Adolescent Integrity: Race and Ethnic Differences

Abstract

This study fi nds signifi cant differences between white and nonwhite teens in the extent to which they value integrity. The Integrity Scale (IS) is based on items from the High School Effectiveness Study, the metropolitan supplement to the National Education Longitudinal Study, and includes questions about cheating on tests, disobeying school rules, copying other students' homework, cutting classes, and being late for school. With various statistical controls, white students score lowest and black students highest, with Hispanics and Asians scoring about average. The interpretation for whites' low scores is that they desire to maintain their traditional privileges in increasing pluralistic high schools, and this is consistent with, for example, cheating on tests. The interpretation for blacks' high scores is that they routinely experience the racism of excessive scrutiny, and, therefore, adopt the most transparent behaviors, which is consistent with their placing a high value on integrity and honesty.