The Relationship Between Attachment Styles, Self-Monitoring and Cybercrime in Social Network Users

BACKGROUND: The anonymity in the cyberspace environment, as well as the rapid advent of and improvements to online activities has increased cybercrime. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this paper was to survey the relationship between attachment styles, self-monitoring and cybercrime in social network users. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The Collins and Read Adult Attachment Scale, and the Snyder self-monitoring and cybercrime scales were sent to 500 social network users. Of these, 203 users (103 men and 100 women) filled out the questionnaires. RESULTS: The results showed that women achieved higher scores in self-monitoring and the anxious attachment style, and men achieved higher scores in cybercrime and the anxious attachment style. There was a negative correlation between self-monitoring and cybercrime, and the anxious attachment style had a positive correlation with cybercrime and a negative correlation with self-monitoring. The secure attachment style had a positive correlation with self-monitoring and a negative correlation with cybercrime. The dependent attachment style had a positive correlation with self-monitoring and a negative correlation with cybercrime. All correlations were significant. CONCLUSIONS: Attachment styles have significant relationships with both self-monitoring and cybercrime. Self-monitoring and attachment styles are significant predictors of cybercrimes.