Research of the Relationship among Impulsivity, Academic Motivation and Academic Cheating in High School

Abstract

The present research aims to explore the relationship among students’ impulsivity, motivation, grade point average (GPA) and their committed and self-reported cheating behaviour. The study relied on a community sample of high school students (M_age = 16, 55; SD_age = 1,26). The sample size was 680 (N_female = 287; N_male = 389). Structural equation modelling was applied to explore the relationship among the variables. In accordance with previous research, it was established that students’ autonomous motivation has significant impact on students’ cheating behaviour and their GPA. Amotivation is also related to the extent of cheating and students’ grade point average, but controlled motivation has no impact on these. Lack of consideration among the factors of impulsivity is related to cheating and amotivation; negative urgency is related to controlled motivation and cheating. Furthermore, lack of perseverance is related to autonomous motivation and amotivation, while lack of consideration has direct and also indirect (via amotivation) impact on cheating, and it is indirectly (via amotivation) associated with GPA. Finally, lack of perseverance is indirectly (via amotivation and autonomous motivation) related to cheating and GPA; and it was also found that negative urgency has direct impact on academic dishonesty.