Academic dishonesty and attitudes towards academic dishonest acts: support for cognitive dissonance theory

The present study examined the relation between self-reported academic dishonesty and attitudes towards dishonest academic behaviors in 244 college students. Analysis suggested that self-reported academic dishonesty and approval of academic dishonest behaviors were positively correlated.     

Organizational, Nonorganizational, and Intrinsic religiosity and academic dishonesty

The present study was a preliminary examination of the relations among the Organizational, Nonorganizational, and Intrinsic dimensions of religiosity and academic dishonesty. 244 college students completed the Duke Religion Index and nine questions assessing academic dishonesty. Analysis indicated that (1) regardless of sex, High Nonorganizational and Intrinsic religiosity was associated with lower reported rates of academic dishonesty, and (2) there was an interaction between Organizational religiosity and sex, with High Organizational women and men reporting similar rates of academic dishonesty. Furthermore, the frequency of academic dishonesty reported by High Organizational women was higher than the rates reported by Moderate and Minimal Organizational women.     

Too tired to tell the truth: Self-control resource depletion and dishonesty

The opportunity to profit from dishonesty evokes a motivational conflict between the temptation to cheat for selfish gain and the desire to act in a socially appropriate manner. Honesty may depend on self-control given that self-control is the capacity that enables people to override antisocial selfish responses in favor of socially desirable responses. Two experiments tested the hypothesis that dishonesty would increase when people’s self-control resources were depleted by an initial act of self-control. Depleted participants misrepresented their performance for monetary gain to a greater extent than did non-depleted participants (Experiment 1). Perhaps more troubling, depleted participants were more likely than non-depleted participants to expose themselves to the temptation to cheat, thereby aggravating the effects of depletion on cheating (Experiment 2). Results indicate that dishonesty increases when people’s capacity to exert self-control is impaired, and that people may be particularly vulnerable to this effect because they do not predict it.     

Interpersonal disgust, ideological orientations, and dehumanization as predictors of intergroup attitudes

Disgust is a basic emotion characterized by revulsion and rejection, yet it is relatively unexamined in the literature on prejudice. In the present investigation, interpersonal-disgust sensitivity (e.g., not wanting to wear clean used clothes or to sit on a warm seat vacated by a stranger) in particular predicted negative attitudes toward immigrants, foreigners, and socially deviant groups, even after controlling for concerns with contracting disease. The mechanisms underlying the link between interpersonal disgust and attitudes toward immigrants were explored using a path model. As predicted, the effect of interpersonal-disgust sensitivity on group attitudes was indirect, mediated by ideological orientations (social dominance orientation, right-wing authoritarianism) and dehumanizing perceptions of the out-group. The effects of social dominance orientation on group attitudes were both direct and indirect, via dehumanization. These results establish a link between disgust sensitivity and prejudice that is not accounted for by fear of infection, but rather is mediated by ideological orientations and dehumanizing group representations. Implications for understanding and reducing prejudice are discussed.     

Parallals between attitudes and traits as predictors of behavior

Both attitudes and traits have served as within-person constructs intended to permit the prediction of later behavior. Despite this similarity, research in the two domains has tended to progress in a relatively independent fashion. A number of parallels between the attitude and trait literature are noted with regard to definitions of the constructs and their utility as predictors of behavior. Parallels with respect to the identification of variables that moderate the attitude-behavior and trait-behavior relation are also discussed, as are similarities in the potential processes by which attitudes and traits guide behavior. It is concluded that the parallels are so extensive that research in each domain would benefit from an increased exchange of theory, methods, and findings.     

Classroom social experiences as predictors of academic performance

A model linking children's peer acceptance in the classroom to academic performance via academic self-concept and internalizing symptoms was tested in a longitudinal study. A sample of 248 children was followed from 4th to 6th grade, with data collected from different informants in each year of the study to reduce respondent bias. A path analysis supported the model; a lack of peer acceptance in the classroom in 4th grade predicted lower academic self-concept and more internalizing symptoms the following year, which in turn, predicted lower academic performance in 6th grade. An alternative path with internalizing symptoms predicting declines in peer acceptance was tested and received some support as well. Implications of the findings for schools are discussed.     

