Moral Identity and Bystander Behavior in Cyberbullying: The Roles of Moral Outrage and Online Interpersonal Trust

It remains unclear about the role of moral identity in bystanders' behavior in cyberbullying and how and when they are related to each other. This study examined the relationship between moral identity and bystander behavior in cyberbullying, focusing on investigating moral outrage as a mediator and online interpersonal trust as a moderator in this relation. A total of 1128 undergraduates aged from 16 to 25 years old (M = 19.66, SD = 1.37; 38.7% females) participated in this research. They completed an online survey measuring the variables of interest. Results indicated that moral outrage mediated the predictive effects of moral identity on defending the victim, supporting the victim, and reinforcing the bully. Online interpersonal trust moderated the predictive effects of moral outrage on some types of bystander behavior in cyberbullying and the mediation effects via moral outrage. These effects were much more robust for participants with higher levels of online interpersonal trust. The findings overall can provide evidence for the hypothesized moderated mediation model and extend our knowledge about the mechanisms linking moral identity to bystander behavior in cyberbullying.