Interdependent Self-Construal and Student Academic Dishonesty via GroupMe
Disciplines
Social Psychology
Abstract (300 words maximum)
The current study investigates the possible relationship between interdependent self-construal and students’ academic dishonesty via a text message app, GroupMe. Students use GroupMe to discuss both personal, academic, and class-specific content. Interdependent self-construal focuses on the idea that people’s concept of identity is determined by their group memberships. Markus and Kitayama (1991) argue that individuals with a interdependent self-construal are more likely to pay attention to others and to social context, and to consider others’ opinions, desires, and needs. Prior research has shown that students with interdependent self-construal are more likely to cheat within the group and depend on their peers more than students without an interdependent self-construal (Nakashima et al., 2008). We sought to examine whether this finding extends to cheating occurring via GroupMe. Undergraduate students will be asked to complete an online questionnaire that measures interdependent self-construal and the extent to which they have engaged in academic dishonesty via GroupMe. We expect that students with a greater sense of interdependent self-construal will be more likely to use GroupMe to participate in academic dishonesty. Understanding what personality traits are associated with academic dishonesty that occurs through new technologies may be helpful in determining potential methods for deterring this behavior.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Psychological Science
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Jennifer Willard
Interdependent Self-Construal and Student Academic Dishonesty via GroupMe
The current study investigates the possible relationship between interdependent self-construal and students’ academic dishonesty via a text message app, GroupMe. Students use GroupMe to discuss both personal, academic, and class-specific content. Interdependent self-construal focuses on the idea that people’s concept of identity is determined by their group memberships. Markus and Kitayama (1991) argue that individuals with a interdependent self-construal are more likely to pay attention to others and to social context, and to consider others’ opinions, desires, and needs. Prior research has shown that students with interdependent self-construal are more likely to cheat within the group and depend on their peers more than students without an interdependent self-construal (Nakashima et al., 2008). We sought to examine whether this finding extends to cheating occurring via GroupMe. Undergraduate students will be asked to complete an online questionnaire that measures interdependent self-construal and the extent to which they have engaged in academic dishonesty via GroupMe. We expect that students with a greater sense of interdependent self-construal will be more likely to use GroupMe to participate in academic dishonesty. Understanding what personality traits are associated with academic dishonesty that occurs through new technologies may be helpful in determining potential methods for deterring this behavior.