Adolescents’ motivations to perpetrate hate speech and links with social norms

Wachs, Sebastian and Wettstein, Alexander and Bilz, Ludwig and Gámez-Guadix, Manuel Adolescents’ motivations to perpetrate hate speech and links with social norms. Comunicar, 2022, vol. 30, n. 71, pp. 9-20. [Journal article (Paginated)]

[img]
Preview
Text (Research article (English))
c7101en.pdf - Published version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike.

Download (646kB) | Preview
[img]
Preview
Text (Research article (Español))
c7101es.pdf - Published version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike.

Download (838kB) | Preview

English abstract

Hate speech has become a widespread phenomenon, however, it remains largely unclear why adolescents engage in it and which factors are associated with their motivations for perpetrating hate speech. To this end, we developed the multidimensional “Motivations for Hate Speech Perpetration Scale” (MHATE) and evaluated the psychometric properties. We also explored the associations between social norms and adolescents’ motivations for hate speech perpetration. The sample consisted of 346 adolescents from Switzerland (54.6% boys; Mage=14; SD=0.96) who reported engagement in hate speech as perpetrators. The analyses revealed good psychometric properties for the MHATE, including good internal consistency. The most frequently endorsed subscale was revenge, followed by ideology, group conformity, status enhancement, exhilaration, and power. The results also showed that descriptive norms and peer pressure were related to a wide range of different motivations for perpetrating hate speech. Injunctive norms, however, were only associated with power. In conclusion, findings indicate that hate speech fulfills various functions. We argue that knowing the specific motivations that underlie hate speech could help us derive individually tailored prevention strategies (e.g., anger management, promoting an inclusive classroom climate). Furthermore, we suggest that practitioners working in the field of hate speech prevention give special attention to social norms surrounding adolescents.

Spanish abstract

El discurso de odio se ha convertido en un fenómeno generalizado. Sin embargo, todavía no está claro por qué los adolescentes se involucran en el discurso de odio y qué factores están asociados con las motivaciones para perpetrarlo. Con esta finalidad, desarrollamos una medida multidimensional, la «Escala de Motivaciones para Perpetrar Discurso de Odio» (MHATE), y evaluamos sus propiedades psicométricas. Asimismo, investigamos las asociaciones entre las normas sociales y las motivaciones para participar en el discurso de odio. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 346 adolescentes suizos (54,6% chicos; Medad=14; DT=0,96) que informaron haber perpetrado discurso de odio. Los análisis revelaron buenas propiedades psicométricas de MHATE, incluyendo adecuada consistencia interna. La subescala con mayor frecuencia fue venganza, seguida de las de ideología, conformidad con el grupo, mejora del estatus, regocijo y poder. Las normas descriptivas y la presión de iguales estuvieron relacionadas con varias motivaciones para perpetrar discurso de odio. Las normas prescriptivas, sin embargo, solo se asociaron con el poder. En conclusión, los hallazgos indican que el discurso de odio cumple varias funciones. Conocer las motivaciones específicas para el discurso de odio ayuda a derivar estrategias de intervención individualmente adaptadas (ej., manejo de la ira, promover un clima escolar inclusivo). Además, sugerimos que los profesionales que trabajan en la prevención del discurso de odio presten especial atención a las normas sociales que rodean a los adolescentes.

Item type: Journal article (Paginated)
Keywords: Hate speech; cyberhate; motives; social norms; injunctive norms; peer pressure; Discurso de odio; ciberodio; motivos; normas sociales; normas cautelares; presión de los pares
Subjects: B. Information use and sociology of information > BJ. Communication
G. Industry, profession and education.
G. Industry, profession and education. > GH. Education.
Depositing user: Alex Ruiz
Date deposited: 21 Mar 2022 07:45
Last modified: 21 Mar 2022 07:45
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10760/42980

References

Allport, G.W. (1954). The nature of prejudice. Addison-Wesley. https://bit.ly/3s5s35M

Ballaschk, C., Wachs, S., Krause, N., Schulze-Reichelt, F., Kansok-Dusche, J., Bilz, L. & Schubarth, W. (2021). Dann machen halt alle mit.“ Eine qualitative Studie zu Beweggründen und Motiven für Hatespeech unter Schüler*innen. [“Then everyone just goes along with it.' A qualitative study on reasons and motives of hate speech among students]. Diskurs Kindheits- und Jugendforschung / Discourse. Journal of Childhood and Adolescence Research, 16(4-2021), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.3224/diskurs.v16i4.01

