Child on the Web – Social and Antisocial Functioning of Children and Young People in Cyberspace

The main objective of the course is to exercise in applying chosen aspects

of the knowledge gained on the Social Psychology obligatory course into a

specific context - of cyberspace conditions. During the course we will

examine a range of topics, including research on: access to inappropriate content, pedophile

contacts, cyberpornography, sexting, cyberbullying and internet addiction

exploring the links with various mechanisms known from the classical

social psychology.

Full course description The aim of the course is to present the characteristics of social functioning of children and young people in cyberspace. We will focus primarily on such specific online risks as: access to inappropriate content, dangerous contacts, paedophilia and child pornography on the web, sexting, cyberbullying, internet addiction. We will discuss the psychological causes and effects of negative activity of children and young people online as well as prevention and intervention methods and the role of schools and parents in educating children on safe internet use.

Learning outcomes After the course the student:

 Knows the most important research results of the characteristics of the activity of children and young people online

 Knows the typology of internet threats for children and youth

 Knows the selected research results on the characteristics of internet threats

 Describes the psychological causes underlying engagement in risky online behaviors

 Describes the psychological consequences for children arising from internet threats

 Recognizes the basic methods of prevention and intervention in internet threats for children cases

Learning activities

and teaching methods Lectures, student presentations and in-class discussions, case studies, social campaigns addressing special online threats presentation. All students are expected to: participate actively in the discussion, prepare and present a presentation, write an essay and pass the test.

List of topics/classes and bibliography The course will cover the following topics:

1. Introduction to children's online activity - the positive and negative functioning of children and young people in cyberspace.

 Walther, J.B., B Van Der Heide, et al. (2015). Interpersonal and Hyperpersonal Dimensions of Computer-Mediated Communication. In: S. Sunder, (ed). (2015). The Handbook of the Psychology of Communication Technology. Oxford: Willey Blackwell.

 Holloway, D., Green, L. and Livingstone, S. (2013). Zero to eight. Young children and their internet use. LSE, London: EU Kids Online.

2. Development in interaction with social psychological mechanisms in interactive media use.

 Konijn, E. et al. (2015). Adolescent Development and Psychological Mechanisms in Interactive Media Use. In: S. Sunder, (ed). (2015). The Handbook of the Psychology of Communication Technology. Oxford: Willey Blackwell.

 Banaji, Shakuntala (2016). Global research on children’s online experiences: addressing diversities and inequalities. Global Kids Online, The London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK.

3. Typology of online threats

 Hasebrink, Uwe, Görzig, Anke, Haddon, Leslie, Kalmus, Veronika and Livingstone, Sonia (2011) Patterns of risk and safety online: in-depth analyses from the EU Kids Online survey of 9- to 16-year-olds and their parents in 25 European countries. EU Kids Online, Deliverable D5. EU Kids Online, London, UK. , pp. 41-89.

4. Access to inappropriate content – pro-ana and pro-mia sites

 Harrison, K., Hefner, V. Media, Body Image, and Eating Disorders. In: Calvert, S. & Willson, B. (ed.) (2011). The hanbook of Children, Media, and Development. Oxford: Willey Blackwell.

For presenters:

 Casilli, Antonio A., Tubaro, Paola & Pedro Araya (2012) Ten years of Ana. Lessons from a transdisciplinary body of literature on online pro-eating disorder websites, Social Science Information, 51/1, pp. 121-139.

5. Access to inappropriate content – suicide promotion.

 Marchant, A., Hawton, K., Stewart, A., Montgomery, P., Singaravelu, V., Lloyd, K. et al. (2017) A systematic review of the relationship between internet use, self-harm and suicidal behaviour in young people: The good, the bad and the unknown. PLoS ONE 12(8), doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0181722

For presenters:

 Ystgaard, M., Hestetun, I., Loeb, M., & Mehlum, L. (2004). Is there a specific relationship between childhood sexual and physical abuse and repeated suicidal behavior? Child Abuse & Neglect, 28, 8, pp. 863-875, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2004.01.009

6. Dangerous contact online – pedophilia

 Dafna T., Wolak, J., Finkelhor, D. (2015): A Typology of Offenders Who Use Online Communications to Commit Sex Crimes Against Minors, Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 24, pp. 319-337, doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2015.1009602.

