The mediating role of moral relativism in the relationship between Machiavellianism, honesty-humility and academic dishonesty

Authors
Urmia University
Abstract
This research was conducted with the aim of investigating the relationship between Machiavellianism and honesty-humility traits on academic dishonesty with the mediating role of moral relativism among students of Urmia University Faculty of Literature. This research was correlational. The statistical population of the present study was all the students of Urmia University Faculty of Literature, 327 of whom were selected by cluster random sampling method. In order to collect data, Mach 4 questionnaire, Hexaco personality questionnaire, academic dishonesty questionnaire and moral relativism questionnaire were used. The data was analyzed using SPSS software and the fit indices of the extracted model and the research model were confirmed. The results showed that the direct effects of Machiavellianism on moral relativism, honesty-humility trait on moral relativism, Machiavellianism on academic dishonesty and honesty-humility trait on academic dishonesty are significant. But the effect of moral relativism on academic dishonesty is not significant. Also, the indirect effects of Machiavellianism and the trait of honesty-humility with the mediation of moral relativism on academic dishonesty were not significant either. Therefore, it is possible to prevent academic dishonesty in students and reduce it by providing educational programs based on Machiavellianism, honesty-humility.
Keywords

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