Flaming and illegal downloading: How might these misbehaviors be related?

Chuck Crowell
Department of Psychology and Director of CAPP (Computer Applications Program)

Abstract

Technology can create a kind of "psychological distance" between those who use it for online communication (e.g., email) or to acquire and use digital property (e.g., exchange music files) and those who may be affected by such uses (e.g., email recipients or music copyright owners). This "distance" may alter the social and/or moral factors normally operative in offline situations like face-to-face conversations or browsing the music section at Borders. As a result of this technology-induced "distance," certain behavioral tendencies may be more extreme or less ethical when exhibited online than when observed in comparable offline situations. This talk will review some of the evidence and theory supporting the possible "distancing" effects of technology as a medium for communication or the exchange of digital property.