Shin Huiyoung, Gyeong Sunjeong
Department of Psychology, Jeonbuk National University, 14-3 Social Science Building, Deokjin-gu, Baekje-daero 567, Jeonju, Chonbuk, 54896, South Korea.
BMC Psychol. 2025 Jun 5;13(1):609. doi: 10.1186/s40359-025-02959-8.
Although previous research has identified associations between individual traits-such as empathy and moral disengagement-and bullying-related behaviors, comparatively less attention has been directed toward cognitive and motivational determinants, including outcome expectations and values. Moreover, few studies have investigated how these factors operate in conjunction with students' perceptions of teachers' anti-bullying attitudes, efficacy, and efforts. Grounded in social cognitive and expectancy-value theories, this study investigated the unique and interactive contributions of students' cognitive and motivational characteristics and their perceptions of teacher-related factors in predicting bullying, passive bystanding, and defending behaviors.
Participants were 1,221 fourth- to sixth-grade students (M = 10.98, Male 52.7%) across 43 classrooms in South Korea. Students completed self-report measures assessing self-efficacy beliefs, outcome expectations and values related to defending, and perceptions of teachers' anti-bullying attitudes, efficacy, and efforts. Multilevel modeling was used to examine student- and classroom-level variations.
Students with stronger self-efficacy beliefs, greater expectations that defending would reduce bullying, and higher value placed on such outcomes were more likely to engage in defending and less likely to engage in bullying or passive bystanding behaviors. Perceived teacher attitudes, efficacy, and efforts-at both individual and classroom levels-were independently associated with these behaviors and moderated the effects of motivational variables. Specifically, the influence of students' expectations and values on defending behavior was attenuated when teachers were perceived as less proactive, less efficacious, or more tolerant of bullying.
These findings underscore the joint influence of students' motivational factors and their perceptions of teachers' anti-bullying attitudes, efficacy, and efforts in shaping bullying-related behaviors. Although higher self-efficacy, expectations, and values were linked to greater defending, these effects were reduced when teachers were perceived as less engaged or more tolerant of bullying. Interventions should therefore address both students' cognitive and motivational processes and the broader classroom climate shaped by teacher attitudes and practices.
尽管先前的研究已经确定了诸如同理心和道德脱离等个体特质与欺凌相关行为之间的关联，但相对较少关注认知和动机决定因素，包括结果期望和价值观。此外，很少有研究调查这些因素如何与学生对教师反欺凌态度、效能和努力的认知共同起作用。基于社会认知和期望价值理论，本研究调查了学生的认知和动机特征以及他们对教师相关因素的认知在预测欺凌、被动旁观和防卫行为方面的独特和交互作用。
参与者是韩国43个班级的1221名四至六年级学生（M = 10.98，男性占52.7%）。学生们完成了自我报告测量，评估自我效能信念、与防卫相关的结果期望和价值观，以及对教师反欺凌态度、效能和努力的认知。采用多层次建模来检验学生层面和班级层面的差异。
自我效能信念更强、更期望防卫能减少欺凌以及对这些结果赋予更高价值的学生更有可能参与防卫，而参与欺凌或被动旁观行为的可能性更小。在个体和班级层面上，感知到的教师态度、效能和努力都与这些行为独立相关，并调节了动机变量的影响。具体而言，当教师被认为不太积极主动、效能较低或对欺凌更宽容时，学生的期望和价值观对防卫行为的影响会减弱。
这些发现强调了学生的动机因素以及他们对教师反欺凌态度、效能和努力的认知在塑造欺凌相关行为方面的共同影响。尽管较高的自我效能、期望和价值观与更多的防卫行为相关，但当教师被认为参与度较低或对欺凌更宽容时，这些影响会减弱。因此，干预措施应同时关注学生的认知和动机过程以及由教师态度和实践塑造的更广泛的课堂氛围。
