Wired for Risk? TRDM, Self-Control, and Peer Deviance in Cybercrime

Using data from a survey of full-time employees at a large private university ( n = 872), this study examines the relationship between thoughtfully reflective decision-making (TRDM) and cybercrime and the moderating roles of self-control and deviant peer associations. Results show that TRDM, self-control, and peer associations are each significantly associated with projected cybercrime in the expected directions. Furthermore, interaction analyses reveal that, while self-control does not moderate the TRDM–cybercrime link, peer deviance does: TRDM’s crime-protective effect weakens and becomes nonsignificant at higher than average levels of peer involvement in cybercrime. These findings highlight the importance of peer context in shaping the influence of reflective decision-making on cyber offending.