Toxic Echoes: The Cyberpsychology of Cancel Culture within Digital Student Communities
Keywords:
Cancel culture, cyberpsychology, digital student communities, online disinhibition, cyberbullying, student mental healthAbstract
Cancel culture has become a dominant form of social regulation within digital student communities, profoundly impacting the psychological well-being and academic trajectories of university students. This systematic narrative literature review synthesizes current research on the cyberpsychological dimensions of cancel culture among young adults. Drawing on frameworks such as the online disinhibition effect, space transition theory, and moral grandstanding, this review identifies the structural and psychological drivers of online mob behavior. It examines the severe mental health consequences for targets, including toxic shame, depression, and academic sabotage, exacerbated by the digital permanence of public shaming. Furthermore, the review explores the collective anxiety and self-censorship experienced by bystanders, as well as the moral grandstanding fatigue suffered by active participants. Finally, the study highlights critical gaps in the existing literature, such as the lack of longitudinal and intersectional analyses, and provides recommendations for educational institutions to cultivate digital empathy, implement restorative justice frameworks, and safeguard academic freedom.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Juni Hartiwi, Sri Sutiwi (Author)
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