The effect of pluralistic ignorance on bullying bystander behavior

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of pluralistic ignorance on bystander behavior in bullying among junior high school students. A questionnaire survey was conducted with 2,309 students. After presenting a fictional scenario evoking bullying, participants reported their own bystander attitudes, their perceptions of peers’ attitudes, concerns about peer evaluation when refraining from bystander behavior, and conformity intentions. The results showed that students perceived their peers as more likely than themselves to engage in bystander behavior, suggesting that pluralistic ignorance helps sustain it. Moreover, students who opposed bystander behavior but believed their peers did not (pluralistic ignorance group) displayed stronger conformity toward bystander behavior than those who believed that both they and their peers opposed it (self–other positive attitude group). This tendency to conform was mediated by concerns about peer evaluation. These findings elucidate psychological mechanisms underlying bullying bystander behavior and highlight the significance and limitations of the study.