Psychological Predictors of Students’ Moral Choice in the Situations of Academic Dishonesty in Digital Environment

Abstract

Background. The issue of the prevalence of academic dishonesty using digital technologies as a phenomenon distinct from traditional forms of academic dishonesty requires studying the psychological predictors of students’ moral choice in situations of academic dishonesty in the digital environment. Objective. To study the role of psychological factors (level of development of moral reasoning, emotional intelligence, approach to learning, values, life aspirations) in the direction (ethical/unethical) and moral orientation (ethics of justice / ethics of care) of students’ moral choice in situations involving academic dishonesty in the digital environment. Study Participants. 51 respondents (M = 21.6 years; SD = 4.3; 45 women), university students. Methods. Moral dilemma method (Author’s moral dilemmas) and survey method (“Justice — Care” questionnaire (Molchanov, 2003), the Russian version of “ASSIST” (Mozharovskii, Sukhotin, 2015), Schwartz Value Survey (Karandashev, 2004), short versions of “Aspirations Index” (Gordeeva et al., 2023) and EmIn (Pankratova et al., 2022)). Results. Emotional intelligence as an ability is not a predictor of students’ moral choice in situations of academic dishonesty in the digital environment. Predictors of ethical choices are strategic approach to learning, Universalism value, intrinsic goal Com- munity, extrinsic goal Appearance. Predictors of unethical choices are surface approach to learning, Stimulation and Security values, and extrinsic goal Fame. Positive predictors of choices of different directions depending on their moral orientation are Post-conventional level of moral reasoning, Conformity, Self-direction, Hedonism values, intrinsic goal Relationships. Conclusions. Our regression models expand the data on the factors regulating students’ moral choice in situations of academic dishonesty in the digital environment. Level of development of moral reasoning, approaches to learning, values and life aspira- tions predict the direction and moral orientation of students’ moral choice when making decisions in situations involving the possibility of committing academic fraud.