The Forms of Online Revenge: Scale Development

Summary

Revenge behaviors have recently taken a new form due to the arrival of new communication technologies. That is, when individuals have been wronged, they now have the medium of social media platforms to get back at their offender. Online revenge offences can take different forms. For example, individuals can post private and undisclosed information, they can post private pictures or spread rumors online. Up to date, no tool has been developed to measure the possible ways one can enact revenge online and this research plans to remedy to this gap in the literature.

The goal of this study is to develop a scale that captures the width and breadth of the possible ways that people may use social media sites in order to get back at an offender. Participants will have the option to recall and explain online revenge accounts that they have engaged in, been victim of, or witnessed on social media platforms. The scale developed based on this study will enable scholars to study the consequences associated with online revenge.