Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Moral Development and Narcissism of Private and Public University Business Students

  • Published:
Journal of Business Ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this study, researchers examined the assumption that senior-level undergraduate students from private colleges universities possess higher levels of moral and ethical development than students from public institutions. In addition, the researchers sought to determine (a) if there was a relationship between narcissistic personality traits and the level of moral reasoning, and (b) there was a difference in the level of narcissistic personality tendencies of business students from private vs. public institutions based on demographic and textual variables. A cluster sampling approach was used in the sample selection. The sample was limited to students majoring in general business at seven public and six private universities in North Dakota and Minnesota. A total of 269 subjects participated in the research project: 145 at private institutions and 124 at public institutions. The Defining Issues Test version 2 (DIT-2) and the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) were used to collect data at seven public and six private institutions. Students from public and private universities scored similarly on the DIT-2. A significant difference between the NPI scores of the private college students and the public college students was found. No significant relationship was found between the NPI score and level of moral reasoning. Business educators should be concerned that an increase in the number of business ethics courses completed did not significantly impact students’ moral reasoning or narcissistic traits.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aspen Institute: 2003, ‘Where Will They Lead? 2003 MBA Student Attitudes About Business and Society’, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Auerbach, J.: 1984, ‘Validation of Two Scales for Narcissistic Personality Disorder’, Journal of Personality Assessment 48(6), 649-653.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bebeau, M., and Thoma, S.: 2003, ‘Guide for DIT-2’, 3rd edition, Center for the Study of Ethical Development, Minneapolis, MN.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonawitz, M.: 2002, ‘Analysis and Comparison of the Moral Development of Students Required to Graduate with an Ethics Course’, Doctoral Dissertation, Florida International University, Dissertation Abstracts International 63 (04A), 1433.

  • Brandt, J.: 1995, May 1, ‘Spirituality-Business: An Enduring Link,’ Industry Week, p. 6.

  • Chapuis, G.: 1997, ‘Teaching Business Ethics in an Introductory Management Course’, Dissertation Abstracts International 59(07A), 2313 (UMI No. 9841270).

  • Covey, S. M. R.: 2006, The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything, (Simon and Schuster, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Di Meglio, F.: 2007, ‘Taking B-School on Faith’, Business Week Online, p. 3.

  • Duska, R., and Whelan, M.: 1975, Moral Development, (Paulist Press, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Emmons, R.: 1987, ‘Narcissism: Theory and Measurement’, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 52(1), 11-27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferrell, O., Fraedrich, J., and Ferrell, L.: 2008, Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases, 7th edition, (Houghton Mifflin, Boston).

    Google Scholar 

  • Fraedrich, J., Thorne, D. M., and Ferrell, O. C.: 1994, ‘Assessing the Application of Cognitive and Development Theory to Business Ethics’, Journal of Business Ethics 13, 829-838.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gautschi, F., and Jones, T.: 1998, ‘Enhancing the Ability of Business Students to Recognize Ethical Issues: An Empirical Assessment of the Effectiveness of a Course in Business Ethics’, Journal of Business Ethics 17(2), 205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Golden, C.: 1996, ‘Two Methods of Business Ethics Instruction at the Secondary Level: The Effects on Ethical Decision-Making Skills, Perceptions, and Completion Time’, Dissertation Abstracts International 58(07A), 2593 (UMI No. 97378932593).

  • Graduate Management Admission Council: 2005, ‘Corporate Recruiters Survey: 2005’, McLean, VA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gunther, M.: 2001, ‘God & Business’, Fortune 144 (1), 58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins, P.: 2003, ‘The Development and Conservation of Moral Reasoning at Three Liberal Arts Colleges’, Doctoral Dissertation, Georgia State University, Dissertation Abstracts International 64(02A), 421.

  • Judge, T., LePine, J., and Rich, B.: 2006, ‘Loving Yourself Abundantly: Relationship of the Narcissistic Personality to Self- and Other Perceptions of Workplace Deviance, Leadership, and Task and Contextual Performance’, Journal of Applied Psychology 91(4), 762-776.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koeplin, J.: 1998, ‘A Comparison of Cognitive Moral Development of Accounting Students at a Catholic University with Secular University Accounting Students’, Dissertation Abstracts International 59(07A) (UMI No. 9841435).

  • Kohlberg, L.: 1976, ‘Moral Stages and Moralization: The Cognitive-developmental Approach’, in T. Lickona (ed.), Moral Development and Behavior: Theory, Research, and Social Issues (Rinehart and Winston, New York), pp. 31-53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loviscky, G., Trevino, L., and Jacobs, R.: 2007, ‘Assessing Manager’s Ethical Decision Making: An Objective Measure of Managerial Moral Judgment’, Journal of Business Ethics 73, 263-285.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCabe, D., Butterfield, K., and Trevino, L.: 2006, ‘Academic Dishonesty in Graduate Business Programs: Prevalence, Causes, and Proposed Action’, Academy of Management Learning and Education 5(3), 294-305.

