Anonymity, Online Disinhibition, and Cyber Aggression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Although anonymity and online disinhibition are recognized as key features of online environments, empirical findings regarding their associations with cyber aggression remain inconsistent. This study conducted a meta-analysis to examine the relationships between anonymity, online disinhibition, and cyber aggression, as well as to investigate the moderating effects of demographic and methodological factors that may account for study heterogeneity. Following title/abstract screening and the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 71 articles comprising 80 independent studies (169 effect sizes) were included, with a total of 57,725 participants (52.66% female; M age = 21.23 years). Results showed that anonymity and online disinhibition were both significantly and positively correlated with cyber aggression ( r = .463, 95% CI [.342, .568]; r = .422, 95% CI [.340, .498]). Moderator analyses revealed that the association between anonymity and cyber aggression became weaker as the proportion of females increased, whereas it became stronger with age. In addition, the association between online disinhibition and cyber aggression became weaker as the proportion of females increased, stronger with age, stronger in studies conducted in the United States (vs. China), and stronger for toxic online disinhibition (vs. benign online disinhibition). These findings quantitatively support the deindividuation theory and online disinhibition effect, emphasizing that demographic and regional contexts shape the extent to which online features foster aggression. The results provide empirical and theoretical guidance for developing targeted strategies to mitigate cyber aggression and promote safer cyber environments.