Disengagement Theory Research Articles

Investigating the Influence of Time Pressure on Risky Riding Behaviour among P-Hailing Riders in Malaysia: The Mediating Role of Moral Disengagement

This study investigates the impact of time pressure on risky riding behaviour among p-hailing riders in Malaysia, with moral disengagement as a mediating factor. Drawing on Bandura's Moral Disengagement Theory and the Job Demand-Resources (JD-R) Model, the research explores how time pressure influences these behaviours. A survey of 200 respondents, selected through stratified convenience sampling, was conducted across three Northern States in Malaysia, namely Perlis, Kedah, and Penang. Data analysis using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) reveals that time pressure significantly increases risky riding behaviour, with moral disengagement significantly mediates this relationship. The study finds that younger and less experienced riders are particularly susceptible to time pressure effects. Demographic data indicate that 80% of riders are under 35 years old, with 75% having less than three years of experience. Based on these findings, the research emphasises the need for targeted interventions, including specialised training programmes and improved workload management strategies, to mitigate risks associated with p-hailing. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of the role of a cognitive mechanism factor in influencing risky riding behaviours among p-hailing riders and provides valuable insights for enhancing road safety measures. Future research directions are suggested, including exploration of additional cognitive mechanisms that may impact risky riding behaviours in this context.

Recovery and Recidivism: The Aftermath of Helping the Organization Unethically

AbstractThis research draws from moral self-regulation and moral disengagement theories to examine how employees react to their own unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB). We hypothesize that UPB will elicit mixed moral-based cognitive responses among employees that promote both recovery and recidivism. Results of two studies show that, on the one hand, engaging in UPB damaged perpetrators' moral self-concept, captured by an increase in perceived loss of moral credits; this prompted them to perform customer-directed helping behaviors to recover their damaged moral self-concept; on the other hand, UPB also elicited a cognitive justification process, which was related to an increase in subsequent UPB. This nuanced reaction helps explain why individuals' moral self-regulation does not necessarily remedy for moral failings, while also suggesting practical steps that leaders can take to prevent a "slippery slope" pattern of UPB from taking hold in the organization.

The role of moral disengagement in youth bullying behaviour.

Moral disengagement, a term coined by Bandura, explains how people can hurt others and behave immorally, contradicting their beliefs and values and yet live peaceably with themselves. He developed a conceptual model of moral disengagement based on the Social Cognitive Theory of moral agency. By activating moral disengagement mechanisms, people can disregard their moral standards and behave immorally without any self-censure. This paper synthesises the extensive research on moral disengagement in a youth bullying context to demonstrate the conceptual strength of moral disengagement theory for research and interventions on bullying. It advances the understanding of the contextual basis of moral disengagement by examining its diverse role in bullying episodes that includes bullying perpetration, bullying victimisation and bullying bystanders. The analysis of the different components of moral disengagement representing the loci of the disengagement mechanisms sheds light on how the disengagement processes function in the youth bullying context. Its role as both a moderator and mediator further advances its divergent functioning in the youth bullying context. Finally, implications of the review for advancing knowledge on the moral basis of youth bullying are discussed with suggestions for the development of interventions to attenuate the use of moral disengagement.

Social-cognitive mechanisms of moral disengagement, sex differences and psychological predictors in young populations

The theory of moral disengagement has been useful in explaining disruptive social behavior in young people, showing differences between men and women. However, there are no studies regarding the association of psychological factors, such as impulsivity, self-esteem, anxiety, and moral disengagement. Therefore, we analyzed sex differences and psychological predictors of moral disengagement mechanisms in young people. This was a quantitative, cross-sectional, comparative, and correlational study. The participants were 1,419 young people aged 16 to 30 years (M=20.6, SD=3.32) who answered the moral disengagement mechanisms questionnaire (MMDS), the Barratt impulsivity scale (BIS-11), the Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSES) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). A Student's t-test showed that men had higher scores on moral disengagement mechanisms and self-esteem, and women had higher scores on anxiety. Moral disengagement mechanisms were found to correlate inversely with self-esteem, but directly with impulsivity and anxiety. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that self-contempt, impulsivity, anxiety, and sex had the highest effects on predicting moral disengagement and mechanisms. These effects were similar in men and women. This study provided important information on the influence of psychological factors not explored in previous studies on the understanding of moral agency in young people. The results offer innovative theoretical explanations in a line of research aimed at linking psychological, clinical, and cognitive-social perspectives, with major implications for psychosocial intervention with young people.