For presenters:

 Whittle, H. C., Hamilton-Giachritsis, C. , Beech A. R. (2013).Victims Voices: The Impact of Online Grooming and Sexual Abuse. Universal Journal of Psychology 1(2): 59-71,DOI: 10.13189/ujp.2013.010206

7. Sexting

 Ringrose, J., Harvey, L., Gill, R., and Livingstone, S. (2013). Teen girls, sexual double standards and 'sexting': gendered value in digital image exchange. Feminist Theory, 14 (3). pp. 305-323.

For presenters:

 Chiara, S., David Finkelhor, D., Wolak J. (2008). The Nature and Dynamics of Interne Pornography Exposure for Youth. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 11 (6), pp. 691–693, doi:10.1089/cpb.2007.0179.

8. Cyberbullying

 Barlińska, J., Szuster, A., Winiewski, M. (2018). Cyberbullying Among Adolescent Bystanders: Role of Affective versus Cognitive Empathy in Increasing Prosocial Cyberbystander Behavior. Frontiers in Psychology-Educational Psychology. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00799.

For presenters:

 Brody, N., Vangelisti A. L. (2016) Bystander Intervention in Cyberbullying, Communication Monographs, 83(1), pp. 94-119, DOI:10.1080/03637751.2015.1044256.

9. Hate speech

 Soral, W., Bilewicz, M., Winiewski, M. (2017). Exposure to hate speech increases prejudice through desensitization. Aggressive Behavior, 44(2), pp.136-146. DOI:10.1002/ab.21737.

For presenters:

 Willson, B. Media Violence and Aggression in youth. In: Calvert, S. & Willson, B. (ed.) (2011). The handbook of Children, Media, and Development. Oxford: Willey Blackwell.

10. Computer games and aggression

 Bushman, B., J., Anderson C., A. (2002). Violent Video Games and Hostile Expectations: A Test of the General Aggression Model. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28(12), pp. 1679-1686 doi.org/10.1177/014616702237649.

 Greitemeyer, T., Osswald, S., Brauer, M. (2010). Playing Prosocial Video Games Increases Empathy and Decreases Schadenfreude, Emotion, 10 (6), pp. 796 – 802.

For presenters:

 Engelhardt, C. R., Bartholow, B. D., Kerr, G. T., & Bushman, B. J. (2011). This is your brain on violent video games: Neural desensitization to violence predicts increased aggression following violent video game exposure. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 47, 1033-1036.

11. Internet addiction - online gambling

 Macey, J., Hamarie, J. (2018). Sports, skins and loot boxes: Participants, practices and problematic behaviour associated with emergent forms of gambling. New media & society, pp. 1–22.

For presenters:

 Griffiths, M.D., Parke, J. (2010). Adolescent gambling on the Internet: A review, International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health, 22 (1), pp. 59-75.

12. Internet of toys

 Holloway, D. Green, L. (2016).The Internet of toys. Communication Research and Practice. DOI: 10.1080/22041451.2016.1266124.

For presenters:

 Carr, J. (2017). The internet of toys – the impact on children of a connected environment, Journal of Cyber Policy, DOI: 10.1080/23738871.2017.1355401

13. Test

14. Methods of worldwide intervention and prevention

 Dinh, T., Farrugia, L., O’Neill, B., Vandoninck, S., Velicu, A. (2016). Insafe Helplines: Operations, effectiveness and emerging issues for internet safety helplines. Brussels: Insafe, European Schoolnet, 2016.

15. The mediative role of schools and parents

 Zaman, B., Nouwen, M. (2016) Parental controls: advice for parents, researchers and industry. EU Kids Online, London, UK.

 Chakroff, Nathanson (2011). Parent and school interventions. In: Calvert, S. & Willson, B. (ed.) (2011). The hanbook of Children, Media, and Development. Oxford: Willey Blackwell.