    Google Scholar 

  • McNeel, S.: 1994, ‘College Teaching and Student Moral Development’, in J. R. Rest and D. Narvaez (eds.), Moral Development in the Professions (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale, NJ), pp. 27–49.

  • Mullins, L., and Kopelman, R.: 1988, ‘Toward an Assessment of the Construct Validity of Four Measures of Narcissism’, Journal of Personality Assessment 52(4), 610-625.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pascarella, E., and Terenzini, P.: 2005, How College Affects Students, Volume 2, (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA).

    Google Scholar 

  • Penney, L., and Spector, P.: 2002, ‘Narcissism and Counterproductive Work Behavior: Do Bigger Egos Mean Bigger Problems?’, International Journal of Selection and Assessment 10, 126-134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ponemon, L. and D. Gabhart: 1994, ‘Ethical Reasoning Research in the Accounting and Auditing Professions’, in J. R. Rest and D. Narvaez (eds.), Moral Development in the Professions (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale, NJ), pp. 101–119.

  • Ponemon, L., and Glazer, A.: 1990, ‘Accounting Education and Ethical Development: The Influence of Liberal Learning on Students and Alumni in Accounting Practice’, Issues in Accounting Education, 5(2), 195-208.

    Google Scholar 

  • Power, F. C., Higgins, A., and Kohlberg, L.: 1989, Lawrence Kohlberg’s Approach to Moral Education, (Columbia University Press, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Raskin, R., and Hall, C.: 1979, ‘A Narcissistic Personality Inventory’, Psychological Reports 45(2), 590.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raskin, R., and Hall, C.: 1981, ‘The Narcissistic Personality Inventory: Alternate Form Reliability and Further Evidence of Construct Validity’, Journal of Personality Assessment 45(2), 159-162.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raskin, R., and Terry, H.: 1988, ‘A Principal-components Analysis of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory and Further Evidence of its Construct Validity’, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 54(5), 890-902.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rest, J.: 1979, ‘Development in Judging Moral Issue’, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rest, J.: 1986, Moral Development: Advances in Research and Theory. (Praeger Publishing, Westport, CT).

    Google Scholar 

  • Rest, J.: 1994, ‘Background: Theory and Research’, in J. R. Rest and D. Narvaez (eds.), Moral Development in the Professions (Lawrence Erlbaum Associate, Hillsdale, NJ), pp. 1–26.

  • Rest, J.: 1999, Postconventional Moral Thinking: A Neo-Kohlbergian Approach, (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, NJ).

    Google Scholar 

  • Rest, J. R., Narvaez, D., Thoma S. J., and Bebeau, M. J.: 1999, ‘DIT2: Devising and Testing a Revised Instrument of Moral Judgment’, Journal of Educational Psychology 91(4), 644- 659.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richmond, K.: 2001, ‘Ethical Reasoning, Machiavellian Behavior, and Gender: The Impact on Accounting Students’ Ethical Decision Making’, Unpublished Master’s Thesis, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA.

  • Roselli, M.: 1998, ‘The Effectiveness of Classroom Experiences in Teaching Ethical Reasoning to Students of Administration’, Dissertation Abstracts International 59(11A), 4101 (UMI No. AAG9912982).

  • Roy, A. and L. Roy: 2004, January–March, ‘The Importance of Teaching Ethics’, Business and Economic Review 22–23.

  • Santrock, J.: 2007, Adolescence, 11th edition (McGraw Hill, Boston, MA).

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaefer, N.: 2003, January/February, ‘God and Man at College’, The American Enterprise 54–55.

  • Stewart, B.: 1991, ‘Levels of Moral Development, Critical Thinking and Self-concept in College Students’, Dissertation Abstracts International 52(09A), 3203 (UMI No. AAG9134169).

  • Twenge, J.: 2006, Generation Me: Why Today’s Young Americans are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled and More Miserable Than Ever Before, (Free Press, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Twenge, J., Konrath, S., Foster, J., Campbell, W., and Bushman, B.: 2008, ‘Egos Inflating Over Time: A Cross-temporal Meta-analysis of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory’, Journal of Personality 76(4), 875-902.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Uthe-Burow, C.: 2001, ‘An Exploratory Study of Ethical Training as a Factor of Moral Development’, Unpublished Master’s Thesis, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD.

  • Vogel, C.: 2006, ‘A Field Guide to Narcissism’, Psychology Today 29(1), 68-74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson, P., Grisham, S., Trotter, M., and Biderman, M.: 1984, ‘Narcissism and Empathy: Validity Evidence for the Narcissistic Personality Index’, Journal of Personality Assessment 48(3), 301-305.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Mary, Bismarck, ND, U.S.A.

    Shanda Traiser

  2. North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, U.S.A.

    Myron A. Eighmy

Authors
  1. Shanda Traiser
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Myron A. Eighmy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Myron A. Eighmy.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Traiser, S., Eighmy, M.A. Moral Development and Narcissism of Private and Public University Business Students. J Bus Ethics 99, 325–334 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-011-0809-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-011-0809-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation