Environment and Social Psychology

The association between perceived rule-oriented school ethical climate and university students’ unethical behavior

Yan Zhao

Dhurakij Pundit University, Bangkok, Thailand

Jian-Hao Huang

Department of Education, National Chengchi University, Taipei City, Taiwan (R.O.C.) ; Chinese International College, Dhurakij Pundit University, Bangkok, Thailand

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i10.4195

Keywords: rule-oriented ethical climate; school ethical climate; unethical behaviour; undergraduates; social learning theory

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Abstract

In recent years, the influence of school contexts on university students’ behaviour has become an important topic in educational research. As one of the key factors, the perception of a rule-oriented school ethical climate may play a role in shaping students’ values and behavioural tendencies. In particular, students’ unethical behaviour is considered to be closely associated with their perception of the school’s ethical climate, which makes it a topic worthy of further examination. This study aims to investigate the association between students’ perceptions of a rule-oriented school ethical climate and their unethical behaviour. A two-wave survey was conducted with a sample of 525 university students from three institutions in Henan Province, China. Participants completed self-reported questionnaires in class, including measures of rule-oriented school ethical climate and unethical behaviour. All descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and regression analyses were performed using SPSS software. Regression analyses revealed a significant association between students’ perceptions of a rule-oriented school ethical climate and their unethical behaviour. These findings are discussed in detail in the results section. Overall, the study underscores the importance of strengthening students’ perceptions of a rule-oriented school ethical climate for the well-being of the broader university community.

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