The basic reading list is obligatory for all students consisted and will be the basis for the test. The presenters’ reading list is consisted of various sources: journal research papers, book chapters, NGO reports, educational tool kits in order to best present the characteristics of online risky behavior. A non-obligatory reading list composed of positions useful for writing the final essay to select depending on the chosen topic is presented below.

 Berne S., Frisén A, Kling J (2014). Appearance-related cyberbullying: a qualitative investigation of characteristics, content, reasons, and effects. Body Image, doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2014.08.006.

 Brown, J, Keller, S., Stern, S. (2009). Sex, Sexuality, Sexting, and SexEd: Adolescents and the Media. The Prevention Researcher, 16(4).

 Carr, et.al (2008). Interaction of Interpersonal, Peer, and Media Influence Sources Online: A Research Agenda for Technology Convergence

 Duerager, Andrea and Livingstone, Sonia (2012). How can parents support children’s internet safety? EU Kids Online, London, UK.

 DeSmet, A., Van Cleemput, K. et al. (2015). Bridging behavior science and gaming theory: Using the Intervention Mapping Protocol to design a serious game against cyberbullying. Computers In Human Behavior, (56), pp. 337-351.

 Griffiths, MD. and Parke, J. (2010). Adolescent gambling on the Internet: A review, International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health, 22 (1), pp. 59-75.

 Iannotta, J. Regulating the media: Sexually Explicit Content. In: Calvert, S. & Willson, B. (ed.) (2011). The hanbook of Children, Media, and Development. Oxford: Willey Blackwell.

 Joinson, A. (2007). Causes and implications of disinhibited behavior on the internet,. In: J. Gackenbach (ed.), Psychology and the Internet (pp. 43–60). San Diego: Academic Press.

 Kim-Kwang, R. (2009). Online child grooming: a literature review on the misuse of social networking sites for grooming children for sexual offences. Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, pp. 29-47.

 Mehroof, Griffiths. (2010). Online Gaming Addiction: The Role of Sensation Seeking, Self-Control, Neuroticism, Aggression, State Anxiety, and Trait Anxiety, Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 13(3), pp. 313-316, doi:10.1089/cyber.2009.0229.

 Sabina, C., Wolak, Finkelhor. (2008). The Nature and Dynamics of Internet Pornography Exposure for Youth. CyberPsychology & Behavior. 11(6), pp. 691-693. doi:10.1089/cpb.2007.0179.

 Slojne, R., Smith, P. K. (2008). Cyberbullying: Another main type of bullying? Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 49(2), pp. 147–154.

 Sticca, F., Ruggieri, S., Alsaker, F., Perren, S. (2013). Longitudinal Risk Factors for Cyberbulyling in Adolescence. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology. 23 (1), pp. 52–67.

 Tener, Wolak, Finkelhor (2015): A Typology of Offenders Who Use Online Communications to Commit Sex Crimes Against Minors, Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma.

 Williams, R., Elliott, I. A. & Beech, A. R. (2013). Identifying sexual grooming themes used by Internet sex offenders. Deviant Behavior, 34(2), pp. 135-152.

Assessment methods and criteria Class presentations (25%) - Nine of the topics (access to inappropriate content, dangerous contacts – two aspects, cyberbullying, hate speech, sexting, computer games and aggression, online gambling and the internet of toys will be accompanied by students’ presentations of their concrete manifestations (print screens, links, films) of the discussed risky behaviour online. Students should start consulting their presentations 2 weeks before. Literature for presentations can be proposed by the presenters or chosen from the list of readings for presenters. These presentations should not exceed 45 minutes and should be accompanied by a handout so that the other students have a summary of the reading. Also active and meaningful participation of other students (not the actual presenter) in discussion after the presentations will be taken into account. I will assess the whole process of presentation preparation – the work during the individual consultations as well as how well was the specific cyberthreat illustrated and analysed in the final presentation.

Exam (25%) There will be a single choice test consisted of 15 questions based on the basic reading list.

