TY - GEN A1 - Wachs, Sebastian A1 - Wettstein, Alexander A1 - Bilz, Ludwig A1 - Gámez-Guadix, Manuel T1 - Adolescents’ motivations to perpetrate hate speech and links with social norms T2 - Comunicar - Media Education Research Journal N2 - Hate speech has become a widespread phenomenon, however, it remains largely unclear why adolescents engage in it and which factors are associated with their motivations for perpetrating hate speech. To this end, we developed the multidimensional “Motivations for Hate Speech Perpetration Scale” (MHATE) and evaluated the psychometric properties. We also explored the associations between social norms and adolescents’ motivations for hate speech perpetration. The sample consisted of 346 adolescents from Switzerland (54.6% boys; Mage=14; SD=0.96) who reported engagement in hate speech as perpetrators. The analyses revealed good psychometric properties for the MHATE, including good internal consistency. The most frequently endorsed subscale was revenge, followed by ideology, group conformity, status enhancement, exhilaration, and power. The results also showed that descriptive norms and peer pressure were related to a wide range of different motivations for perpetrating hate speech. Injunctive norms, however, were only associated with power. In conclusion, findings indicate that hate speech fulfills various functions. We argue that knowing the specific motivations that underlie hate speech could help us derive individually tailored prevention strategies (e.g., anger management, promoting an inclusive classroom climate). Furthermore, we suggest that practitioners working in the field of hate speech prevention give special attention to social norms surrounding adolescents. KW - hate speech KW - cyberhate KW - motives KW - social norms KW - injunctive norms KW - peer pressure Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3916/C71-2022-01 SN - 1134-3478 SN - 1988-3293 VL - 71 IS - 2 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Wachs, Sebastian A1 - Castellanos, Melisa A1 - Wettstein, Alexander A1 - Bilz, Ludwig A1 - Gámez-Guadix, Manuel T1 - Associations Between Classroom Climate, Empathy, Self-Efficacy, and Countering Hate Speech Among Adolescents: A Multilevel Mediation Analysis T2 - Journal of Interpersonal Violence N2 - Although hate speech is widely recognized as an online phenomenon, very few studies have investigated hate speech among adolescents in offline settings (e.g., schools). At the same time, not much is known about countering hate speech (counterspeech) among adolescents and which factors are associated with it. To this end, the present study used the socio- ecological framework to investigate the direct and indirect links among one contextual factor (i.e., classroom climate) and two intrapersonal factors (i.e.,empathy for victims of hate speech, self-efficacy regarding intervention in hate speech) to understand counterspeech among adolescents. The sample is based on self-reports of 3,225 students in Grades 7 to 9 (51.7% self- identified as female) from 36 schools in Germany and Switzerland. Self- report questionnaires were administered to measure classroom climate, empathy, self-efficacy, and counterspeech. After controlling for adolescents’ grade, gender, immigrant background, and socioeconomic status (SES), the 2-(1-1)-1 multilevel mediation analysis showed that classroom climate (L2), empathy for victims of hate speech (L1), and self-efficacy toward intervention in hate speech (L1) had a positive effect on countering hate speech (L1). Classroom climate (L2) was also positively linked to empathy for victims of hate speech (L1), and self-efficacy toward intervention in hate speech (L1). Furthermore, classroom climate (L2) was indirectly associated with countering hate speech (L1) via greater empathy (L1) and self-efficacy (L1). The findings highlight the need to focus on contextual and intrapersonal factors when trying to facilitate adolescents’ willingness to face hate speech with civic courage and proactively engage against it. KW - hate speech KW - counter speech KW - empathy KW - self-efficacy KW - adolescents Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605221120905 SN - 0886-2605 SN - 1552-6518 VL - 38 IS - 5-6 SP - 5067 EP - 5091 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Wachs, Sebastian A1 - Wettstein, Alexander A1 - Bilz, Ludwig A1 - Espelage, Dorothy L. A1 - Wright, Michelle F. A1 - Gámez-Guadix, Manuel T1 - Individual and Contextual Correlates of Latent Bystander Profiles toward Racist Hate Speech: A Multilevel Person-centered Approach T2 - Journal of Youth and Adolescence N2 - Prior research into bystander responses to hate speech has utilized variable-centered analyses — such approaches risk simplifying the complex nature of bystander behaviors. Hence, the present study used a person-centered analysis to investigate latent hate speech bystander profiles. In addition, individual and classroom-level correlates associated with the various profiles were studied. The sample included 3225 students in grades 7–9 (51.7% self-identified as female; 37.2% with immigrant background) from 215 classrooms in Germany and Switzerland. The latent profile analysis revealed that four distinct profiles could be distinguished: Passive Bystanders (34.2%), Defenders (47.3%), Revengers (9.8%), and Contributors (8.6%). Multilevel logistic regression models showed common and distinct correlates. For example, students who believed that certain social groups are superior were more likely to be Revengers and Contributors than Passive Bystanders, students who felt more connected with teachers were more likely to be Defenders, and students who were more open to diversity were less likely to be Contributors than Passive Bystanders. Students were less likely Defenders and more likely Revengers and Contributors than Passive Bystanders in classrooms with high rates of hate speech perpetration. Further, in classrooms with high hate speech intervention, students were more likely to be Defenders and less likely to be Contributors than Passive Bystanders. In classrooms with stronger cohesion, students were more likely to be Defenders and less likely to be Contributors than Passive Bystanders. In conclusion, the findings add to our understanding of bystander profiles concerning racist hate speech and the relevance of individual and classroom-level factors in explaining various profiles of bystander behavior. KW - Hate speech KW - Bystanders KW - School climate KW - Social skills KW - Latent profile analysis KW - Multilevel modeling Y1 - 2024 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-024-01968-x SN - 0047-2891 VL - 53 IS - 6 SP - 1271 EP - 1286 PB - Springer Science and Business Media LLC ER -