Date of Award

Spring 6-1-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department/Program

Forensic Psychology

Language

English

First Advisor or Mentor

Keith A. Markus

Second Reader

Peggilee Wupperman

Third Advisor

Chitra Raghavan

Abstract

Academic dishonesty has been a long-term problem in secondary and higher education. Previous studies reported that an average of two-thirds of students reported that they have engaged in academic dishonesty in high school or college. This study explored witnessing academic dishonesty and its influence on students' experiences in the learning environment. The hypothesis is that witnessing academic dishonesty will negatively impact the student’s satisfaction with learning, motivation for studying, and evaluation of faculty. In conducting the study, participants (N = 250) completed an online survey assessing their satisfaction with learning, motivation for studying, and evaluation of faculty. Participants also reported their reaction to a hypothetical scenario of witnessing academic dishonesty and answered a question about their actual experience of witnessing academic dishonesty. The results found that 46% of participants witnessed academic dishonesty, and students who witnessed academic dishonesty were less satisfied with learning than participants who did not. Witnessing academic dishonesty had no apparent effect on the motivation for study and evaluation of faculty. Moreover, in the experimental study, the result did not support the hypothesis that witnessing academic dishonesty will negatively impact the student’s satisfaction with learning, motivation for studying, and evaluation of faculty. Although preliminary, this study indicates a potential causal connection between witnessing academic dishonesty and dissatisfaction with learning.

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