The Influence of Diverse Personal Factors and Test Anxiety on Academic Cheating Behaviors

• In Event: 16.059 - Poster Session 2
  In Poster Session: 16.059-7 - Moral Development and Education SIG Poster Session: Academic Integrity

Abstract

Data from 459 undergraduate and graduate students were utilized to examine the predictive relationship that manifestations of test anxiety share with a student's engagement in academic cheating behaviors. Controlling for the effects of student age, GPA, and gender, results suggested that the relationship between worry (preoccupation with upcoming exam) and academic cheating is mediated and moderated by irrelevant thoughts and physiological reactions. Worry positively predicted both irrelevant thoughts and physiological reactions. Physiological reactions negatively predicted cheating behaviors while irrelevant thoughts positively predicted cheating behaviors. Additionally, student age, GPA, and gender shared unique significant predictive relationships with worry, manifestations of test anxiety, and cheating behaviors. Suggestions for reducing test anxiety by proactively engaging its antecedents are discussed.

Authors

• Steven Randall Chesnut, University of Southern Mississippi

• Yuanhua Wang, West Virginia University

• Lucy M. Barnard-Brak, Texas Tech University

• Feiya Xiao, Texas Tech University