Entitlement mediates the relationship between dark triad traits and academic misconduct

Authors/Creators

Guy J. Curtis
Helen M. Correia
Melissa C. Davis, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow

Abstract

The Dark Triad personality traits of psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism are positively related to engagement in academic misconduct (e.g., plagiarism and cheating) by higher education students. This study examined whether feelings of entitlement in an academic context mediated the relationship between Dark Triad personality traits and academic misconduct. Students from three universities (N = 387) completed measures of the Dark Triad, academic entitlement (entitled expectations and externalized responsibilities), and academic misconduct behaviors. One of the two facets of academic entitlement, externalized responsibilities, mediated the relationship between all three dark triad traits and academic misconduct. These results suggest that academic misconduct may be reduced by modifying academic entitlement beliefs among students.

RAS ID

44365

Document Type

Journal Article

Date of Publication

6-1-2022

Volume

191

School

School of Arts and Humanities

Copyright

subscription content

Publisher

Elsevier

Comments

Curtis, G. J., Correia, H. M., & Davis, M. C. (2022). Entitlement mediates the relationship between dark triad traits and academic misconduct. Personality and Individual Differences, 191, 111563.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2022.111563

Recommended Citation

Curtis, G. J., Correia, H. M., & Davis, M. C. (2022). Entitlement mediates the relationship between dark triad traits and academic misconduct. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2022.111563