Administrative evil and moral disengagement: The case of torture in apartheid‐era South Africa

AbstractUnderstanding how administrators can commit unethical acts is an important goal of public administration research. This article tests whether moral inversion, taken from Balfour, Adams, and Nickels' theory of administrative evil, can help explain torture, and also proposes and tests Bandura's theory of moral disengagement. It analyzes testimony from perpetrators of torture who testified before the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 1996–2000. The results support moral inversion, as perpetrators stated that they believed their actions were morally justified. The results also support displacement of responsibility, as perpetrators shifted responsibility away from themselves and toward actors above or below them in the chain of command. However, the analysis does not support the theory of diffusion of responsibility, as perpetrators did not take the silence of officials outside of their chain of command as approval, but instead anticipated their disapproval and tried to conceal their actions.

Determining the Disengagement of Accomplices in Telecom Network Fraud Crimes

The incorporation the accomplice disengagement theory cases of cross-border telecom network fraud crimes is crucial for the objective and comprehensive assessment of the actions of accomplices who opt out of criminal activities midway. Nevertheless, the foundational theory of accomplice disengagement is still incomplete, leading to inconsistencies in the application of laws and disparities between the severity of sentencing and the leniency of conviction decisions in judicial practices. This study investigates this matter from a comparative legal standpoint, juxtaposing the key principles of civil law and common law jurisdictions with the theories on accomplice disengagement within China’s legal framework. Through this examination, the study the current approaches to addressing concerns related to accomplice disengagement. Subsequently, the discourse delves into defining concepts, elucidating principles, outlining fundamental elements, and deliberating on conviction and sentencing, with the objective of refining the processes for determining accomplice disengagement. The ultimate goal is to ensure fairness in disengagement determinations and to devise innovative strategies to crimes related to telecom network fraud.

Moral Engagement in Design: Five Considerations for Unpacking the Ethical Dimensions of Design Methods

Abstract What society experiences today as morally questionable design—from gendered toys for children to public benches that prevent sleeping—can be considered the aftermath of an underdeveloped foundation for systematic ethical reflection in design methodologies. Although designing is an inherently moral activity, research on how to recognize and handle ethical questions and moral dilemmas in early (conceptual) design activities is scarce. In this article, we use an interdisciplinary lens to analyze and respond to the challenges of bridging moral psychology, ethics of technology, and design methodologies. For this, we introduce the concept of moral engagement in design, which is inspired by Moral Disengagement Theory. Finally, we propose five preliminary considerations for enacting moral engagement in design practices. These considerations form an interdisciplinary bridge to help us reflect on the moral dimensions of methodological choices in conceptual design practices.

Dynamics of Ageing in Akoko Area of Ondo State Nigeria: Challenges of Public Welfare for the Aged

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigates the dynamics of ageing in Akoko Land of Ondo State Nigeria and challenges of public welfare for the aged. The Study was anchored on disengagement theory to explain the inevitable process of disengagement as a rewarding and universal that must be mutually agreed upon. Methods: Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from randomly selected respondents and key informant participants numbering one hundred and forty (140). The quantitative data collected from 120 respondents were analyzed with statistical package for the social sciences, while the qualitative data collected from 20 participants were analyzed using content analysis. Results: Findings revealed that the aged were relatively neglected in term of care and social security. Majority of the respondents 94.2% agreed that extended family system alone cannot stand as a social insurance for the aged. 90% agreed that improvement in the social care and security policies across public and private organization would help to alleviate most aged poverty level. Conclusions: This study recommends, among others, that every family should extend mutual love and care gesture towards their ageing cohort, the aged should themselves engage in proper future savings and investments, while the society, through the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the Government should intensify their efforts to provide social security, public infrastructure, medical facility, prompt pension and retirement benefit payment in order to assure graceful ageing for every aged cohort in the society.

