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An Examination of Cheating and its Antecedents Among Marketing and Management Majors

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Abstract

This study examines cheating behaviors among 742 marketing and management majors at three public AACSB-accredited business schools. Specifically, we studied the simultaneous influence of demographic and attitudinal characteristics on: (1) reported prior cheating behavior; (2) the tendency to neutralize cheating behaviors; and, (3) likelihood of future cheating. We additionally examined the impact of in-class deterrents on neutralization of cheating behaviors and the likelihood of future cheating. We also directly tested potential mediating effects of neutralization on cheating behavior.

We conducted independent assessments of the validity of the Smith et al. (2002) model of cheating behavior and its antecedents using structural equations modeling procedures. Results supported the differentiation of the theoretical constructs within the specified process model. Furthermore, tests of the aforementioned theoretical model indicated that the primary influences on future cheating were prior cheating, and the degree to which one neutralized prior cheating behaviors. Equally noteworthy, in contrast to previous research we found in-class deterrents to have no significant influence in either neutralizing behavior or future cheating proclivities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Salisbury University, 1101 Camden Avenue, Salisbury, Maryland, 21801, U.S.A.

    Kenneth J. Smith & Debbie Easterling

  2. Wright State University, U.S.A

    Jeanette A. Davy

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  1. Kenneth J. Smith
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  2. Jeanette A. Davy
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  3. Debbie Easterling
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Smith, K.J., Davy, J.A. & Easterling, D. An Examination of Cheating and its Antecedents Among Marketing and Management Majors. Journal of Business Ethics 50, 63–80 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:BUSI.0000020876.72462.3f

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:BUSI.0000020876.72462.3f

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