THE IMPACT OF MORAL DISENGAGEMENT ON ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR AMONG POSTGRADUATE PRIVATE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
DOI: 
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
DOWNLOAD ARTICLE
REVIEW REPORT
CITE THIS ARTICLE
In the modern academic setting behavioral patterns among postgraduate students are influenced by complex social and cognitive processes. Moral disengagement, defined as the cognitive restructuring of unethical behaviour to reduce guilt, has been increasingly associated with antisocial tendencies. The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between moral disengagement and antisocial behaviour among postgraduate private university students, with a focus on gender differences. A sample of 157 postgraduate students was selected using stratified and convenience sampling techniques to ensure equal representation of male and female participants. The Subtypes of Antisocial Behavior Questionnaire and the Moral Disengagement Scale were used to assess the participants. Findings revealed that most students reported moderate moral disengagement and low antisocial behaviour. A significant positive correlation was observed between moral disengagement and antisocial behavior (ρ = .270, p = .001). Additionally, significant gender differences emerged in both moral disengagement (U = 1743.000, p < .001) and antisocial behavior (U = 1802.000, p < .001). Further analysis indicated that gender significantly influenced these variables, suggesting its moderating role in the relationship.
Keywords
Article Information
Article Metrics
HOW TO CITE
Copy
Dhalta, A. (2026). The Impact of Moral Disengagement on Antisocial Behavior Among Postgraduate Private University Students. International Journal of Science, Strategic Management and Technology, 02(04). https://doi.org/10.55041/ijsmt.v2i4.542
Dhalta, Anushka. "The Impact of Moral Disengagement on Antisocial Behavior Among Postgraduate Private University Students." International Journal of Science, Strategic Management and Technology, vol. 02, no. 04, 2026, pp. . doi:https://doi.org/10.55041/ijsmt.v2i4.542.
Dhalta, Anushka. "The Impact of Moral Disengagement on Antisocial Behavior Among Postgraduate Private University Students." International Journal of Science, Strategic Management and Technology 02, no. 04 (2026). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.55041/ijsmt.v2i4.542.
References
2.Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Prentice-Hall.
3.Bandura, A. (1991). Social cognitive theory of moral thought and action. In W. M. Kurtines & J. L. Gewirtz (Eds.), Handbook of moral behavior and development (pp. 45–103). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
4.Bandura, A. (1999). Moral disengagement in the perpetration of inhumanities. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 3(3), 193–209. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327957pspr0303_3
5.Bandura, A. (2002). Selective moral disengagement in the exercise of moral agency. Journal of Moral Education, 31(2), 101–119. https://doi.org/10.1080/0305724022014322
6.Bandura, A., Barbaranelli, C., Caprara, G. V., & Pastorelli, C. (1996). Mechanisms of moral disengagement in the exercise of moral agency. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 71(2), 364–374. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.71.2.364
7.Burt, S. A., & Donnellan, M. B. (2009). Development and validation of the Subtypes of Antisocial Behavior Questionnaire. Aggressive Behavior, 35(5), 376–398. https://doi.org/10.1002/ab.20314
8.Caprara, G. V., et al. (2014). The contribution of moral disengagement in mediating individual tendencies toward aggression and violence. Developmental Psychology, 50(1), 71–85. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034488
9.Detert, J. R., Treviño, L. K., & Sweitzer, V. L. (2008). Moral disengagement in ethical decision making: A study of antecedents and outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93(2), 374–391. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.93.2.374
10.Ehrich, L. C., Kimber, M., Millwater, J., & Cranston, N. (2016). Ethical dilemmas: A model to understand teacher practice. Teachers and Teaching, 22(1), 105–120. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2015.1023025
Ethics and Compliance
Indexed In
Similar Articles
Previous Article
