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Violence / Aggression

(PS10-68) Forms and Motivations of Cyber Aggression in Sexual Minority Young Adults in the Southeastern United States

Sunday, November 23, 2025
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM CST
Location: Elite Hall A, Level 1

    Author(s)

  • CO

    Chloe C. O'Dell, B.A., M.A.

    Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student
    University of Southern Mississippi
    Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • NC

    Nora E. Charles, Ph.D.

    Associate Professor
    University of Texas - San Antonio
    San Antonio, Texas, United States

Abstract Text: Cyber aggression, which has a significant impact on victims, the public, and perhaps also perpetrators, is rapidly becoming more frequent in the 21st century as the volume of online social interactions increases (DeMarsico et al., 2021; Hinduja & Patchin, 2019; Wright, 2021). Sexual minority individuals, who are significantly more likely than heterosexual individuals to experience victimization online (Abreu & Kenny, 2018), may use social media for distinct reasons, including to connect with others and learn more about sexual minority communities (Campell et al., 2022; Chan, 2023; Harper et al., 2016). However, little is known about how or why sexual minority individuals may perpetrate cyber aggression differently than heterosexual individuals. Accordingly, this study examined whether sexual minority individuals and heterosexual individuals differed in cyber aggressive behaviors and assessed whether there were significant differences in the motivations that prompted these cyber aggressive acts. This study is composed of 534 participants (M= 24.6 years, 74.5% female, 66.1% white) from a University in the Southeastern United States. The Cyber Motivations for Aggression and Deviance scale (Cyber-MAD; DeMarsico et al., 2022), a self-report measure, was used to gauge 8 primary motivations for cyber aggression (social bonding, social activism, reactive aggression, interpersonal distress, impulsivity, virtual dissociation, thrill seeking, and vengeance) and 7 types of cyber aggression (flaming, trolling, social exclusion, harassment/stalking, defamation, outing, and masquerading). Individuals self-reported their sexual identity (straight/heterosexual, lesbian/gay, bisexual, asexual, pansexual, other – written response, prefer not to say). There were significant differences between sexual minority and heterosexual individuals in the forms and motivations of cyber aggression. Specifically, sexual minority individuals were significantly less likely to engage in cyber exclusion, harassment, and defamation. Sexual minority individuals were also significantly more likely to engage in cyber aggression for social activism and as a form of reactive aggression, while heterosexual individuals were significantly more likely to engage in cyber aggression as a way to dissociate from their real-world identity. Study limitations, such as reflections on this study’s sample and limits to methodology, will be discussed.  These findings may inform policies and interventions to reduce online discrimination and harassment and contribute to our understanding of theoretical models of cyber aggression and minority stress.