INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CULTURAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCE
Vol. 7 No. 2 (2026): International Journal of Cultural and Social Science

THE INFLUENCE OF CONFORMITY ON BULLYING BEHAVIOR: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF CRITICAL THINKING

Juandina, Anita Mestika (Unknown)
Dewi, Salamiah Sari (Unknown)
Indrawan, Yudistira Fauzy (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Apr 2026

Abstract

Bullying remains a serious problem in schools and is often influenced by peer conformity among adolescents. This study aims to examine the effect of conformity on bullying behavior and the mediating role of critical thinking among students of SMA Budi Agung Medan. A quantitative approach was used involving 117 students selected through cluster random sampling. Data were collected using conformity, bullying behavior, and critical thinking scales and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results showed that conformity had a positive and significant effect on bullying behavior and a negative effect on critical thinking. Critical thinking also had a negative and significant effect on bullying behavior and significantly mediated the relationship between conformity and bullying. These findings indicate that higher conformity increases the likelihood of bullying, while stronger critical thinking reduces such behavior. Strengthening students’ critical thinking may serve as an effective strategy to prevent bullying in schools.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

ijcss

Publisher

Subject

Humanities Environmental Science Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Library & Information Science Social Sciences

Description

International Journal of Cultural and Social Science (IJCSS) is an International Journal covering various social science fields, including culture, sociology, communication, politics, and information literacy. All articles submitted in the English ...