Effect of team identification on employee constructive deviance: the role of moral justification and environmental instability

Purpose Despite an emerging interest in constructive deviance, the exploration of its antecedents is still limited, particularly from an ethical perspective. This study aims to uses moral disengagement theory to investigate how team identification, moral justification and team environmental instability interact to affect employee constructive deviance. Design/methodology/approach With survey data collected in two waves from 315 employees of 49 work teams in five service companies in China, this study develops four hypotheses and tests them through hierarchical linear model. Findings The survey results support the complete mediating effect of moral justification on the positive impact of team identification on constructive deviance. They also confirm the moderating effect of environmental instability on the relationship between team identification, moral justification and constructive deviance. Originality/value This study explores the sources of constructive deviance at team level from the ethical decision-making perspective and reveals the mechanism and contingency factors in the relationship between identity and constructive deviance. In practice, the study findings imply that managers should encourage their employees to cultivate their identification with their team and align their moral justification with the team’s norms especially when the team faces turbulent environment.

Ahlaki Uzaklaşmadan Uzaklaşmak: Bireysel Farklılıklar ve Müdahale Programlarına İlişkin Bir Derleme

It is an intriguing question of how people can reduce stress in which situations where internal moral standards are violated. Addressing this question, moral disengagement theory has been proposed to explain different cognitive mechanisms which ease people into engaging or witnessing moral transgressions. Several findings showed that moral disengagement tendencies might be explained by individual differences as well as contextual factors. Beyond showing the correlations between moral disengagement processes and individual differences and contextual factors, it is also valuable to investigate if there is an effective way to intervene in moral disengagement. This review article addresses the previously shown evidence regarding individual differences, contextual factors, and interventions, which in turn aim to enrich our understanding of the underlying psychological mechanisms to reduce unethical behaviors. Taken together, Honesty-Modesty, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Psychopathy, and Machiavellianism were found to be individual differences associated with moral disengagement. Additionally, less research yielded that attachment styles, political attitudes, moral identity, and moral emotions might be important to experience moral disengagement. Although several studies showed that individual differences are related to being more prone to moral disengagement, these studies had rarely been considered in intervention programs aiming to reduce immoral behaviors. Programs that have been designed to reduce moral disengagement overlook the long-term effects. Additionally, interventions often focus on the work environment and adolescence. In the future, interventions that include longitudinal designs considering the role of individual differences and different contexts might contribute to the relevant literature.

“It’s Everybody’s Role to Speak Up... But Not Everyone Will”: Understanding AI Professionals’ Perceptions of Accountability for AI Bias Mitigation

In this paper, we investigate the perceptions of AI professionals for their accountability for mitigating AI bias. Our work is motivated by calls for socially responsible AI development and governance in the face of societal harm but a lack of accountability across the entire socio-technical system. In particular, we explore a gap in the field stemming from the lack of empirical data needed to conclude how real AI professionals view bias mitigation and why individual AI professionals may be prevented from taking accountability even if they have the technical ability to do so. This gap is concerning as larger responsible AI efforts inherently rely on individuals who contribute to designing, developing, and deploying AI technologies and mitigation solutions. Through semi-structured interviews with AI professionals from diverse roles, organizations, and industries working on development projects, we identify that AI professionals are hindered from mitigating AI bias due to challenges that arise from two key areas: (1) their own technical and connotative understanding of AI bias and (2) internal and external organizational factors that inhibit these individuals. In exploring these factors, we reject previous claims that technical aptitude alone prevents accountability for AI bias. Instead, we point to interpersonal and intra-organizational issues that limit agency, empowerment, and overall participation in responsible computing efforts. Furthermore, to support practical approaches to responsible AI, we propose several high-level principled guidelines that will support the understanding, culpability, and mitigation of AI bias and its harm guided by both socio-technical systems and moral disengagement theories.

