The relationship between research motivation and ethical decision-making among literature postgraduate students
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Abstract
This study investigated the relationship between research motivation and ethical decision-making among literature postgraduate students in Egyptian universities. Participants completed the Research Motivation Scale and Academic and Ethical Integrity Scale using a two-phase design with psychometric validation (n=403) and main study samples (n=517). Correlation analyses revealed significant positive relationships between intrinsic reward motivation and all ethical decision-making dimensions (r=.435 to .476), while failure avoidance motivation showed negative correlations with ethical integrity (r=-.132 to -.232). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that research motivation dimensions significantly predicted ethical decision-making, explaining 21.2% of variance (R²=.212, F(3,513)=45.878, p<.001). Intrinsic reward motivation emerged as the strongest predictor (β=.374, p<.001), followed by failure avoidance motivation with a significant negative relationship (β=-.115, p=.006), and extrinsic reward motivation with a modest positive contribution (β=.086, p=.043). The findings support Self-Determination Theory's propositions about autonomous motivation fostering ethical behavior while highlighting the detrimental effects of avoidance-oriented motivations. Results suggest that educational interventions should prioritize cultivating intrinsic motivation through autonomy-supportive environments to enhance academic integrity among postgraduate students.
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