Bastiaensens, S., Pabian, S., Vandebosch, H., Poels, K., Van Cleemput, K., DeSmet, A., & De Bourdeaudhuij, I. (2016). From normative influence to social pressure: How relevant others affect whether bystanders join in cyberbullying. Social Development, 25(1), 193-211. https://doi.org/10.1111/sode.12134

Baumeister, R.F., & Leary, M.R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117(3), 497-529. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.117.3.497

Chen, F.F. (2007). Sensitivity of goodness of fit indexes to lack of measurement invariance. Structural Equation Modeling, 14(3), 464-504. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705510701301834

Cialdini, R.B., & Trost, M.R. (1998). Social influence: Social norms, conformity and compliance. In D.T. Gilbert, S.T. Fiske, & G. Lindzey (Eds.), The handbook of social psychology (pp. 151–192). McGraw-Hill.

Cook, C.R., Williams, K.R., Guerra, N.G., Kim, T.E., & Sadek, S. (2010). Predictors of bullying and victimization in childhood and adolescence: A meta-analytic investigation. School Psychology Quarterly, 25(2), 65-83. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020149

Erjavec, K., & Kova?i?, M.P. (2012). “You don't understand, this is a new war!” Analysis of hate speech in news web sites' comments. Mass Communication and Society, 15(6), 899-920. https://doi.org/10.1080/15205436.2011.619679

Fluck, J. (2017). Why do students bully? An analysis of motives behind violence in schools. Youth & Society, 49(5), 567-587. https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118X14547876

Gradinger, P., Strohmeier, D., & Spiel, C. (2012). Motives for bullying others in cyberspace: A study on bullies and bully-victims in Austria. In Q. Li, D. Cross, & P.K. Smith (Eds.), Cyberbullying in the global playground: Research from international perspectives (pp. 263–284). Wiley Blackwell. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119954484.ch13

Hartley, J.E.K., Levin, K., & Currie, C. (2016). A new version of the HBSC Family Affluence Scale-FAS III: Scottish qualitative findings from the international FAS development study. Child Indicators Research, 9(1), 233-245. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-015-9325-3

Hayduk, L.A., & Littvay, L. (2012). Should researchers use single indicators, best indicators, or multiple indicators in structural equation models? BMC Medical Research Methodology, 12(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2288-12-159

Hu, L.T., & Bentler, P.M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 6(1), 1-55. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705519909540118

Krause, N., Ballaschk, C., Schulze-Reichelt, F., Kansok-Dusche, J., Wachs, S., Schubarth, W., & Bilz, L. (2021). Ich lass mich da nicht klein machen!“ Eine qualitative Studie zur Bewältigung von Hatespeech durch Schüler/innen. [“I don’t let them get me down!”—A qualitative study on students’ coping with hate speech]. Zeitschrift für Bildungsforschung, 11(1), 169-185. https://doi.org/10.1007/s35834-021-00291-w

Lee, S.S.T., & Wong, D.S.W. (2009). School, parents, and peer factors in relation to Hong Kong students' bullying. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 15(3), 217-233. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2009.9748030

Lehman, B. (2020). Hate at school: Victimization and disorder associated with school avoidance. Sociological Spectrum, 40(3), 172-190. https://doi.org/10.1080/02732173.2020.1734890

McClelland, D.C. (1975). Power: The inner experience. Irvington Publishers.

Muthén, L.K., & Muthén, B.O. (2017). Mplus user’s guide. Muthén & Muthén. https://bit.ly/3IJorwi

Möller, K., Grote, J., Nolde, K., & Schuhmacher, N. (2016). Die kann ich nicht ab!: Ablehnung, Diskriminierung und Gewalt bei Jugendlichen in der (Post-) Migrationsgesellschaft. Analysen zu gesellschaftlicher Integration und Desintegration. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-02302-7

Olthof, T., Goossens, F.A., Vermande, M.M., Aleva, E.A., & van-der-Meulen, M. (2011). Bullying as strategic behavior: Relations with desired and acquired dominance in the peer group. Journal of School Psychology, 49(3), 339-359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2011.03.003

Pinker, S. (2011). The better angels of our nature: Why violence has declined. Viking.

