An Exploration of Middle and High School Students' Perceptions of Deviant Behavior When Using Computers and the Internet.

Abstract

If the current trend continues, the use of computer technologies and the Internet will increase for teaching and education. It is urgent that researchers study computer and Internet deviance. The purpose of this study was to explore middle and high school students' perceptions of deviant behavior when using computers and the Internet. The target population for this study was middle and high school students. The accessible population included all students who attended a middle or high school in the East Baton Rouge Parish School which has computers that are capable of accessing the Internet (1,150 students—575 middle school students and 575 high school students). The instrument used in this study was designed by Professor San-Yi Li of Taiwan. This instrument contained 66 questions and a scantron was used to record participants' responses. From the instrument, variables were selected from five sections (1) students' demographic characteristics; (2) computer-related activities; (3) students' perceptions of deviant behavior when using computers and the Internet; (4) students' perception of their peers' deviant behavior when using computers and the Internet; (5) students' ability to use computers and the Internet. Results showed that the majority of students' indicated they perceive their behavior as being not deviant when using computers and the Internet. Contrarily students indicated they perceive the behavior of their peers to more deviant when computers and the Internet. When the means of the Students' Behavior Score Peer Behavior Score were compared, there was a significant different between the scores. The Peer Behavior Score for deviance was much higher than the Student Behavior Score.