Movie piracy: how novelty-seeking relates to illegal downloading

Abstract

Purpose

Movie piracy is triggered by the release delay of new movies in various countries, especially if novelty awareness is considered an asset among peers. Therefore, novelty seeking becomes a relevant factor in the illegal downloading of movies, especially among a younger population that has a higher propensity to novelty seeking. The purpose of this paper is to study novelty seeking in the context of illegal downloading of movies among a young population. More specifically, this study will highlight the relation of novelty seeking with the frequency of illegal downloading of movies and attitudes towards piracy in general.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on data that were obtained via survey in Lithuania. The use of SEM allowed development of a model that integrates novelty seeking with the more typical factors of digital piracy.

Findings

The study shows a relation between novelty seeking, attitudes towards piracy and the frequency of illegal downloading of movies.

Originality/value

The study shows the importance of novelty seeking in the context of movie piracy. It specifies the relation of novelty seeking with attitude and behaviour, highlighting directions for further research.

Citation

Urbonavicius, S., Dikcius, V., Adomaviciute, K. and Urbonavicius, I. (2019), "Movie piracy: how novelty-seeking relates to illegal downloading", EuroMed Journal of Business, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 21-30. https://doi.org/10.1108/EMJB-03-2018-0016