Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Negative Emotionality Predicts Attitudes Toward Plagiarism

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

Abstract

Higher education students experience high rates of negative emotions such as stress, anxiety, and depression. Although emotions are known to influence attitudes per se, previous research has not examined how emotionality may relate to attitudes toward plagiarism. This study sought to examine how positive and negative emotionality relates to students’ positive attitudes, negative attitudes, and subjective norms concerning plagiarism. University students (N = 685) completed the Attitudes Toward Plagiarism questionnaire and measures of anxiety, stress, depression, and negative and positive affect. Extending on previous research, it was found that a lack of positive affect and negative emotionality, specifically stress, were significant predictors of attitudes toward plagiarism. Emotionality predicted 8.9% and 10% of the variance in positive plagiarism attitudes and subjective norms, respectively. Interestingly, gender was unable to predict subjective norms relating to plagiarism. Support for negative and positive emotionality predicting attitudes toward plagiarism challenges the assumption that emotions do not predict attitudes within the plagiarism context. These findings are practically relevant, as they highlight the necessity of implementing interventions directly targeting mental health within the higher education setting.

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

  • Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ajzen, I., & Fishbein, M. (2005). The influence of attitudes on behavior. In D. Albarricín, B. Johnson, & M. P. Zanna (Eds.), The handbook of attitudes (pp. 173–222). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrade, E. B. (2005). Behavioral consequences of affect: Combining evaluative and regulatory mechanisms. Journal of Consumer Research, 32(3), 355–362. https://doi.org/10.1086/497546.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, B., & Wilding, J. M. (2004). The relation of depression and anxiety to life-stress and achievement in students. British Journal of Psychology, 95(4), 509–521. https://doi.org/10.1348/0007126042369802.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Antony, M. M., Bieling, P. J., Cox, B. J., Enns, M. W., & Swinson, R. P. (1998). Psychometric properties of the 42-item and 21-item versions of the depression anxiety stress scales in clinical groups and a community sample. Psychological Assessment, 10(2), 176–181. https://doi.org/10.1037/1040-3590.10.2.176.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Armitage, C. J., & Conner, M. (2001). Efficacy of the theory of planned behaviour: A meta-analytic review. The British Journal of Social Psychology, 40(4), 471–499. https://doi.org/10.1348/014466601164939.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • American College Health Association. (2018). American college health association-National College Health Assessment II: Undergraduate student reference group executive summary spring 2018 (p. 2018). Silver Spring, MD: American College Health Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnes, L. L. B., Harp, D., & Jung, W. S. (2002). Reliability generalization of scores on the Spielberger state-trait anxiety inventory. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 62(4), 603–618. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013164402062004005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beck, A. T., Steer, R. A., & Brown, G. K. (1996). Manual for the Beck depression inventory-II. San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beiter, R., Nash, R., McCrady, M., Rhoades, D., Linscomb, M., Clarahan, M., & Sammut, S. (2015). The prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety, and stress in a sample of college students. Journal of Affective Disorders, 173, 90–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2014.10.054.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bilić-Zulle, L. (2007). Scientific integrity - the basis of existence and development of science. Biochemia Medica., 17(2), 143–150.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bilić-Zulle, L., Frković, V., Turk, T., Ažman, J., & Petrovečki, M. (2005). Prevalence of plagiarism among medical students. Croatian Medical Journal, 46(1), 126–131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Church, A. T., Katigbak, M. S., Ibáñez-Reyes, J., de Jesús Vargas-Flores, J., Curtis, G. J., Tanaka-Matsumi, J., et al. (2014). Relating self-concept consistency to hedonic and eudaimonic well-being in eight cultures. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 45(5), 695–712. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022114527347.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Craciun, G. M. (2006). Mood effects on ordinary unethical behavior. University of South Carolina. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/305274370?pq-origsite=gscholar

  • Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika, 16(3), 297–334.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Curtis, G. J., Cowcher, E., Greene, B. R., Rundle, K., Paull, M., & Davis, M. C. (2018). Self-control, injunctive norms, and descriptive norms predict engagement in plagiarism in a theory of planned behavior model. Journal of Academic Ethics, 16(3), 225–239. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-018-9309-2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Curtis, G. J., Gouldthorp, B., Thomas, E. F., O'Brien, G. M., & Correia, H. M. (2013). Online academic-integrity mastery training may improve students' awareness of, and attitudes toward, plagiarism. Psychology Learning & Teaching, 12(3), 282–289. https://doi.org/10.2304/plat.2013.12.3.282.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Curtis, G. J., & Locke, V. (2005). The effect of anxiety on impression formation: Affect-congruent or stereotypic biases? British Journal of Social Psychology, 44(1), 65–83. https://doi.org/10.1348/014466604X23464.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Curtis, G. J., & Popal, R. (2011). An examination of factors related to plagiarism and a five-year follow-up of plagiarism at an Australian university. International Journal for Educational Integrity, 7(1), 30–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Curtis, G. J., & Vardanega, L. (2016). Is plagiarism changing over time? A 10-year time-lag study with three points of measurement. Higher Education Research & Development, 35(6), 1167–1179. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2016.1161602.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Bruin, G. P., & Rudnick, H. (2007). Examining the cheats: The role of conscientiousness and excitement seeking in academic dishonesty. South Africa Journal of Psychology, 37(1), 153–164. https://doi.org/10.1177/008124630703700111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Vibe, M., Bjørndal, A., Fattah, S., Dyrdal, G. M., Halland, E., & Tanner-Smith, E. E. (2017). Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for improving health, quality of life and social functioning in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Campbell Systematic Review, 11. https://doi.org/10.4073/csr.2017.11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • du Rocher, A. R. (2018). Active learning strategies and academic self-efficacy relate to both attentional control and attitudes towards plagiarism. Active Learning in Higher Education, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787418765515.

  • Eagan, K., Stolzenberg, E. B., Ramirez, J. J., Aragon, M. C., Suchard, M. R., & Hurtado, S. (2014). The American freshman: National norms fall 2014. Los Angeles, CA: Higher Education Research Institute, UCLA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Field, A. (2009). Discovering statistics using SPSS (3rd ed.). London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Forgas, J. P., & Moylan, S. (1987). After the movies: Transient mood and social judgements. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 13(4), 467–477. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167287134004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghasemi, A., & Zahediasl, S. (2012). Normality tests for statistical analysis: A guide for non-statisticians. International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism., 10(2), 486–489. https://doi.org/10.5812/ijem.3505.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gingerich, A. C., & Dodson, C. S. (2013). Sad mood reduces inadvertent plagiarism: Effects of affective state on source monitoring in cryptomnesia. Motivation and Emotion, 37(2), 355–371. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-012-9309-2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grös, D. F., Antony, M. M., Simms, L. J., & McCabe, R. E. (2007). Psychometric properties of the state-trait inventory for cognitive and somatic anxiety (STICSA): Comparison to the state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI). Psychological Assessment, 19(4), 369–381. https://doi.org/10.1037/1040-3590.19.4.369.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grös, D. F., Simms, L. J., & Antony, M. M. (2010). Psychometric properties of the state-trait inventory for cognitive and somatic anxiety (STICSA) in friendship dyads. Behavior Therapy, 41(3), 277–284. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2009.07.001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howard, S. J., Ehrich, J. F., & Walton, R. (2014). Measuring students' perceptions of plagiarism: Modification and Rasch validation of a plagiarism attitude scale. Journal of Applied Measurement, 15(4), 372–393.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hu, G., & Lei, J. (2015). Chinese university students’ perceptions of plagiarism. Ethics & Behavior, 25(3), 233–255. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508422.2014.923313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Husain, F. M., Al-Shaibani, G. K. S., & Mahfoodh, O. H. A. (2017). Perceptions of and attitudes toward plagiarism and factors contributing to plagiarism: A review of studies. Journal of Academic Ethics, 15(2), 167–195. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-017-9274-1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jensen, L. A., Arnett, J. J., Feldman, S. S., & Cauffman, E. (2002). It's wrong, but everybody does it: Academic dishonesty among high school and college students. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 27(2), 209–228. https://doi.org/10.1006/ceps.2001.1088.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jerusalem, M., & Schwarzer, R. (1992). Self-efficacy as a resource factor in stress appraisal processes. In R. Schwarzer (Ed.), Self-efficacy: Thought control of action (pp. 195–213). Washington DC: Hemisphere.

