Personality Correlates of Cheating among College Women under Stress of Independent- Opportunistic Behavior

Abstract

An Investigation of Independent-opportunistic cheating: of 175) female students at a private women's college and a state university revealed separate and distinct patterns of personality behavior for cheaters and noncheaters at each institution. Measured by the 16PF, five factors (B, C, P, Qs, and Q5) separated cheaters from noncheaters at the women's college; nine factors (B, C, G, H, L, M, O, Q3, and Q5,) were among the differences of the two samples at the state university. When the total sample of students responded to 80 situations believed to reflect cheating, discriminations between selected academic behaviors were reported on both campuses. Notable differences between cheaters and non-cheaters emerged In evaluating student mores. Results of the study support Burton's (2) finding of consistency of moral behavior and the existence of general traits of honesty and dishonesty that transgressed situations,