Moral and Legal Issues
Below are questions pertaining to Reed students' feelings about moral and legal issues.
Academically, how often have you cheated in the last year? (do you think most Reed students...)
Year: 2015
Scale: 1 (not at all (0 times)) to 10 (very often (a few times a day))
Actual norm = 0.94 (SD = 1.43)
Perceived norm = 1.86 (SD = 1.44)
p < 0.0001, significant
Participants reported that they have cheated significantly less than the average Reed student in the last year.
How often have you stolen from Bon Appetit (i.e., from commons) in the past year? (do you think most Reed students...)
Year: 2015
Scale: 1 (not at all (0 times)) to 10 (very often (a few times a day))
Actual norm = 1.69 (SD = 2.39)
Perceived norm = 3.54 (SD = 2.13)
p < 0.0001, significant
Participants reported that they have stolen significantly less than the average Reed student in the last year.
How often have you stolen from Reed (bookstore, library, dorm rooms, etc) in the past year? (do you think most Reed students...)
Year: 2015
Scale: 1 (not at all (0 times)) to 10 (very often (a few times a day))
Actual norm = .30 (SD = 1.15)
Perceived norm = 2.59 (SD = 1.59)
p < 0.0001, significant
Participants reported that they have stolen from Reed significantly less than the average Reed student in the past year.
How much do you think the honor principle affects your decisions? (most Reed students'...)
Year: 2015
Scale: 1 (not at all) to 10 (completely)
Actual norm = 5.90 (SD = 2.81)
Perceived norm = 5.55 (SD = 2.04)
p < 0.03, significant
Participants reported that the honor principle affects their decisions significantly more than the average Reed student.
How often do you steal (from, e.g., the bookstore, your dorm refrigerator, Safeway)?
Year: 2011
Scale: 1 (never) to 7 (often)
Actual norm = 1.54 (SD = 1.11)
Perceived norm = 2.61 (SD = 1.15)
p < 0.0001, significant
Perceived norm for Reed friends = 1.76
How often do you cheat in an academic context?
Year: 2011
Scale: 1 (never) to 7 (often)
Actual norm = 1.51 (SD = 0.78)
Perceived norm = 2.27 (SD = 0.77)
p < 0.0001, significant
Perceived norm for Reed friends = 1.63
How important is following the honor principle to you?
Year: 2011
Scale: 1 (not at all) to 7 (extremely)
Actual norm = 5.45 (SD = 1.20)
Perceived norm = 4.85 (SD = 1.02)
p < 0.0001, significant
Perceived norm for Reed friends = 5.22
How effective is the honor principle in governing your behavior?
Year: 2011
Scale: 1 (not at all) to 7 (extremely)
Actual norm = 5.14 (SD = 1.34)
Perceived norm = 4.49 (SD = 1.15)
p < 0.0001, significant
Perceived norm for Reed friends = 5.01
To what degree do you think that the honor principle extends to your life outside of Reed?
Year: 2011
Scale: 1 (not at all) to 7 (extremely)
Actual norm = 5.22 (SD = 1.53)
Perceived norm = 4.38 (SD = 1.31)
p < 0.0001, significant
Perceived norm for Reed friends = 4.76
How often do you use the honor principle in mediation of interpersonal conflict?
Year: 2011
Scale: 1 (not at all) to 7 (extremely)
Actual norm = 3.36 (SD = 1.75)
Perceived norm = 3.53 (SD = 1.42)
p < 0.03, significant
Perceived norm for Reed friends = 3.34
How often have you engaged in behaviors you consider to be "mild cheating"?
Year: 2010
Scale: 0 (never) to 10 (very often)
Actual norm = 1.82 (SD = 1.84)
Perceived norm = 3.48 (SD = 1.98)
p < 0.0001, significant
Participants report that they have engaged in "mild cheating" behaviors less than most Reed students.
How often have you engaged in behaviors you consider to be "severe cheating"?
Year: 2010
Scale: 0 (never) to 10 (very often)
Actual norm = 0.37 (SD = 0.91)
Perceived norm = 1.64 (SD = 1.56)
p < 0.0001, significant
Participants report that they have engaged in "severe cheating" behaviors less than most Reed students.
In general, how comfortable are you engaging in any cheating behavior?
Year: 2010
Scale: 0 (not at all) to 10 (very much)
Actual norm = 1.15 (SD = 1.61)
Perceived norm = 2.26 (SD = 1.81)
p < 0.0001, significant
Participants report that they are less comfortable engaging in cheating behavior than most Reed students.
How much do you value the Honor Principle with regard to your academic work?
Year: 2010
Scale: 0 (not at all) to 10 (very much)
Actual norm = 8.58 (SD = 1.74)
Perceived norm = 7.77 (SD = 1.74)
p < 0.0001, significant
Participants report that they value the Honor Principle more than most Reed students with regard to their academic work.
How much do you value the Honor Principle with regard to your daily life?
Year: 2010
Scale: 0 (not at all) to 10 (very much)
Actual norm = 7.79 (SD = 1.98)
Perceived norm = 6.67 (SD = 2.09)
p < 0.0001, significant
Participants report that they value the Honor Principle more than most Reed students with regard to their daily life.