Individual differences and co-occurring victimization online and offline: The role of impulsivity

With the proliferation of the Internet for everyday use, opportunity for online victimization has correspondingly increased. Research examining online victimization has illustrated that both routine online activities and individual differences in traits such as impulsivity affect the likelihood of victimization. Such research corresponds to that found for offline victimization as well. However, empirical examinations of the extent to which individual differences affect co-occurring (i.e., on- and offline) victimization is relatively scant. Employing data from a nationally representative sample of adults in the Netherlands (N = 3021), the current study examined the differential effect of online and offline routine activities and individual differences in impulsivity on co-occurring victimization. In both cross-sectional and longitudinal logit regression models, impulsivity had an independent effect on co-occurring victimization. Respondents with lower impulse control had substantially increased odds of reporting co-occurring victimization. Overall, the findings point to the importance of integrating individual differences into the study of victimization experiences in both online and offline environments. The discussion focuses on how the current study adds to the relevant theoretical and cybersecurity literature.