Understanding the Interplay Among Regulatory Self-Efficacy, Moral Disengagement, and Academic Cheating Behaviour During Vocational Education: A Three-Wave Study

The literature has suggested that to understand the diffusion of unethical conduct in the workplace, it is important to investigate the underlying processes sustaining engagement in misbehaviour and to study what occurs during vocational education. Drawing on social-cognitive theory, in this study, we longitudinally examined the role of two opposite dimensions of the self-regulatory moral system, regulatory self-efficacy and moral disengagement, in influencing academic cheating behaviour. In addition, in line with the theories highlighting the bidirectional relationship between cognitive processes and behaviour, we aimed to also examine the reciprocal influence of behaviour on these dimensions over time. Overall, no previous studies have examined the longitudinal interplay between these variables. The sample included 866 (62.8% female) nursing students who were assessed three times annually from the beginning of their vocational education. The findings from a cross-lagged model confirmed that regulatory self-efficacy and moral disengagement have opposite influences on cheating behaviour, that regulatory self-efficacy negatively influences not only the engagement in misconduct but also the justification mechanisms that allow the divorce between moral standards and action, and that moral disengagement and cheating behaviour reciprocally support each other over time. Specifically, not only did moral disengagement influence cheating behaviour even when controlling for its prior levels, but also cheating behaviour affected moral disengagement one year later, controlling for its prior levels. These findings suggest that recourse to wrongdoing could gradually lead to further normalising this kind of behaviour and morally desensitising individuals to misconduct

Doing more with less? work and wellbeing in academics

There is evidence that fundamental changes to the context and content of academic work have increased demands, reduced support and eroded professional autonomy. Drawing on research conducted in the UK and Australia, this paper initially considers the implications of these changes for the wellbeing of academics. Particular focus is placed on a longitudinal programme of research that has utilised the UK Health and Safety Executive's Management Standards Framework to investigate the job-related stressors and strains experienced in the university sector. It is argued that this benchmarking approach has strong potential to monitor working conditions in universities over time, facilitate comparisons with the work-related wellbeing of other occupational groups, and identify priority areas for intervention. The paper also focuses on the antecedents and outcomes of work-life conflict which is particularly prevalent amongst academics and a key source of strain. Finally, ways in which the wellbeing of academic employees may be enhanced are considered. The need for universities to provide active and visible support to monitor the wellbeing of their employees and take necessary action is emphasised

Effects of cellulose nanofibrils on the structure and properties of maleic anhydride crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) electrospun nanofibers

Nanofibers of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) reinforced with cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) and/or crosslinked with maleic anhydride (MA) were produced by electrospinning technique to compare the additivation effects of the polymeric matrix. The results suggested that the PVA mass fraction equal to 14%, CNFs volumetric fraction of 3% and maleic acid at the molar ratio 20:1 are the best proportions for renewable base fibres production. In this study, the best electrospinning parameters for membranes production were obtained at the applied voltage of 24 kV, needle tip-to-collector distance of 14.5 cm, feed rate of 0.3 mL h1 and using a plate collector. CNFs and MA additions allow to improve nanofiber thermal properties and resistance to water degradation, which result in an eco-friendlier, biocompatible and long-term biodegradable nanofiber mats with diameters of 74±33 nm for water filtration purposes.The authors acknowledge the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for funding the project UID/CTM/00264/2013 and A. Zille contract IF/00071/2015.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio