Journal of Educational and Developmental Psychology; Vol. 8, No. 1; 2018 ISSN 1927-0526 E-ISSN 1927-0534 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education 153 Empathy in Traditional and Cyber Bullying/Victimization Involvement From Early to Middle Adolescence: A Cross Sectional Study Nafsika Antoniadou 1 & Constantinos M. Kokkinos 1 1 Department of Primary Education, School of Education Sciences, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece Correspondence: Professor Constantinos M. Kokkinos, Department of Primary Education, School of Education Sciences, Democritus University of Thrace, N. Hili, GR 68100, Alexandroupolis, Greece. E-mail: kkokkino@eled.duth.gr Received: February 27, 2018 Accepted: March 22, 2018 Online Published: March 24, 2018 doi:10.5539/jedp.v8n1p153 URL: http://doi.org/10.5539/jedp.v8n1p153 Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of affective and cognitive empathy with traditional and cyber bullying/victimization experiences among Greek participants who attended the fifth and sixth grade of elementary school (n=126), junior high school (n=140), and senior high school (n=157). Overall, results indicated negative correlations of empathy (especially affective) with traditional and cyber bullying/victimization. Negative correlations were particularly observed among elementary school participants, while affective empathy was found to be negatively related to bullying involvement, especially among girls. Overall, empathy (especially affective) may not be sufficiently developed among elementary school students, thus precluding them from understanding and caring about others' emotional state. The negative correlation of empathy and cyber-bullying among junior high school participants might be related to the characteristics of computer mediated communication. Implications of the findings are discussed. Keywords: traditional bullying, traditional victimization, cyber-bullying, cyber-victimization, empathy 1. Introduction Empathy refers to the emotional response towards a specific person or group of people that is stimulated by a circumstance (state empathy) (Eisenberg, Eggum, & Di Giunta, 2010), or the relatively stable personality characteristic influenced by biological and environmental factors (trait empathy) (Nicovich et al., 2005). Most researchers agree that it is distinguished in two dimensions, cognitive empathy (i.e. the ability to recognize and understand others’ feelings), and affective empathy which involves arousal to others’ emotional state (König, Gollwitzer, & Steffgen, 2010). Cognitive empathy is related to Theory of Mind and perspective taking and is a prerequisite for experiencing affective empathy (Blair, 2005). Although empathy results from the joint function of the two components (Blair, 2005), these may differ across development and in their role in one’s behavior (Kahn, 2002). Adequate or high empathy constitutes an important skill for social interactions, since it helps children and adolescents understand and regulate their social behavior, express their feelings, develop and maintain positive relationships (e.g., Albiero et al., 2009). It is being consistently identified as a predictor for traditional bullying (TB) and traditional victimization (TV) involvement (Jolliffe & Farrington, 2006). Although many traditional bullies have been found to lack in both dimensions of empathy (Slonje, Smith, & Frisén, 2012), those employing indirect TB may have low affective and high cognitive empathy (Jolliffe & Farrington, 2006), since this type of aggression requires high social and emotional skills to understand group dynamics (Woods et al., 2009). Victims of TB (especially indirect; Woods et al., 2009) frequently lack in both dimensions of empathy which prevents them from understanding and regulating their emotions and behaviors, as well as from comprehending others’ emotions and intentions (Kokkinos & Kipritsi, 2012). Although physical presence is not necessary for experiencing empathy, non-verbal signs help understanding which acts are perceived as satisfying and are therefore encouraged by other people, and which have violated the social rules and expectations (Blair, 2005). It has been argued that Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) may