Personality and approaches to learning as predictors of academic achievement

The relationship between personality, approaches to learning, and academic achievement was investigated. Two different undergraduate student samples, totalling 310 students, participated in the study. Results showed the expected significant correlations between the personality factors of openness, neuroticism, and conscientiousness, on the one hand, and deep, surface, and strategic approaches to learning, on the other. A significant negative correlation between surface approach and achievement was observed in sample 1. In sample 2, achievement was positively correlated with neuroticism, openness, and deep approach, and negatively correlated with agreeableness. Path analysis showed that each approach to learning was predicted by multiple personality traits, and that academic achievement was predicted by approaches to learning. A separate analysis showed that the relationship between openness and achievement was mediated by a deep approach to learning. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Intergroup contact experience and frequency as predictors of cross-racial attitudes

This study examined the relationships between contact frequency, experiences of intergroup contact and a number of demographic intergroup variables. A telephone survey was conducted among 544 blacks (57.5% male; 42.5% female) and 478 whites (44.6% male; 55.4% female). Three CHAID models with attitudes towards blacks and Afrikaans-speaking and English-speaking whites as dependant variables were investigated. Contact experience rather than frequency was the most significant predictor of racial attitudes. Age and geographical location were significant predictors of black attitudes towards the two white groups. A complex web of factors seems to influence intergroup relations in culturally heterogeneous societies.     

Self-efficacy versus perceived enjoyment as predictors of physical activity behaviour

Objective: Self-efficacy and physical activity (PA) enjoyment are related to PA behaviour, but it is unclear which is more important and how they interrelate. The purpose of this study was to examine how these two constructs interrelate to influence PA behaviour.

Design: Participants were low-active adults (n = 448) participating in a RCT examining the effect of a PA promotion intervention. Participants completed physical activity, enjoyment and self-efficacy measures at baseline, six and 12 months.

Results: Self-efficacy and enjoyment at both baseline and six months predicted PA at 12 months. However, enjoyment was a stronger predictor than self-efficacy, in that self-efficacy no longer predicted PA behaviour when included alongside enjoyment. In follow-up mediation analyses, enjoyment at six months did not mediate the effect of baseline self-efficacy on 12-month PA; however, six-month self-efficacy mediated the effect of baseline enjoyment on 12-month PA.

Conclusion: Our results indicate that interventions should perhaps initially focus on increasing enjoyment of physical activity. Greater PA enjoyment appears to influence individuals’ self-reported ability to engage in regular PA (i.e. higher self-efficacy ratings). Additional research is needed to better understand the interrelationships between self-efficacy and enjoyment and how these constructs affect PA.     

Ethnicity,school attitudes,intelligence and academic achievement

Regression surface analysis was used to examine relations between school-related attitudes and measures of academic achievement at different levels of intellectual ability, for children from different Australian ethnic groups. The sample included 660 eleven-year-old children from lower social status families, with 250 Anglo Australian children, 170 Greek, 120 Southern Italian, and 120 English children. Regression surfaces were constructed from models that examined possible linear, interaction, and curvilinear relations between the variables. The findings suggest the propositions that: (a) at each level of intelligence, increases in the affective component of school attitudes are not associated with changes in academic achievement, (b) at each level of the affective component of school attitudes, increments in intelligence test scores are related to increases in academic achievement scores, and (c) the relations between academic achievement, intelligence, and the cognitive-behavioral component of school attitudes vary for children from different ethnic groups. The results suggest that the manipulation of the cognitive-behavioral aspects of school attitudes may influence the academic performance of low social status children from different ethnic groups but educational programs that focus on the affective components of school attitudes may not be effective in changing children's academic achievement.     

Cultural threat and perceived realistic group conflict as dual predictors of prejudice

Recent research has focused on how perceived intergroup similarity influences stereotyping and prejudice. Very little is known, however, regarding how the quality or type of similarity influences intergroup relations. Presented is a methodology that allows one to manipulate the quality of perceived intergroup similarity. This methodology is used to test contrasting predictions about how perceptions of intergroup similarity on self-stereotyped interpersonal and work-related traits predict attitudes towards immigrants. Predictions were derived from cultural threat and perceived realistic group conflict theories. Some participants were asked to rate how similar they perceived their in-group was to Mexican immigrants, whereas others were asked to evaluate how the groups differed on the given traits. Control participants evaluated themselves on the given traits. Participants were presented with either interpersonal traits or work related traits as stimuli. The main dependent measures were a perceived realistic conflict scale, a prejudice scale, and a stereotyping scale. All three scales used Mexican immigrants as the target category. When interpersonal traits were made salient, contrast comparisons led to more negative attitudes towards immigrants, supporting a cultural threat hypothesis. When work-related traits were made salient, similarity comparisons led to more prejudice and more negative attitudes towards immigrants, supporting a perceived realistic conflict hypothesis. Thus, a perceived threat to either the cultural norm or economic well being led to more negative attitudes towards immigrants. Results are discussed for their relevance to models of intergroup relations.     

Client dogmatism and perceived counselor attitudes

This study examined the relationship between client dogmatism and perceptions of the counselor's empathy, level of regard, congruence, and unconditional positive regard. Counselor dogmatism was held constant. It was hypothesized that the client's dogmatism would be negatively related to his perceptions of these four counselor attitudes. The analysis revealed small but significant negative correlations between client dogmatism and three of the four counselor-expressed attitudes (congruence, empathy, and unconditional positive regard).     

