Mitigating Threats to Collaboration and CMC: Identifying Antecedents of Online Deviance

Technology is a catalyst for communication and collaboration, and the use of information systems for these applications is prevalent. While there are countless benefits associated with communication and collaboration tools, detriments do exist. One pitfall is the prevalence of deviant behaviors online which can jeopardize the effectiveness of these tools. This paper presents the results of a study designed to investigate antecedents of online deviant behavior. The results indicate that impulsiveness, moral relativity, the perception of harm to others, and guilt influence the propensity for computer users to commit deviant acts. The implications and limitations of this work, as well as directions for future research, are discussed.