Moral Propensity, Setting, and Choice: A Partial Test of Situational Action Theory

ABSTRACT

Wikström’s Situational Action Theory (2004) proposes that deviant acts are the product of a series of interactions between individual- and situational-level causal factors: (1) individuals’ moral propensity interacts with situational temptations/provocations to determine which action alternatives are available, (2) individuals’ self-control and situational deterrence interact to influence the choice of action taken. The present study uses self-report data on the frequency of academic dishonesty to test these interactions. The results provide mixed support for the theory.

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Notes on contributors

John K. Cochran

JOHN K. COCHRAN is Professor of Criminology at the University of South Florida. Professor Cochran earned his Ph.D. in Sociology at the University of Florida (1987). He has over 100 peer reviewed manuscripts, most of which involve tests of criminological theories. His current research interests involve tests of micro-social theories of criminal behavior. He is also continuing his work on issues associated with the death penalty. As a lifelong fan of the Florida Gators, Dr. Cochran has recently become the living embodiment of Agnew’s General Strain Theory.