Date of Award

5-2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Vanessa Edkins

Second Advisor

Zhiqing Zhou

Third Advisor

Christopher Podlesnik

Fourth Advisor

Mary Beth Kenkel

Abstract

The present study examined the interaction between environmental and individual difference characteristics in predicting perceptions of white-collar crime and likelihood to engage in academic dishonesty. It adopted a cross discipline approach that pulls literature from criminology, industrial organizational psychology and academic dishonesty to create the theoretical framework for what causes a person to deviate. General strain theory, rational choice theory and social exchange theory were employed to explain how integrity, perceived stress and perceived injustice could predict likelihood to commit academic dishonesty and perceptions of white-collar crime. Additional analyses looked at how self-control might moderate the relationships between perceived stress and injustice on the outcome variables. Overall, only integrity significantly predicted likelihood to commit academic dishonesty and perceptions of white-collar crime. It was also found that females perceive academic dishonesty as more severe, but are also more likely to endorse committing academic dishonesty than males. Implications for the white-collar crime literature and future directions are discussed.

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