Need Satisfaction and Academic Dishonesty in College

• In Event: Motivational Factors Involved in College and Career Choices

Abstract

One-hundred and seventy-five college students participated in an anonymous survey regarding psychological need satisfaction in their life in general, attitudes toward cheating in college courses, student- versus instructor-blame for cheating in college courses, and frequency of previous cheating behavior in their college courses. Eighty-nine percent of students participating in the study indicated that they had cheated at least once in some way in their college courses. Mediational regression analyses suggested that students who reported experiencing greater need satisfaction in their daily life attributed greater blame for cheating to a student over an instructor and perceived cheating to be less justifiable and morally acceptable. In turn, these beliefs were linked with less self-reported cheating behavior in college courses.

Authors

• Erika Alisha Patall, University of Southern California

• Jennifer Kay Leach, The University of Texas - Austin

• Gregory John Schraw, University of Nevada - Las Vegas