Sansfaçon, S.,

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[[The article The Impact of Group Norms and Behavioral Congruence on the Internalization of an Illegal Downloading Behavior, written by Sophie Sansfaçon and Catherine E. Amiot, focuses on an experimental study that studies how group norms and individuals’ congruence with these norms predicted internalization of an illegal behavior. The researchers manipulated the participants norms in favour of versus against illegal downloading of software and the behaviours that influence their intentions. They collect data that explains the cause of this illegal behavior and why they engage in it. The researchers begin with asking the question “what drives people to behave illegally, such as by stealing or cheating?”, they state that one reason why an individual may engage in illegal behavior is because they seek to gain social approval. For example, students may develop an external motivation to download illegal content because they need that program to succeed in their studies. Other students may participate in illegal behavior in a more internalized manner because they feel that students should not have to pay for a computer software when they do not have the salary to afford it yet. Though even though we can depict several variables to why people may engage in downloading illegally online, previous studies have shown that group norms influence not only the emission of negative behaviours but also the internalization of those behaviors. The authors then share how studies have shown that it is very common that the impact of behaviours come specifically from individual group members that people associate themselves with. The study moves on to focus on how social norms promote internalization. They claim that social norms of a group can be the largest influence on peoples behaviours. If someone is associated within a group that the norm is to illegally download content online, this can easily instigate them to behave the same. They incorporate the term internalization and define it as “the process by which an individual is taking in the values and behaviours of a group and integrating them within their sense of self”. Individuals identify with a group and build their self-identity through the norms of their social group, and this study argues this is the main factor that influences the behavior to engage in illegal downloading. The paper then introduces the Self-Determination Theory. They discuss how previous studies have stated that motivations to engage in illegal behavior in the workplace vary, from thrill seeking to role modeling, to feelings that such behaviours allow to restore justice. Self-Determination Theory is a motivational theory that is used to understand the motivations of specific social behavior. This theory is appropriate for this study when attempting to determine the motivation of illegally downloading. The theory concludes how it is social norms that best explain the motivation of illegal behavior and how easily individuals can be controlled or influenced by their peers. The strengths of this article are its use of previous studies for supporting argument and appropriate use of theoretical frameworks. The authors do a successful job at providing answers to the cause of individuals engaging in illegal downloading. They have various amounts of data that support and prove their argument of people’s social norms and social groups influencing their behavior and if an individual is surrounding themselves with people who engage in negative behavior it is likely they will too. Incorporating a theoretical framework that adds additional support to their argument was a successful decision too for the study. Theories bring more understanding to certain human behavior and the Self-Determination Theory was an appropriate choice when attempting to explain the cause of illegally downloading.]]

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