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The Hexaco-60, the Dark Triad and Scholastic Cheating
Yuen Kiu Cheung1, Vincent Egan1
1Centre for Forensic and Family Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
Psychological Reports
|October 23, 2020
Summary
Dark personality traits, particularly psychopathy, significantly predict scholastic cheating among students. This research highlights the relevance of dark personality in understanding academic dishonesty across different student levels.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Inconsistent findings exist regarding personality predictors of scholastic cheating.
- Understanding the psychological underpinnings of academic dishonesty is crucial for developing effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the predictive relationship between personality traits (HEXACO-60 and Dark Triad) and scholastic cheating.
- To examine demographic factors (academic qualification, year of study, student status) influencing cheating behaviors and reasons.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 252 students completed online questionnaires assessing personality and scholastic cheating.
- Statistical analyses included one-way ANOVA, MANOVA, and structural equation modeling (SEM).
Main Results:
- Scholastic cheating was more prevalent in associate degree/diploma/foundation and undergraduate students compared to postgraduate students.
- Unmitigated achievement and psychopathy positively predicted scholastic cheating, with psychopathy being the strongest predictor.
- Demographic factors did not significantly affect cheating behaviors or the reasons for cheating.
Conclusions:
- Dark personality traits, especially psychopathy, are significant predictors of scholastic cheating.
- The findings support the integration of dark personality constructs into models explaining academic dishonesty.
- Further research can explore targeted interventions based on these personality predictors.
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