Illegal Music Downloading among college studentsA Qualitative, Quantitative and Experimental Study
By Brian Sheehan, James Tsao, Ed RussellSyracuse University, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
What We DidQualitative Study: Summer 2008
Four focus groups at Syracuse University
15 individual interviews
Data analyzed: Scissors and Sort Technique
Cognitive map development
What we didQuantitative Study: Winter 2009
• 204 surveys at Syracuse University
• 153 samples analyzed
• Multiple regression analysis
Findings
MotivationsPrimary Motivations: Economic, Collection, Social
Surprising order of gratifications contribution: Social, Collection, Economic
Would looking at it from a fundamentally social POV change communications approaches?
Costs and Reinforcements
Costs: Search costs and Technical costs (i.e., viruses) statistically related. Legal costs (e.g., fines) not.
Reinforcements: Optimistic bias, Anti-industry/Musician bias, Social acceptance and Moral conscience all statistically related.
Social acceptance skews Moral conscience.
ModelReinforcements
Moral Conscience (-)**
Anti musicians (-)**
Social Acceptance (+)**
Optimistic Bias (+)**
Perceived Costs
Search (+) *
Legal (-) (ns)
Technical (+) *
Motivations
Social (+)**
Collection (+)**
Economic (+)*
Gratifications
of
Digital
Music
Piracy
Promising Communications Areas
Individual messages that have emotional social aspects
Future Dreams
Embarrassment
Reputation
The power of one (song)
Phase IIICommunications Concept Testing
Controls: Prosecution/Feel Lucky, Virus, Hurt artists
New: Your future/Your dreams, The band you love/that song (Inconvenient Truth), Social virus, Your reputation
Hybrid: Stealing Embarrassment
ExperimentationExperimental groups
Control group
Time frameExperiment: Fall 2009
Data analysis: Winter 2009-Spring 2010
Report: March 2010
Collaboration
Teachingo Advertising campaign to be developed by Newhouse students.
Collaborationo Continued collaboration with RIAAo Involvement with/introduction to Joint Committee of the Higher Education and Entertainment Communities Technology Task Force?
Outreacho Co-sponsor national conference/symposium in Syracuse University focusing on music digital piracy issues
Proposed Budget