Essay (50%) The task is to select a specific online children’s’ activity (different from the topic of one’s presentation), describe and classify it in terms of developmental opportunities and cyberthreats analysis and psychological mechanisms that underlie the cyberphenomenon by giving examples of links, printscreens ... referring to the literature and the content of classes. I will assess the quality of how well were the connections between the chosen cyberthreat and research on various aspects of cybersafety drawn, explained and emphasized.

Attendance rules 2 unexcused absence, 2 additional excused absences are allowed. Missing more than 4 classes results in failing the course. Only sick leave and extreme life situations will be handled as a valid excuse for absence during one’s own presentation. An additional task will then be assigned.

Prerequisites Completed courses on Developmental and Social Psychology

Academic honesty Students must respect the principles of academic integrity. Cheating and plagiarism (including copying work from other students, internet or other sources) are serious violations that are punishable and instructors are required to report all cases to the administration.

Basket 6. Social / Academic

Remarks

The course will cover the following topics:

1. Introduction to children's online activity - the positive and negative functioning of children and young people in cyberspace.

Walther, J.B., B Van Der Heide, et al. (2015). Interpersonal and Hyperpersonal Dimensions of Computer-Mediated Communication. In: S. Sunder, (ed). (2015). The Handbook of the Psychology of Communication Technology. Oxford: Willey Blackwell.

Holloway, D., Green, L. and Livingstone, S. (2013). Zero to eight. Young children and their internet use. LSE, London: EU Kids Online.

2. Development in interaction with social psychological mechanisms in interactive media use.

Konijn, E. et al. (2015). Adolescent Development and Psychological Mechanisms in Interactive Media Use. In: S. Sunder, (ed). (2015). The Handbook of the Psychology of Communication Technology. Oxford: Willey Blackwell.

Banaji, Shakuntala (2016). Global research on children’s online experiences: addressing diversities and inequalities. Global Kids Online, The London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK.

3. Typology of online threats

Hasebrink, Uwe, Görzig, Anke, Haddon, Leslie, Kalmus, Veronika and Livingstone, Sonia (2011) Patterns of risk and safety online: in-depth analyses from the EU Kids Online survey of 9- to 16-year-olds and their parents in 25 European countries. EU Kids Online, Deliverable D5. EU Kids Online, London, UK. , pp. 41-89.

4. Access to inappropriate content – pro-ana and pro-mia sites

Harrison, K., Hefner, V. Media, Body Image, and Eating Disorders. In: Calvert, S. & Willson, B. (ed.) (2011). The hanbook of Children, Media, and Development. Oxford: Willey Blackwell.

For presenters:

Casilli, Antonio A., Tubaro, Paola & Pedro Araya (2012) Ten years of Ana. Lessons from a transdisciplinary body of literature on online pro-eating disorder websites, Social Science Information, 51/1, pp. 121-139.

5. Access to inappropriate content – suicide promotion.

Marchant, A., Hawton, K., Stewart, A., Montgomery, P., Singaravelu, V., Lloyd, K. et al. (2017) A systematic review of the relationship between internet use, self-harm and suicidal behaviour in young people: The good, the bad and the unknown. PLoS ONE 12(8), doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0181722

For presenters:

Ystgaard, M., Hestetun, I., Loeb, M., & Mehlum, L. (2004). Is there a specific relationship between childhood sexual and physical abuse and repeated suicidal behavior? Child Abuse & Neglect, 28, 8, pp. 863-875, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2004.01.009

6. Dangerous contact online – pedophilia

Dafna T., Wolak, J., Finkelhor, D. (2015): A Typology of Offenders Who Use Online Communications to Commit Sex Crimes Against Minors, Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 24, pp. 319-337, doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2015.1009602.

For presenters:

Whittle, H. C., Hamilton-Giachritsis, C. , Beech A. R. (2013).Victims Voices: The Impact of Online Grooming and Sexual Abuse. Universal Journal of Psychology 1(2): 59-71,DOI: 10.13189/ujp.2013.010206

7. Sexting

Ringrose, J., Harvey, L., Gill, R., and Livingstone, S. (2013). Teen girls, sexual double standards and 'sexting': gendered value in digital image exchange. Feminist Theory, 14 (3). pp. 305-323.