  • Kerkvliet, J., & Sigmund, C. L. (1999). Can we control cheating in the classroom? The Journal of Economic Education, 30(4), 331–343. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220489909596090.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lovibond, P. F., & Lovibond, S. H. (1995). The structure of negative emotional states: Comparison of the depression anxiety stress scales (DASS) with the Beck depression and anxiety inventories. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 33(3), 335–343. https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-7967(94)00075-U.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marsden, H., Carroll, M., & Neill, J. T. (2005). Who cheats at university? A self-report study of dishonest academic behaviours in a sample of Australian university students. Australian Journal of Psychology, 57(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/00049530412331283426.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mavrinac, M., Brumini, G., Bilić-Zulle, L., & Petrovečki, M. (2010). Construction and validation of attitudes toward plagiarism questionnaire. Croatian Medical Journal, 51(3), 195–201. https://doi.org/10.3325/cmj.2010.51.195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nathanson, C., Paulhus, D. L., & Williams, K. M. (2006). Predictors of a behavioral measure of scholastic cheating: Personality and competence but not demographics. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 31(1), 97–122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2005.03.001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olafson, L., Schraw, G., & Kehrwald, N. (2014). Academic dishonesty: Behaviors, sanctions, and retention of adjudicated college students. Journal of College Student Development, 55(7), 661–674. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2014.0066.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pandey, S., & Elliot, W. (2010). Suppressor variables in social work research: Ways to identify in multiple regression models. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research, 1(1), 28–40. https://doi.org/10.5243/jsswr.2010.2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, R. A., & Heilbronner, R. L. (1987). The anxiety sensitivity index: Construct validity and factor analytic structure. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 1(2), 117–121. https://doi.org/10.1016/0887-6185(87)90002-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ree, M. J., French, D., MacLeod, C., & Locke, V. (2008). Distinguishing cognitive and somatic dimensions of state and trait anxiety: Development and validation of the state-trait inventory for cognitive and somatic anxiety (STICSA). Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 36(3), 313–332. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1352465808004232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reiss, S., Peterson, R. A., Gursky, D. M., & McNally, R. J. (1986). Anxiety sensitivity, anxiety frequency and the prediction of fearfulness. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 24(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-7967(86)90143-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rickwood, D., Telford, N., O'Sullivan, S., Crisp, D., & Magyar, R. (2016). National Tertiary Student Wellbeing Survey 2016. Canberra: Headspace Retrieved from https://www.headspace.org.au/assets/Uploads/headspace-NUS-Publication-Digital.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, K. E., Hart, T. A., & Eastwood, J. D. (2016). Factor structure and validity of the state-trait inventory for cognitive and somatic anxiety. Psychological Assessment, 28(2), 134–146. https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0000155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rolls, E. T. (2005). Emotion explained. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Rowe, G., Hirsh, J. B., & Anderson, A. K. (2007). Positive affect increases the breadth of attentional selection. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 104(1), 383–388. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0605198104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwarzer, R. (1992). Self-efficacy: Thought control of action. Washington, DC: Hemisphere.

    Google Scholar 

  • Slade, T., Johnston, A., Teesson, M., Whiteford, H., Burgess, P., Pirkis, J., & Saw, S. (2009). The mental health of Australians 2. Report on the 2007 National survey of mental health and wellbeing. Canberra: Commonwealth Department of Health and Aging.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Spielberger, C. D., Gorsuch, R. L., & Lushene, R. E. (1970). STAI: Manual for the state-trait anxiety inventory. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spielberger, C. D., Gorsuch, R. L., Lushene, R., Vagg, P. R., & Jacobs, G. A. (1983). Manual for the state-trait anxiety inventory STAI (form Y). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stallman, H. M. (2010). Psychological distress in university students: A comparison with general population data. Australian Psychologist, 45(4), 249–257. https://doi.org/10.1080/00050067.2010.482109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration. (2017). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2016 National Survey on drug use and health. Rockville, MD: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Retrieval from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/.

    Google Scholar 

  • Szabo, A., & Underwood, J. (2004). Cybercheats: Is information and communication technology fuelling academic dishonesty? Active Learning in Higher Education, 5(2), 180–199. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787404043815.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tindall, I. K., & Curtis, G. J. (2019) Validation of the measurement of need frustration. Frontiers in Psychology, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01742.

  • Theeboom, T., Beersma, B., & Van Vianen, A. E. M. (2016). The differential effects of solution-focused and problem-focused coaching questions on the affect, attentional control and cognitive flexibility of undergraduate students experiencing study-related stress. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 11(5), 460–469. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2015.1117126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watson, D., & Clark, L. A. (1994). The PANAS-X: Manual for the positive and negative affect schedule-expanded form. Ames: The University of Iowa.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all participants who participated and completed the questionnaires. Please note that some data from the same dataset are published in Tindall and Curtis (2019).

Funding

IT was supported by an Australian Commonwealth Government Research Training Scheme Scholarship. 

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia

    Isabeau K. Tindall & Guy J. Curtis

  2. Discipline of Psychology, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6009, Australia

    Isabeau K. Tindall & Guy J. Curtis

Authors
  1. Isabeau K. Tindall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Guy J. Curtis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Isabeau K. Tindall.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tindall, I.K., Curtis, G. Negative Emotionality Predicts Attitudes Toward Plagiarism. J Acad Ethics 18, 89–102 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-019-09343-3

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-019-09343-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation