Low Self-Control, Moral Beliefs, and Social Learning Theory in University Students’ Intentions to Pirate Software

The results show that the effects of low self-control, differential association, and attitudes are present in the low moral subsample, but they disappear in the high moral subsamples, and that there is no statistically significant difference between these effects in these groups.

Abstract

Although researchers have examined software piracy using several correlates and theories, it is not clear whether self-control theory and social learning theory have an effect on software piracy that is conditioned by state morals. Using data collected from 318 college students, this study examines the effects that low self-control, differential association, and attitudes have on software piracy and whether morals can condition these effects. The results show that the effects of low self-control, differential association, and attitudes are present in the low moral subsample, but they disappear in the high moral subsample. However, z-tests show that there is no statistically significant difference between these effects in these groups.