Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
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Research Article

Assessing the Facilitating Effect of Moral Disengagement on Online Misconduct

Yixuan CuiShanghai Starriver Bilingual School*

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

Online misconduct, its forms ranging from cyberbullying and trolling to cyberaggression and hate speech, is a phenomenon becoming increasingly prevalent in modern online spaces and poses risks to internet users’ well-being. This review aims to examine the role of moral disengagement mechanisms in facilitating these harmful behaviors online. Drawing on both theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence, a positive direct association between moral disengagement and perpetration of online misconduct is identified. Though evidence generally agrees on this association, there have not yet been conclusive results on the effects of specific moral disengagement mechanisms. The relationship is also influenced by moderators and related factors such as online disinhibition, cultural context, and personality traits, which include the dark triad/tetrad, callous-unemotional traits, the Big Five, and empathy. Moral disengagement is concluded to be a significant, although not exclusive, predictor of online moral disengagement. The study also identifies less researched areas for further study in the future.

Keywords: online misconduct; moral disengagement; online moral disengagement; online disinhibition; literature review
Published: November 5, 2025
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2025.HT29062
Volume: CHR Vol.93
pp. 72-80
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