Academic dishonesty and low self‐control: An empirical test of a general theory of crime

Abstract

This study uses academic dishonesty as a unique type of fraudulent behavior upon which to test Gottfredson and Hirschi's general theory of crime. The study utilizes self‐report data from a survey of undergraduate students enrolled in sociology courses at a large southwestern university. With these data, the authors examine a number of the core theoretical propositions of Gottfredson and Hirschi's theory. That is, we test issues concerning the dimensionality of low self‐control, the influence of parenting on the development of self‐control, the association between levels of self‐control and involvement in academic dishonesty, and the interactive effects of low self‐control and opportunity on the frequency of academic dishonesty. The results of our analyses, although rather mixed, do provide qualified support for the theory.