Evaluating Ethical Decision Making and Computer Use

In this article, authors present the results of an exploratory survey identifying user's attitudes and behavior when computer privacy and resource-ownership situations are encountered. The theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), frequently used to describe ethical decision-making behavioral, relates attitudes and social norms to individual behavioral intentions. TRA is inadequate to explain ethical behaviors involving the use of computers. Organizations are increasingly interested in sensitizing employees to the ethical components of their everyday business decisions. This article presents extensions to attempt to better understand ethical decisions in computer use. This study shows that both attitudes and social norms play an important role in determining individuals' intentions to perform computing acts relating to privacy and ownership, and that men and women use different decision cues in forming their intentions toward computing acts. Self image was a new variable developed to address the inconsistent findings of past research.