By Dr Julius M. Egbai & Caroline I. Ita
Abstract
The focus of the study was to examine academic anxiety, locus of control and cheating tendencies among undergraduate students in Universities in Cross River State. To achieve these objectives, two hypotheses were formulated to be tested. The study adopted an expost facto research design, with a stratified and purposive sampling techniques to select a total of 1000 students from the two universities that were selected for the study. A questionnaire titled “Psychological Variables and Cheating Tendencies Scale (PVCTS)” was used for data collection. The instrument was validated using Cronbach alpha reliability technique for estimating the degree of consistency of the sub scale and the coefficient of 0.74 to 0.86 was obtained. Data were collected by the researchers and analysed using simple regression statistics and the result showed that there is a significant influence of academic anxiety and locus of control on cheating tendencies among students. Based on the findings, it was recommended that students should be encouraged to develop a positive self-image that would help them avoid cheating in the examination hall. That student should learn to always realise where they have not worked well and improve on it rather than blame people for cheating in the examination hall.