More intercultural sensitivity, less cyberbullying: the role of religious education among high-school students

ABSTRACT

The present study aimed to explore the link between intercultural sensitivity, the four dimensions of cyberbullying, i.e. aggression, victimisation, cyber-defending, and passive bystander behaviour), and religious education as a formal study discipline in schools. Our sample consisted of 241 high school students (M = 18.54, SD = .49, 61% males). Our results suggested significant negative associations between intercultural sensitivity and cyber-perpetration, cyber-victimisation, and cyber-bystander behaviour. No significant gender differences were found concerning intercultural sensitivity. Our findings also suggested that the participants who studied religion as a formal discipline in high school reported higher intercultural sensitivity. Furthermore, we also found a significant interaction effect between intercultural sensitivity and religion as a formal school discipline, in the case of cyber-aggression and cyber-victimisation dimensions of cyberbullying. Finally, we discuss our findings considering their practical implication, primarily in educational settings.

KEYWORDS:

• Intercultural sensitivity
• religious education
• cyberbullying
• late adolescents

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank Father Ioan Huluba for his valuable contribution to the present research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Constantin Cucoș

Constantin Cucoș is a professor at the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University in Iasi, Romania, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences. He published some of the most popular books in the scientific field of Pedagogy, and several research articles within his primary areas of interest, i.e., religious education, cultural and intercultural pedagogy, and the complex dimensions of education.

Ana Nicoleta Grigore

Ana Nicoleta Grigore is a lecturer at the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University in Iasi, Romania, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences. Her areas of interest include cyberbullying and the pedagogy of education. Her current areas of interest include cyber harassment and the cultural dimension of bullying.

Alexandra Maftei

Alexandra Maftei is a teaching assistant at the ‘Alexandru I. Cuza’ University, Iasi, Romania, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences. Her research areas include moral cognition, child development, and clinical psychology.