Moral disengagement in the media discourses on meat and dairy production systems

Meat and dairy production and consumption are the subject of ongoing public debates that touch on various sustainability issues such as biodiversity loss, climate change, animal welfare, and social and health aspects. Despite extensive discussions specifically relating to the environmental impacts of livestock farming in conjunction with animal welfare aspects, there have been no substantial changes in production or consumption patterns. Moreover, the focus of extant research is usually on consumers' responses to public concerns around livestock production. In this study, we shed light on the discrepancy between the normative discourse and action of relevant value chain actors with the help of Bandura's theory of moral disengagement, which allows us to identify mechanisms that contribute to the perpetuation of unsustainable production and consumption patterns. In particular, we focus on the shifting of responsibility between actors in the normatively charged field of sustainable livestock production. We collected 109 media interviews on meat and dairy production and consumption from the years 2020–2022, including interviews with actors from agriculture, processing industries, and food retail. Using qualitative content analysis, we investigated the role of moral disengagement in the media discourse on meat and dairy production and explored differences between actors in terms of moral disengagement. We found that shifting of responsibility shows a quasi-circular dynamic of being shifted from all actors to all, in our case most frequently to consumers, politics, and (diffuse) economic forces. In addition, our analysis showed the use of social justifications, beneficial comparisons, and euphemistic labelling to be common mechanisms of moral disengagement, constituting a collective problem within agri-food systems.

Enmeshed with the digital: satellite navigation and the phenomenology of drivers’ spaces

This paper aims to develop a theoretical interpretation of how satellite navigation transforms drivers’ experience of automotive spaces. The use of satellite navigation has, so far, been predominantly studied from a cognitivist perspective based on the computer model of cognition and the theory of spatial disengagement. Experimental studies have concluded that over-reliance on digital navigation tools diminishes spatial orientation and spatial memory. According to the dominant interpretation, satellite navigation causes disengagement from space. After addressing these approaches, the paper introduces an embodied perspective of satellite navigation. This is accomplished by applying the phenomenology of perception of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, whose notions, such as perception, body schema, motor habit, and virtual body, illuminate otherwise undertheorized dimensions of drivers’ spaces. By using digital tools for wayfinding, drivers’ body schema, virtual body, and perception of space are modified, thereby enabling an engagement with convoluted ‘mesh spaces.’ This new term is integral to the interpretation of drivers’ spaces, as well as being distinct from that of ‘hybrid space,’ although both aim to conceptualize spaces, including physical objects and their visual representations. Conclusions will be drawn against the broader context of the mediatization of everyday life.

Exploring the Dark Side of Online Distance Learning: Cheating Behaviours, Contributing Factors, and Strategies to Enhance the Integrity of Online Assessment

AbstractThis study investigated cheating behaviours, contributing factors, and strategies to enhance the integrity of assessment in an online learning context. The researchers conducted an analysis of the literature on students’ motivation to cheat in online modules and noted that there is limited research on the specific reasons why students cheat in online learning contexts. To contribute to this knowledge gap, this study set out to understand cheating in two English modules with first-year second language students, in an open distance and e-learning institution in South Africa. The purpose of this study is (1) to investigate why students cheat in their online assessments, (2) to explore the contributing factors of cheating behaviours, and (3) to determine strategies to minimise cheating. Using qualitative methods such as focus group discussions with students, evaluation questions with markers, and one-on-one interviews with lecturers, the study found that cheating is a significant issue in distance education, with students admitting to various forms of cheating in online assessments. Using the social cognitive theory of moral disengagement, the study found that cognitive mechanisms motivate students to engage in unethical behaviour such as cheating. The study recommends implementing an interactive module design, lecturer training on student support, and stringent academic integrity policies to minimise cheating. There is a need for studies that explore the impact of cheating and the effectiveness of different strategies for minimising cheating and enhancing integrity in online assessment.

Investigating the mechanism of international contractors' fraud from a moral perspective: evidence from Chinese international contractors

PurposeThis study aims to clarify the psychological mechanism of international contractors' fraud by linking performance pressure to fraudulent intention through the displacement of responsibility and addressing the moderating role of moral intensity.Design/methodology/approachBased on moral disengagement theory, performance pressure was hypothesized to be positively associated with fraudulent intention by mediating the displacement of responsibility. Drawing on the issue-contingent theory, moral intensity was hypothesized to inhibit the relationship between performance pressure and displacement of responsibility in three aspects: magnitude of consequences (MC), probability of effect (PE) and social consensus (SC). The scenario-based questionnaire was conducted to collect information from contractors spread across 50 countries. The partial least squares structural equation modeling was employed to assess the proposed model.FindingsThe results demonstrated that performance pressure was positively associated with the fraudulent intention, and displacement of responsibility exerted a positive partial mediating impact between performance pressure and fraudulent intention. Regarding moral intensity in the moderating analysis, the negative moderating role of MC and PE was significant, while that of SC was insignificant.Practical implicationsThis study provides international construction practitioners with a deep understanding of the formation mechanism of fraud at the psychological level.Originality/valueIt clarifies the psychological mechanism from performance pressure to fraudulent intention by integrating a mediation impact from the displacement of responsibility and a moderation effect from MC and PE. It contributes to the sparse research on how situational factors shape individuals' fraudulent intentions in the international context. It provides a fresh perspective on fraud by constructing a formation model from moral psychological theories.

YOU JUST LEARN WHAT TO HOLD ON TO AND WHAT TO LET GO: NARRATIVES OF MINDFUL AGING IN SOUTH ASIAN AMERICAN OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Mindful Sustainable Aging (MSA) is a multidimensional concept incorporating elements from four prominent gerontological theories – activity theory, disengagement theory, successful aging theory, and gerotranscendence theory (Nilsson et al., 2015). Informed by mindfulness practices, MSA is a holistic approach to supporting healthy aging in the social, physical, mental, and spiritual dimensions of life (ibid.). Using MSA as a theoretical framework, this qualitative study explores mindful aging in community-dwelling South Asian American older adults – one of the fastest-growing yet relatively understudied racial/ethnic minority groups in the US. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 South Asian Americans aged 50+ (18 male, 14 female; mean age=63.5 years). Thematic analysis of the interview data showed that aging was accompanied by significant modifications such as adjusting to everyday life after the death of a spouse, perceived loss of role and status in the family, reduced finances, and limited mobility due to emergent health concerns. Yet, participants expressed an overall sense of peace and gratitude, embracing aging as an “inevitable” and “natural” process of discovery and acquiring wisdom. Participants tried to remain connected to their social networks through messaging and video calling apps like WhatsApp, volunteered at local places of worship like temples and mosques, and helped their adult children with childcare and household chores. Limited availability of culturally-appropriate opportunities for active aging was a key barrier to participants’ sense of well-being. These findings suggest that culturally-sensitive, mindfulness-based interventions like gentle yoga or bilingual guided meditations may enhance subjective well-being in this population sub-group.

“Amusing ourselves to death”: Mechanisms in cyberbullying prompted by rumors and denigration amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in China

The use of rumors and denigration in cyberbullying have been studied in the contexts of public opinion and public policy, but questions remain. The study presented here examines the association of rumors and denigration with cyberbullying during the COVID-19 pandemic and provides a sentiment evolution and social network map of cyberbullying features at different stages of an episode. This study applied latent dirichlet allocation (LDA) topic modeling, sentiment analysis and semantic network analysis to analyze three Chinese cases where rumors and denigration triggered cyberbullying, with 7691 comments. The authors found that cyberbullying caused by rumors and denigration often started with the release of fake information, and core topics and sentiment values varied between stages of the cyberbullying episode. Collective moral disengagement theory suggests collective behavior may reduce moral self-control, generating online interactive behaviors that enhance the spread of rumors and denigration. Spiral of silence theory also offers perspectives on cyberbullying, which are considered in this study. While the cases in this study occurred within the context of COVID-19, cyberbullying via rumor and denigration may occur in many scenarios, so the current paper will interest multiple audiences. The findings of this study suggest that researchers and decision-makers could helpfully design programs to supervise public opinion, raise awareness of cyberbullying and avoid secondary harms.