Childhood peer rejection,aggression, withdrawal,and perceived competence as predictors of self-reported behavior problems in preadolescence

Childhood peer rejection, aggression, withdrawal, and perceived competence were compared as predictors of self-reported behavior problems. Peer sociometric status (Coie, Dodge, and Coppotelli, 1982), teacher ratings of behavior problems (Lorion, Cowen, & Caldwell, 1975), and perceived competence ratings (Harter, 1982) were obtained for 613 second-through fourth-grade children. Two years later, these students completed a modified version of the Youth Self-Report form (Achenbach & Edelbrock, 1987). Rejected children and neglected girls were more likely to have a self-reported nonspecific negative outcome than others. Neglected girls were at heightened risk for depression. A varied set of predictors obtained from different informants emerged for each sex for each of the specific self-reported outcomes of depression, unpopularity, delinquency, aggression, and self-destructive/identity problems. Results are discussed in terms of future directions for longitudinal research on the consequences of poor peer relationships in childhood.This research was supported in part by a grant from the W. Alton Jones Foundation and in part from Cooperative Agreement (G0087C3033) between the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, and the University of Virginia. However, the opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent the opinions of the funding agencies. Portions of this paper were presented at the First Annual Meeting of the Society for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, Miami, Florida. The authors would like to thank Robert Terry, Ruth Axman, Pamela Griesler, Melissa DeRosier, Nancy Vaden, Charlene Eickholt, Amy Young, Emily Burhans, Eric Johnson, Renee Lorio, and Karen Welke for their assistance in conducting this research project.     

Adolescent temperament,perceived social support,and depressive tendencies as predictors of depressive tendencies in young adulthood

A 5 year longitudinal study investigated the interrelations of temperament dimensions (negative emotionality, activity, and sociability), perceived social support (friend, significant other, and family support), and depressive tendencies. Temperament (EASTS; Buss, 1991), perceived social support (PSS‐R; Blumenthal, Burg, Barefoot, Williams, Haney and Zimet, 1987) and depressive tendencies (a modified version of the BDI) were measured by self‐reports in a randomly selected, community‐based sample of 302 adolescents at age 15, and depressive tendencies were measured again five years later at age 20. The authors hypothesized a model comprising direct as well as mediated effects between the adolescent predictor variables and depressive tendencies in young adulthood. The structural modelling analyses supported these hypotheses in part, and also indicated some qualitative sex differences. For both girls and boys, a significant direct as well as mediating role was indicated for the current level of depressive tendencies: depressive tendencies at age 15 predicted depressive tendencies at age 20, also mediating the effects of negative emotionality at age 15, and additionally mediating the effects of a low level of activity in girls and a low level of family support in boys. Furthermore, even when the prior level of depressive tendencies was controlled, direct effects were indicated in boys for a low level of sociability, and in girls for significant other support, which also mediated the effects of a low level of sociability. These results highlight the importance of the sex‐differentiated interplay of both intrapersonal and psychosocial factors in relation to depressive tendencies both during adolescence and from adolescence to young adulthood. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Social status,cognitive ability,and educational attainment as predictors of liberal social attitudes and political trust

We examined the prospective associations between family socio-economic background, childhood intelligence (g) at age 11, educational and occupational attainment, and social attitudes at age 33 in a large (N = 8804), representative sample of the British population born in 1958. Structural equation Modeling identified a latent trait of ‘liberal social attitudes’ underlying attitude factors that are antiracist, socially liberal, and in support of gender equality. Another attitude factor—‘political trust’—was relatively independent from the latent attitude trait and has somewhat different pathways in relation to the other variables included in the analysis. There was a direct association between higher g at age 11 and more liberal social attitudes and political trust at age 33. For both men and women the association between g and liberal social attitudes was partly mediated via educational qualifications, and to a much lesser extent via adult occupational attainment. For women the association between g and political trust was partly mediated through both educational qualification and occupational attainment, and for men it was mediated mainly via occupational attainment. Men and women who had higher educational qualifications and higher occupational status tend to be more socially liberal and more trusting of the democratic political system. In terms of socio-economic background, people from less privileged families showed less political trust, but did not differ much in liberal social attitudes from those born into relatively more privileged circumstances. This study shows that social background, cognitive ability, education, and own social status influence perceptions of society.     

Relation of religiosity with academic dishonesty in a sample of college students

This study was conducted to estimate the relationship between academic dishonesty and religiosity in a convenient sample of college students. Scores on the Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire and the Academic Practices Survey were correlated for 70 undergraduate students. Overall, religiosity and academic dishonesty were not significantly related. However, follow-up analyses by sex indicated that this association was significant for women but not men. Research should be conducted to investigate whether this pattern is robust and indicates a differing role for religiosity as a standard for appropriate or inappropriate behavior.