Understanding unethical behaviors at the university level: a multiple regression analysis. Issue 4 (19th May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Julián, Martín; Bonavia, Tomas
• Is Part Of: Ethics & behavior. Volume 31:Issue 4(2021)
• Page Start: 257
• Page End: 269
• Publication Date: 2021-05-19
• Subjects: Unethical behavior -- justifiability -- risk perception -- perceived corruption -- multiple regression analysis; Ethics -- Periodicals; 170.5
• DOI: 10.1080/10508422.2020.1723101
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1050-8422

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Unethical behaviors such as corruption pose an important challenge for students, professors, and other university members. We aimed to clarify students' willingness to engage in corruption in a Spanish public university. In all, 3, 475 undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD students completed an online questionnaire assessing four corruption scenarios: favoritism, bribery, fraud, and embezzlement. Multiple regression analysis suggested that justifiability, risk perception, and perceived corruption played a key role in explaining corrupt intention. Behavioral intention to engage in corruption is a complex phenomenon explained by not only peers' behaviors, but also individuals' justifications of their acts and risk perceptions.