Understanding Cybercrime Propensity through a Gendered Lens: A Study of Social Studies Students in Nigerian Colleges of Education
*1Olanrewaju Saheed Jimoh and 2Mary Mojirade Ayantunji
*1Department of Social Studies and Civic Education, Faculty of Social Science Education, Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo. Email: olanrewaju4eva2017@gmail.com
Abstract
The effect of gender and socioeconomic level (SES) on cybercrime intents among Social Studies students in Colleges of Education in Southwest Nigeria is investigated in this paper. Concerns concerning moral behaviour in virtual worlds have grown more acute as digital technologies change learning environments. Rooted in civic and moral growth, social studies is essential in helping pre-service teachers to model and encourage ethical digital behaviour. Data were gathered from 420 students 210 men and 210 women selected via stratified random selection from three federal universities using a descriptive survey approach. Data were gathered using the 0.84 reliability index Cybercrime Intention and Gender Disposition Questionnaire (CIGDQ). Among statistical tests were t-tests, ANOVA, and regression. Results showed that, at t = 4.25, p = 0.001, male students had noticeably greater cybercrime intentions than female students. Low SES background students also displayed more inclination towards cybercrime (F = 5.12, p = 0.007). Though their interaction was not significant (F = 1.03, p = 0.358), gender (F = 8.34, p = 0.004) and SES (F = 5.12, p = 0.007 separately predicted cybercrime intents. The study advises including digital ethics and civic education into Social Studies as well as implementing focused interventions depending on students' gender and socioeconomic level to foster ethical digital citizenship among next teachers
Keywords
Cybercrime Intentions, Gender Differences, Socioeconomic Status, Social Studies Education, Digital Ethics
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