The Relative Influences of Neutralizing Behavior and Subcultural Values on Academic Dishonesty

The author examined the influence of neutralizing techniques and subcultural values on academic dishonesty using a sample of 327 ethnically diverse business majors. Findings suggest that both neutralizing behavior and subcultural norms are correlated with academic dishonesty; however, neutralization techniques have a stronger association. Findings suggest the importance of clearly communicating behavior standards to combat neutralizing behavior, and the importance of implementing measures to increase the ethicality of the overall subcultural group.