DO BIG FIVE PERSONALITY TRAITS AND NARCISSISM INFLUENCE CYBERBULLYING: EXAMINING GENDER DIFFERENCES AMONG STUDENTS OF PUBLIC SECTOR UNIVERSITIES OF PAKISTAN

Abstract

The most recent reviews highlighted that cyberbullying is an emerging public issue in Asian countries. Personality traits and the way adolescent use Facebook influence cyberbullying. Therefore, the study investigates the role of big five (Extraversion, Agreeableness, Openness to Experience, Neuroticism and Conscientiousness) and Narcissism as personality predictors for shaping cyberbullying. This cross-sectional study used survey based quantitative approach to collect data through structured questionnaire by random sample of undergraduate students at public sector universities of Pakistan. Through cross-gender analysis, this study analyzed big five and narcissism as personality predictors of cyberbullying via Facebook through descriptive statistics, ANOVA, partial eta squares, correlation and regression analysis.  Narcissist students, irrespective of their gender, is recognized as a key common cyberbullying perpetrator among undergraduate students.  There is varying degree of association between big five personality trait with cyberbullying among male and female students. This study contributes to literature by providing tantalizing evidence about the relationship between personality traits and cyberbullying behavior to suggest intervention and prevention for cyberbullying for south Asian university students.