Higgins (2004)
Contents
Source Details
Higgins (2004) | |
Title: | Can low self-control help with the understanding of the software piracy problem? |
Author(s): | Higgins, G. E. |
Year: | 2004 |
Citation: | Higgins, G. E. (2004). Can low self-control help with the understanding of the software piracy problem?. Deviant Behavior, 26(1), 1-24. |
Link(s): | Definitive |
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About the Data | |
Data Description: | The researcher gave a self-report questionnaire to college students at an eastern university in the United States in the fall 2003 semester. This set of procedures produced 320 surveys, and after list wise deletion for missing data 318 surveys remained. |
Data Type: | Primary data |
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Cross Country Study?: | No |
Comparative Study?: | No |
Literature review?: | No |
Government or policy study?: | No |
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Abstract
Computer crime—specifically, software piracy—is growing, and no research in criminology examines whether low self-control can help us understand the behavior. This study examines the link that Gottfredson and Hirschi’s (1990) idea of low self-control has with software piracy. Using a non random sample of college students and measures of low self-control, software pirating peers, software pirating attitudes, and moral beliefs toward software piracy, the findings show that low self-control has a link with software piracy. This finding expands the scope of self-control theory and provides an understanding of why the behavior occurs.
Main Results of the Study
- Low self-control does have a significant link with software piracy, supporting the link found in the bivariate correlations.*This finding suggests that individuals with low self-control are less likely to resist the temptation to take home for their personal use attractive software that their employer purchased.* However, low self-control has the smallest impact of all of the significant measures.
Policy Implications as Stated By Author
Understanding software piracy using low self-control will provide criminologists with an opportunity to understand one form of computer crime and will extend the scope of self-control theory and help develop policy to reduce instances of occurrence.
Coverage of Study
Datasets
Sample size: | 318 |
Level of aggregation: | University students |
Period of material under study: | 2003 |