A Diary Study of Daily Need Satisfaction and Academic Dishonesty in College

• In Event: 73.062 - Poster Session 17
  In Poster Session: 73.062-2 - Motivational and Cognitive Processes: Language, Literacy, Communication, and Reasoning

Abstract

Sixty-seven college students participated in a two-week diary study focused on the link between trait and daily psychological need satisfaction and daily college cheating beliefs, attitudes, and behavior. Fifty-one percent of students participating in the study indicated that they felt tempted to cheat at least once during the 14 days and 34% reported cheating at least once. In particular, analyses suggested that students who reported experiencing greater autonomy and competence need satisfaction in their daily life across 14 days attributed less blame for cheating to instructors and perceived cheating to be less justifiable and morally acceptable. In turn, these beliefs were linked with less temptation to cheat and actual cheating behavior in college courses across the 14 days.

Author

• Erika Alisha Patall, The University of Texas - Austin