Benevolent Sexism × Sexting. Conclusions: it is essential to implement sexual affective education programs in schools in which Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are incorporated so that boys and girls can experience their relationships, both offline and online, in an egalitarian and violence-free way.

Search for the Profile of the Victim of Adolescent Dating Violence: An Intersection of Cognitive, Emotional, and Behavioral Variables

The knowledge of the promoting variables of dating violence has been a topic much studied in the last decade. However, the definition of the profile of this type of victim still presents numerous unknowns that hinder the effectiveness of prevention programs against violence. This study analyzes the interaction of cognitive, emotional and behavioral variables that converge in the victim profile. The sample comprised 2577 adolescents (55.2% girls) of 14 to 18 years in age (M = 15.9, SD = 1.2). The instruments used were the dating violence questionnaire (CUVINO), the scale of detection of sexism in adolescents (DSA), Mechanisms of Moral Disengagement Scale and Child and Adolescent Disposition Scale (CADS). To study the relationship between the different variables considered in this article, a SEM analysis was used. The results show that victims of gender violence and emotional abuse have high scores in benevolent sexism, moral disengagement and emotionally negative behavioral patterns. Likewise, the existence of an interdependent relationship between these three sets of variables was found.

Technology-Facilitated Domestic and Sexual Violence: A Review

This article investigates the phenomenon of domestic and sexual violence against adult women using digital communications technologies. The article explores terminological and conceptual challenges and describes the empirical research literature in this field to date in relation to digital dating abuse, intimate partner cyberstalking, technology-facilitated sexual assault, image-based sexual abuse, and online sexual harassment. The article also discusses policy and practice responses to this growing problem, as well as future directions for research. We argue that research and practice need to be guided by existing conceptual frameworks that utilize gender and actor-network theory to understanding the causes and consequences of women's experiences of abuse and violence facilitated by digital technologies.

Synergy between Acceptance of Violence and Sexist Attitudes as a Dating Violence Risk Factor

The normalization of aggressive behavior in teenage couples when they are dating is a phenomenon that is currently reaching very worrying proportions. The consequences are creating a serious public health problem and have hence aroused the interest of many researchers as to its causes. Most have centered on the role of the aggressor. However, the processes of aggression and victimization are inseparable, and relegating the victims to the background only contributes to increasing the prevalence, severity, and perdurability of the problem. The objectives of this study were to: (i) identify the types and frequency of abuse that adolescents suffer in their relationships; (ii) analyze the relationship between sexist attitudes, acceptance of violence, and victimization; and (iii) determine predictors of the violence suffered in adolescent dating relationships. The sample comprised 2577 adolescents (55.2% girls) of 14 to 18 years in age (M = 15.9, SD = 1.2). The instruments used were the dating violence questionnaire (Cuestionario de Violencia de Novios, CUVINO) and the Scale of detection of sexism in adolescents (Escala de Detección de Sexismo en Adolescentes, DSA). The results indicate that victims showed high tolerance towards gender violence. Acceptance was greater the more frequent the abuse or aggressions suffered. Regarding sexist attitudes, only those belonging to the benevolent dimension had predictive value. The results also show that the interaction between acceptance of the abuse suffered and the manifestation of benevolent sexist attitudes predicted victimization involving specific forms of aggression.

Associations between Feminine Gender Norms and Cyber Dating Abuse in Female Adults

Gender norms and the co-occurrence of perpetration and victimization behaviors have been examined as key factors of female dating violence in offline contexts. However, these relationships have not been analyzed in digital environments. This is why the present study had a twofold objective: (1) exploring the co-occurrence nature of cyber dating abuse by examining to what extent victimization and perpetration overlap; (2) examining the associations between conformity to feminine gender norms and cyber dating abuse among female adults who are perpetrators or victims. The sample study included 1041 female university students (mean age = 20.51) from central Spain. The results indicated that 35.8% of the sample reported being a victim and a perpetrator of cyber dating abuse at the same time. Indeed, the hierarchical regression analyses revealed a close association between perpetration and victimization behaviors in both the direct and control forms of abuse examined. Our analyses did not reveal any significant associations between conformity to female gender norms and perpetration or victimization for any cyber dating abuse form examined. Our results are discussed in the light of previous research and after considering limitations, practical implications and future research directions.

Cyber Dating Abuse and Masculine Gender Norms in a Sample of Male Adults

Gender role norms have been widely studied in the offline partner violence context. Different studies have indicated that internalizing these norms was associated with dating violence. However, very few research works have analyzed this relation in forms of aggression against partners and former partners using information and communication technologies (ICT). The objective of the present study was to examine the co-occurrence of cyber dating abuse by analyzing the extent to which victimization and perpetration overlap, and by analyzing the differences according to conformity to the masculine gender norms between men who are perpetrators or victims of cyber dating abuse. The participants were 614 male university students, and 26.5% of the sample reported having been a victim and perpetrator of cyber dating abuse. Nonetheless, the regression analyses did not reveal any statistically significant association between conformity to masculine gender norms and practicing either perpetration or victimization by cyber dating abuse.

Dynamics Within Intimate Relationships and the Causes, Consequences, and Functions of Sexist Attitudes

Ambivalent sexism theory (Glick & Fiske, 1996) revolutionized understanding of sexist attitudes by revealing how attitudes expressing that women are incompetent and seek power over men (hostile sexism) are accompanied by more benevolent attitudes expressing that men are fulfilled by cherishing and protecting women (benevolent sexism). In the current article, we demonstrate how recent research examining intimate relationship dynamics has advanced understanding of the causes, consequences, and functions of sexist attitudes. Men’s hostile sexism is associated with aggressive perceptions and behaviors within intimate relationships that impede the fulfillment of fundamental relational needs. Benevolent sexism functions to counterbalance these costs by facilitating caring relationship behavior that enhances men’s influence and satisfaction in relationships. The relationship security that benevolent sexism promises to women is also a key reason why women endorse benevolent sexism. Yet men’s and women’s endorsement of benevolent sexism has benefits for men, such as greater relationship-oriented support of men’s goals, but imposes costs for women, such as by promoting dependence-oriented support that undermines women’s competence. Moreover, the relationship investment that benevolent sexism fosters in women makes women more vulnerable to dissatisfaction when relationship problems arise. These dynamics demonstrate how seemingly positive outcomes in intimate relationships may be a barrier to gender equality.

The Malevolent Side of Revenge Porn Proclivity

This paper presents a novel study, exploring a form of technology facilitated sexual violence (TFSV) known as revenge porn. Despite its emerging prevalence, little is known about the characteristics of revenge porn perpetrators. In the current study, a revenge porn proclivity scale was devised to examine participants' behavioural propensity to engage in revenge porn. One hundred adults, aged 18-54, were recruited online from a community sample. The correlational relationship between revenge porn proclivity and the self-reported endorsement of the Dark Triad, sadism, and ambivalent sexism was examined. Additional proclivity subscales of revenge porn enjoyment and revenge porn approval were also created. The study's main findings revealed a positive correlation between a greater behavioural propensity to engage in revenge porn and higher levels of the Dark Triad and ambivalent sexism. Moreover, endorsement of psychopathy was found to be the only Dark Triad trait that independently predicted revenge porn proclivity. The results suggest that perpetrators of revenge porn may have distinct personality profiles. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.