The role of shyness in cyberbullying perpetration: a moderated mediation model of relative deprivation, anger rumination, and Internet morality.

Although the relationship between shyness and aggression has been well established, whether shyness is associated with cyberbullying perpetration and its underlying mechanisms has been unclear. Guided by the General Aggression Model (GAM), this study proposed that shyness, as a personal trait, is related to cyberbullying perpetration through cognitive and emotional processes. Specifically, we developed a moderated mediation model to examine the mediating roles of relative deprivation and anger rumination, as well as the moderating role of Internet morality, in the relationship between shyness and cyberbullying. Results indicated that both relative deprivation and anger rumination operated as separate and sequential mediators in the relationship between shyness and cyberbullying perpetration. Additionally, Internet morality moderated the effects of shyness and anger rumination on cyberbullying perpetration, and the mediating effects through anger rumination and relative deprivation, and solely through anger rumination. These effects were substantially weaker for individuals with higher levels of Internet morality. The present study provides valuable insights into the potential mechanisms linking shyness and cyberbullying perpetration and emphasizes the critical role of Internet morality in alleviating college students' cyberbullying.