Reichelmann, A., Hawdon, J., Costello, M., Ryan, J., Blaya, C., Llorent, V., Oksanen, A., Rasanen, P.,& Zych, I. (2020). Hate knows no boundaries: Online hate in six nations. Deviant Behavior, 42(9)1100-1111. https://doi.org/10.1080/01639625.2020.1722337

Runions, K.C., Salmivalli, C., Shaw, T., Burns, S., & Cross, D. (2018). Beyond the reactive?proactive dichotomy: Rage, revenge, reward, and recreational aggression predict early high school bully and bully/victim status. Aggressive Behavior, 44(5), 501-511. https://doi.org/10.1002/ab.21770

Salmivalli, C., & Peets, K. (2009). Bullies, victims, and bully-victim relationships in middle childhood and early adolescence. In K.H. Rubin, W.M. Bukowski, & B. Laursen (Eds.), Handbook of peer interactions, relationships, and groups (pp. 322–340). The Guilford Press.

Santor, D.A., Messervey, D., & Kusumakar, V. (2000). Measuring peer pressure, popularity, and conformity in adolescent boys and girls: Predicting school performance, sexual attitudes, and substance abuse. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 29(2), 163-182. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005152515264

Sokolowski, K., & Heckhausen, H. (2010). Soziale Bindung: Anschlussmotivation und Intimitätsmotivation. In J. Heckhausen, & H. Heckhausen (Eds), Motivation und Handeln [Motivation and Action] (pp. 193-210). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-12693-2_7

Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (2004). The social identity theory of intergroup behavior. In J.T. Jost, & J. Sidanius (Eds.), Political psychology: Key readings (pp. 276-293). Psychology Press. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203505984-16

Tanrikulu, I., & Erdur-Baker, O. (2021). Motives behind cyberbullying perpetration: A test of uses and gratifications theory. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(13-14), 6699-6724. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260518819882

Van-de-Bongardt, D., Reitz, E., Sandfort, T., & Dekovi?, M. (2015). A meta-analysis of the relations between three types of peer norms and adolescent sexual behavior. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 19(3), 203-234. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868314544223

Van-de-Schoot, R., Lugtig, P., & Hox, J. (2012). A checklist for testing measurement invariance. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 9(4), 486-492. https://doi.org/10.1080/17405629.2012.686740

Váradi, L., Barna, I., & Németh, R. (2021). Whose norms, whose prejudice? The dynamics of perceived group norms and prejudice in new secondary school classes. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 3621. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.524547

Wachs, S., & Wright, M.F. (2021). Associations between online hate victimization and perpetration: The buffering effects of technical and assertive coping. MedienPädagogik, 16, 109-128. https://doi.org/10.21240/mpaed/jb16/2021.01.14.X

Wachs, S., Mazzone, A., Milosevic, T., Wright, M.F., Blaya, C., Gámez-Guadix, M., & O'Higgins Norman, J. (2021). Online correlates of cybeMHATE involvement among young people from ten European countries: An application of the routine activity and problem behaviour theory. Computers in Human Behavior, 123, 106872. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.106872

Wachs, S., Schubarth, W., & Bilz, L. (2020). Hate speech als schulproblem? Erziehungswissenschaftliche perspektiven auf ein aktuelles phänomen. In I. van-Ackeren, H. Bremer, F. Kessl, H.C. Koller, N. Pfaff, C. Rotter, D. Klein, & U. Salaschek (Eds.), Bewegungen – Beiträge aus dem 26. Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Erziehungswissenschaft (pp. 223-236). Verlag Barbara Budrich. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv10h9fjc.19

Wachs, S., Wettstein, A., Bilz, L., Krause, N., Ballaschk, C., Kansok-Dusche, J., & Wright, M.F. (in press). Playing by the Rules? An Investigation of the Relationship Between Social Norms and Adolescents’ Hate Speech Perpetration in Schools. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605211056032

Wettstein, A. (2008). Beobachtungssystem zur Analyse aggressiven Verhaltens in schulischen Settings (BASYS). [Observation system for the analysis of aggressive behavior in school settings]. Huber.


Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item