From Impoliteness to Aggression: Examining Cyberbullying Patterns on Sina Weibo Using the “Discourse-Cognition-Society” Model

This study applies Culpeper’s Impoliteness Strategy and van Dijk’s “Discourse-Cognition-Society” Model to analyze 664 comments from nine cyberbullying incidents on Sina Weibo, examining these within their social contexts. Ten sub-strategies were identified, belonging to two main categories: bald-on record and off-record impoliteness strategies, finding a dominant use of bald-on record strategies. Our analysis underscores that with the use of impoliteness strategies, cyberbullying language mirrors the cognition and ideologies of speakers, such as traditional attitudes towards “good students” and the prejudice against non-mainstream appearances, reflecting the trends in public opinion, influencing societal cognition and dynamics. Extending van Dijk’s framework, our study offers new insights into the complex interplay between online communication, societal realities, and cognitive processes. Furthermore, this study proposes recommendations for managing online communication, conducive to fostering a sound online communication environment.