Aggressive scrollers: investigating online aggression and its relationship with social media use, envy, self-control and aggressive behaviour

Online Aggression, social media use, envy, self-control and trait aggression, what is the relationship? This thesis aimed to contribute some answers to this question. Social media and aggression are the main topics covered, this combination in recent years has been shown to be detrimental to individuals and society with ‘online’ aggression on the increase. The other more recent concern is the influence of social media on other outcomes such as the experience of envy or ‘offline’ aggression, including the cross over between threats ‘online’ and acting them out ‘offline’. This thesis is an exploratory piece of work with the overall aim of investigating ‘online’ aggression, it’s similarities and differences with ‘offline’ aggression, and the different psychological constructs that may help to explain the phenomena. This was carried out using a variety of methods, a systematic review, empirical research study, research case study and a psychometric critique. The main findings of the overall thesis suggest social media and aggression have a significant relationship that appeared to work in two directions. Whereby social media use and aggression influenced each other. Self-control and trait aggression appeared significant contributors to the relationship, and although the social comparison processes of malicious envy did not show a significant effect, its relationship was still worth noting. ‘Online’ and ‘Offline’ Aggression were explored for its similarities and differences, the results in this thesis suggest that ‘online’ and ‘offline’ aggression are not distinctly different, more that the manner in which they are carried out is. This thesis informed the development of a map of the findings so far (Figure 8.) which is explained in Chapter 6 and is hoped to guide future research, and assessment, formulation and intervention into online aggression