摘要：If an individual witnesses an emergency; this so called bystander has to make multiple decisions in order to intervene; for instance; one has to reflect whether external help is necessary and if one is personally responsible to help. However; diverse variables can influence this in turn. For instance; a personal relationship with the victim promotes prosocial behavior; whereas the (virtual) presence of others can prevent bystanders from intervening. Especially in cyberbullying bystanders occupy a decisive role: Passive behavior; which holds for most bystanders; can reinforce cyberbullying; whereas prosocial intervention can contribute to set an end to the incident and thereby limit negative consequences for the victim. Therefore; in this study we carve out when bystanders intervene online in general; yet specifically in cyberbullying as well as which factors influence their pro-social behavior; also; we systematize these considerations in a theoretical model. We demonstrate that central characteristics of computer-mediated communication both promote and hamper bystanders’ intervention in cyberbullying.
