The Structural Model of Students' Cheating Behavior Based on Achievement Goals, Social Comparison, Cognitive-Emotional Trust, and Imbalance between Effort and Reward by the Mediator of Academic Motivation among High -school students

Abstract

Background and Aim: It is a widely acknowledged fact that the future lies in the hands of the next generation whose success is mainly dependent on education. We aimed to investigate the mediating role of academic motivation in relationships of cognitive-emotional trust and inconsistency between effort and reward with cheating behavior in students. Methods: The structural equation modeling correlation was the method used in this research. The sample population of this study consisted of 384 students selected from all male second- high schools in 4 districts of Tehran in the academic year 2017-2018. Using the Cochran formula, the sample size was estimated. The cluster sampling was used to randomly select a school. To collecting data, the Migli et al.'s (2000) Achievement Goals Questionnaire, Chan and Prendergast Social Comparison Scale (2007), Yang and Mossholder (2010) Cognitive -Emotional Trust Scale, Siegrist Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire (2010), cheating Behavior Questionnaire Newstead et al. (1996), and The Harter Academic Motivation Questionnaire (MIT), were used. For data analysis, used Pearson’s correlation with SPSS 20 and Amos 24 (α = 0.05). Results: Results showed thatdirect effect of trust to academic motivation (β=0.55, p 0.05) and direct effect of Effort-Reward Imbalance to academic motivation (β=-0.05, p>0.05) was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Given the findings the mentioned variables in students' academic motivation is important because the goals of advancement, social comparison, trust, and inconsistency between effort and reward through cheating attitudes may influence cheating behavior.