For presenters:

Chiara, S., David Finkelhor, D., Wolak J. (2008). The Nature and Dynamics of Interne Pornography Exposure for Youth. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 11 (6), pp. 691–693, doi:10.1089/cpb.2007.0179.

8. Cyberbullying

Barlińska, J., Szuster, A., Winiewski, M. (2018). Cyberbullying Among Adolescent Bystanders: Role of Affective versus Cognitive Empathy in Increasing Prosocial Cyberbystander Behavior. Frontiers in Psychology-Educational Psychology. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00799.

For presenters:

Brody, N., Vangelisti A. L. (2016) Bystander Intervention in Cyberbullying, Communication Monographs, 83(1), pp. 94-119, DOI:10.1080/03637751.2015.1044256.

9. Hate speech

Soral, W., Bilewicz, M., Winiewski, M. (2017). Exposure to hate speech increases prejudice through desensitization. Aggressive Behavior, 44(2), pp.136-146. DOI:10.1002/ab.21737.

For presenters:

Willson, B. Media Violence and Aggression in youth. In: Calvert, S. & Willson, B. (ed.) (2011). The handbook of Children, Media, and Development. Oxford: Willey Blackwell.

10. Computer games and aggression

Bushman, B., J., Anderson C., A. (2002). Violent Video Games and Hostile Expectations: A Test of the General Aggression Model. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28(12), pp. 1679-1686 doi.org/10.1177/014616702237649.

Greitemeyer, T., Osswald, S., Brauer, M. (2010). Playing Prosocial Video Games Increases Empathy and Decreases Schadenfreude, Emotion, 10 (6), pp. 796 – 802.

For presenters:

Engelhardt, C. R., Bartholow, B. D., Kerr, G. T., & Bushman, B. J. (2011). This is your brain on violent video games: Neural desensitization to violence predicts increased aggression following violent video game exposure. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 47, 1033-1036.

11. Internet addiction - online gambling

Macey, J., Hamarie, J. (2018). Sports, skins and loot boxes: Participants, practices and problematic behaviour associated with emergent forms of gambling. New media & society, pp. 1–22.

For presenters:

Griffiths, M.D., Parke, J. (2010). Adolescent gambling on the Internet: A review, International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health, 22 (1), pp. 59-75.

12. Internet of toys

Holloway, D. Green, L. (2016).The Internet of toys. Communication Research and Practice. DOI: 10.1080/22041451.2016.1266124.

For presenters:

Carr, J. (2017). The internet of toys – the impact on children of a connected environment, Journal of Cyber Policy, DOI: 10.1080/23738871.2017.1355401

13. Test

14. Methods of worldwide intervention and prevention

Dinh, T., Farrugia, L., O’Neill, B., Vandoninck, S., Velicu, A. (2016). Insafe Helplines: Operations, effectiveness and emerging issues for internet safety helplines. Brussels: Insafe, European Schoolnet, 2016.

15. The mediative role of schools and parents

Zaman, B., Nouwen, M. (2016) Parental controls: advice for parents, researchers and industry. EU Kids Online, London, UK.

Chakroff, Nathanson (2011). Parent and school interventions. In: Calvert, S. & Willson, B. (ed.) (2011). The hanbook of Children, Media, and Development. Oxford: Willey Blackwell.

The basic reading list is obligatory for all students consisted and will be the basis for the test. The presenters’ reading list is consisted of various sources: journal research papers, book chapters, NGO reports, educational tool kits in order to best present the characteristics of online risky behavior. A non-obligatory reading list composed of positions useful for writing the final essay to select depending on the chosen topic is presented below.

Berne S., Frisén A, Kling J (2014). Appearance-related cyberbullying: a qualitative investigation of characteristics, content, reasons, and effects. Body Image, doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2014.08.006.

Brown, J, Keller, S., Stern, S. (2009). Sex, Sexuality, Sexting, and SexEd: Adolescents and the Media. The Prevention Researcher, 16(4).

