Ethnicity, Acculturation, and Plagiarism: A Criterion Study of Unethical Academic Conduct

Abstract

Ethics have received increased attention from the media and academia in recent years. Most reports suggest that one form of unethical conduct - plagiarism - is on the rise in the business schools. Stereotypes of Asian students as being more prone to plagiarize are frequently found in the literature, though not concretely substantiated. This study used a behavioral criterion to examine the relationships among ethnicity, acculturation, and plagiarism in a sample of 158 undergraduate and graduate students. Significant differences in plagiarism behavior were found based on level of student acculturation, but not ethnicity. Considerations and implications for training and managing international students and workers are discussed.

Keywords: Ethics, Plagiarism, Acculturation, Ethnicity, Criterion Study, Asian, Cheating