Do Men Have More Cyber-Deviant Behaviors? A Network Analysis Based on the Reciprocal Determinism Model

Previous research has explored the associations between cyber-deviant behaviors and various psychological or social factors. However, few studies have examined gender differences in cyber-deviant behaviors using a network analysis approach. Therefore, the present study examined the reciprocal relationships between these variables using network analysis and attempted to verify the reciprocal determinism model. The study’s sample comprised 1664 university students from multiple provinces of China. The survey included demographic information and several psychometric scales, such as the Cyber-Deviant Behaviors Questionnaire (CDBQ), Online Need Satisfaction Questionnaire (ONSQ), and Ostracism Screening Scale (OSS). In the total network, cyber-deviant behaviors were significantly and positively associated with low psychological needs satisfaction, social ostracism, moral disengagement, depressive mood, loneliness, poor peer relationships, and low self-control. Males showed a stronger network structure than females in the total network and in the cyber-pornography deviance network, as well as more global strengths in cyber-social deviance network, cyber-verbal deviance network, and cyber-pornography deviance network. The results of interaction between cyber-deviant behaviors and psychological and social factors verified the reciprocal determinism model, and suggests that prevention and intervention measures need to be considered for decreasing cyber-deviant behaviors, especially specific methods for different genders.