An Investigation on the Church’s Impact on Elderly care in Ghana in the Context of Increasing Poverty and Political Polarisation

Social problems in society, such as the care of the aged, hinder people’s full potential and often arise from societal neglect. In Ghana, a significant percentage of the elderly population requires assistance with daily activities, but poverty and political polarization can hamper their care. The church has played a crucial role in addressing social problems, including the neglect, poverty, and poor health faced by the elderly. However, the church’s ability to intervene is limited, and traditional beliefs often stigmatize the elderly as witches or wizards. The healthcare sector also faces challenges in providing care for the elderly, with high costs and low coverage of health insurance. The study thus emphasized the importance of understanding the difficulties experienced by the elderly through theories such as Disengagement Theory and Convoy Theory. The study employed interviews to gather data from a sample of 12 individuals who were directly involved in caring for the elderly or had knowledge of their issues. The data analysis focused on the lived experiences of the interviewees. The weak social system, including pension systems and health insurance schemes, were found to be contributors to the struggles faced by the elderly. The elderly face challenges such as frailty, illness, poverty, and neglect. The study suggests that policymakers should review existing health insurance policies to better support the elderly. The church’s role in promoting a more inclusive and supportive society for the elderly is crucial, but it faces challenges in the changing cultural landscape and the dominance of the nuclear family system. Keywords: Old Age, Poverty, Political Polarization, Political System, Democracy and Ghana.

The Role of Moral Disengagement in the Relationships between Ethical Ideology and Unethical Pro-Organizational Behaviour

There is growing research by a group of researcher on unethical pro-organisation behaviour (UPB) especially after the misconduct of carbon emission by Volkswagen, the researchers have trying to understand why, how and when employees would conduct UPB by using various theories (Mishra et al., 2021) including moral disengagement theory (Mishra et al., 2021). Drawing from moral disengagement theory (Bandura, 1990) we argue that moral disengagement mechanism mediates the relationships between ethical ideology and UPB. As the literature of moral disengagement in unethical behaviour and UPB heavily tested and rely on moral disengagement as unidimensional construct, so less is known which mechanisms of moral disengagement influence employees behaviour (Ogunfowora et al., 2021). So, this paper will examine how idealist and relativist adopting moral disengagement mechanisms in justifying their immoral act of UPB. The study is a cross sectional study which the data was collected through paper and pencil survey. A total of 387 responses were collected from private sectors employees in Klang Valley, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The respondents received RM10 KFC voucher as a token. The data quality measures were used by including attention check questions and marker variable (Moore et al., 2021). All the responses were measured using 7-likert scale, where 1 – strongly disagree and 7-strongly agree. Employees ethical ideology was measured using 20 items by (Forsyth, 1980), moral disengagement was measured using 32 items by (Bandura, 1990), and UPB was measure using 6 items by (Umphress et al., 2010), The analysis was conducted using SPSS Version 27, and the mediation analysis was tested using PROCESS. Keywords: Unethical pro-organizational behaviour, moral disengagement, ethical ideology

Effect of Envy on Intention to Cyberbully in Social Network Sites

Research analyzing the growing, worrisome phenomenon of cyberbullying in social network sites (SNSs) tends to adopt a cognitive perspective. This study instead investigates SNS envy, an essential emotion often experienced by users, and its relationship with cyberbullying intentions. The authors apply appraisal theory of emotion as a framework to conceptualize the effects of SNS envy, then propose two competing views: a direct effect premised in general strain theory and an indirect effect rooted in moral disengagement theory. The examinations of these competing views use survey data gathered from Facebook. The results support the indirect but not the direct effect, suggesting that envy influences cyberbullying intentions through moral disengagement. This study explicates how envious users rationalize their cyberbullying behaviors by cognitively reinterpreting existing perceptions of the advantages exhibited by envied others in a SNS, which reveals the importance of considering negative emotions to explain the unsettling cyberbullying phenomenon more fully.