Carr, et.al (2008). Interaction of Interpersonal, Peer, and Media Influence Sources Online: A Research Agenda for Technology Convergence

Duerager, Andrea and Livingstone, Sonia (2012). How can parents support children’s internet safety? EU Kids Online, London, UK.

DeSmet, A., Van Cleemput, K. et al. (2015). Bridging behavior science and gaming theory: Using the Intervention Mapping Protocol to design a serious game against cyberbullying. Computers In Human Behavior, (56), pp. 337-351.

Griffiths, MD. and Parke, J. (2010). Adolescent gambling on the Internet: A review, International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health, 22 (1), pp. 59-75.

Iannotta, J. Regulating the media: Sexually Explicit Content. In: Calvert, S. & Willson, B. (ed.) (2011). The hanbook of Children, Media, and Development. Oxford: Willey Blackwell.

Joinson, A. (2007). Causes and implications of disinhibited behavior on the internet,. In: J. Gackenbach (ed.), Psychology and the Internet (pp. 43–60). San Diego: Academic Press.

Kim-Kwang, R. (2009). Online child grooming: a literature review on the misuse of social networking sites for grooming children for sexual offences. Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, pp. 29-47.

Mehroof, Griffiths. (2010). Online Gaming Addiction: The Role of Sensation Seeking, Self-Control, Neuroticism, Aggression, State Anxiety, and Trait Anxiety, Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 13(3), pp. 313-316, doi:10.1089/cyber.2009.0229.

Sabina, C., Wolak, Finkelhor. (2008). The Nature and Dynamics of Internet Pornography Exposure for Youth. CyberPsychology & Behavior. 11(6), pp. 691-693. doi:10.1089/cpb.2007.0179.

Slojne, R., Smith, P. K. (2008). Cyberbullying: Another main type of bullying? Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 49(2), pp. 147–154.

Sticca, F., Ruggieri, S., Alsaker, F., Perren, S. (2013). Longitudinal Risk Factors for Cyberbulyling in Adolescence. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology. 23 (1), pp. 52–67.

Tener, Wolak, Finkelhor (2015): A Typology of Offenders Who Use Online Communications to Commit Sex Crimes Against Minors, Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma.

Williams, R., Elliott, I. A. & Beech, A. R. (2013). Identifying sexual grooming themes used by Internet sex offenders. Deviant Behavior, 34(2), pp. 135-152.

After the course the student:

 Knows how to apply the basic social psychology mechanisms to the

cyberspace conditions

 Knows the basic research results on the characteristics of social

functioning online

 Knows the typology of internet threats for children and youth

 Describes the social psychological causes underlying engagement in

risky behaviors of a particular threat

 Recognizes the basic methods of prevention and intervention in the

emergency of child at risk online

Class presentations (25%) At least five times during the semester

presentations of a particular readings in small groups, of 2 or 3 will take

place. These presentations should not exceed 30 minutes and should be

accompanied by a handout so that the other students have a summary of

the reading. I will assess how well were the connections between topics

and issues of classical social psychology with research on various

cyberthreats drawn, explained and emphasized (70% of the grade).

30% of the grade for the presentation comes from the other students

assessment of the clarity of the presented topics and presentation skills.

Class participation (25%) Active and meaningful participation consists

of (1) reading the assigned readings before class (it will be checked in

several literature quizzes; (2) creating and sending one good discussion

question for each class based on the reading by email to me at least 24

hours prior to class beginning (3) participation in discussion.

Exam (50%) There will be an essay exam to end the course. It will be a

test consisted of open/essay questions, where two aspects will be

assessed (the ability to apply the basic social psychology mechanisms to

analyze the cyberspace conditions and the quality of demonstration of

knowledge on the basic research results on the characteristics of social

functioning online and the typology of internet threats for children and

youth).

Attendance rules

2 unexcused absence, 2 additional excused absences are allowed. Missing

more than 4 classes results in failing the course. Only sick leave and

extreme life situations will be handled as a valid excuse for absence

during one’s own presentation. An additional task will then be assigned.