ERIC Number: ED549325
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2012
Pages: 195
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 978-1-2672-6531-9
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
An Examination of the Roles of Rationalization and Narcissism in Facilitating Academic Dishonesty
Faulkner, Karen
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, The Claremont Graduate University
Academic dishonesty is a significant problem among college students. Numerous factors affect levels of cheating. This study utilized an original survey on cheating and rationalization along with the Narcissistic Personality Inventory and multiple regression analysis to examine the relationships between rationalization, narcissism, and academic dishonesty among students at a community college in southern California. The regression analyses were complemented by interviews on cheating conducted with students, faculty and the Dean of Student Affairs at the college. I found a strong tendency toward motivated reasoning among both the survey respondents and the interviewees. Among cheaters, this reasoning took the form of rationalizations students employ to justify their actions. I found a statistically significant link between level of cheating and propensity to rationalize. Among non-cheaters, faculty and the Dean of Student Affairs, the motivated reasoning took the form of a self-serving bias as interviewees incorrectly assumed that cheating was less prevalent among "their" group of students than among students in general. This study is significant because it is the first to examine the impact of both narcissism and rationalization on levels and forms of academic dishonesty among community college students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Community Colleges, Personality Problems, Measures (Individuals), Personality Measures, Student Attitudes, Teacher Attitudes, Deans, Administrator Attitudes, Cheating, Multiple Regression Analysis, Interviews, Incidence, Student Personnel Services, Surveys, Psychological Patterns, Role, College Students, College Faculty
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Two Year Colleges; Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: California
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A