I want it my way: Using consumerism and neutralization theory to understand students' cyberslacking behavior

摘要

In the age of instant connectivity, it is often difficult to detach students from the Internet and technology. This study examines the role of consumerism and neutralization on the cyberslacking behavior of students in a classroom environment. This study offers a unique and integrative understanding of the impact of consumerism on neutralization behavior to understand the intention of students to use the Internet and technology in class for non-class activities. An online survey of 303 university students from United States was conducted. The study finds a positive and a significant relationship of consumerism with all the five neutralization techniques used by students to engage in cyberslacking. Except for condemnation of the condemners, the rest of the neutralization techniques were found to have a positive and a significant impact on student's intention to engage in cyberslacking behavior. This study would extend the existing literature by expanding the concepts and theory of consumerism and neutralization to cyberslacking behavior in the classroom. The findings demonstrated several theoretical and practical implications that are discussed in the article.