Digital piracy through the lens of moral intensity and risk perception : a cross-cultural perspective

Kos Koklič, Mateja (avtor), Kukar-Kinney, Monika (avtor), Vida, Irena (avtor)

This study examines the psychological mechanisms underlying digital piracy and proposes a framework that considers the perception of potential negative consequences for the individual (personal risk) and for society (moral intensity) as key factors associated with piracy behavior and rationalization. The conceptual model is tested using online survey data from two online panel samples of adults in the US (n = 625, age range = [18, 92], M = 42.44, SD = 16.43) and Slovenia (n = 514, age range = [18, 65], M = 43.51, SD = 13.14). The multi-group analysis indicates that perceived moral intensity is related to both lower participation in digital piracy and lower rationalization of this behavior in both countries. Furthermore, perceived personal risk is linked with lower likelihood of having ever engaged in piracy, but it is not significantly associated with either frequency of piracy behavior or rationalization for those who have engaged in digital piracy at least once in either country. This suggests that concern for individual consequences is not a deciding factor in determining frequency of piracy. The results also show that engaging in digital piracy is associated with cognitive rationalization strategies and with greater normalization of such behavior. These findings highlight the interplay between perceptions of potential negative consequences, digital piracy behavior, and rationalization and provide a basis for practical implications, particularly for marketers in the online entertainment industry.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: social networks, social communication, behavioural sciences, ethics, digital piracy, personal risk, moral intensity, rationalization, USA, Slovenia
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: EF - Ekonomska fakulteta
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Leto izida: 2026
• Št. strani: 21 str.
• Številčenje: Vol. 20, iss. 3, article no. 11
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-185047
• UDK: 159.98
• ISSN pri članku: 1802-7962
• DOI: 10.5817/CP2026-3-11
• COBISS.SI-ID: 282813699
• Datum objave v RUL: 21.07.2026

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: Cyberpsychology
• Skrajšan naslov: Cyberpsychology
• Založnik: Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University
• ISSN: 1802-7962
• COBISS.SI-ID: 515798041

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY-SA 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva-Deljenje pod enakimi pogoji 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: Ta licenca Creative Commons je zelo podobna običajni licenci Priznanje avtorstva, vendar zahteva, da so materialne avtorske pravice na izpeljanih delih upravljane z enako licenco.

Sekundarni jezik

• Jezik: Slovenski jezik
• Ključne besede: družbena omrežja, družbeno komuniciranje, vedenjske znanosti, etika

Projekti

• Financer: ARIS - Javna agencija za znanstvenoraziskovalno in inovacijsko dejavnost Republike Slovenije
• Številka projekta: P5-0128
• Naslov: Izzivi vključujočega in trajnostnega razvoja v prevladujoči paradigmi ekonomskih in poslovnih znanosti