Gender Differences in Software Piracy: The Mediating Roles of Self-Control Theory and Social Learning Theory

To date, researchers have shown that males are more likely to pirate software from the Internet than females (Hollinger, 1993; Hinduja, 2001, 2003). The purpose of this paper is to determine if low self-control or social learning theory can reduce the gender gap in software piracy. Using a nonrandom sample of college students, in four individual structural equation models, this study provides important results. First, gender differences do exist in software piracy from the Internet. Second, low self-control reduces the gender differences in software piracy. Third, social learning theory reduces the gender gap in software piracy. Fourth, the gender differences in software piracy disappear when low self-control and social learning theory are in the same model. Therefore, the main conclusion of this study is that low self-control and social learning theory are necessary in the study for a complete understanding of software piracy.