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Examination instructions
The examination paper contains:
A A scenario context
B A questionnaire
C A mini manual
D A discussion meeting

You are required to:

• Read the scenario context (A), the questionnaire (B) and the mini manual (C). These
sections are included in this document. They provide information required for answering
the questions raised in the discussion meeting. The questions raised in the discussion
meeting (D) are the exam questions. These questions are provided online. You find them
on myUnisa on the PYC2606 site. Go to ‘self-assessment’ and open the “PYC2606
Assignment 3 online exam” assessment.
• Consider each question that is raised in the discussion meeting. People have different
opinions. You have to consider these opinions and decide which opinion you agree with
most, which one second most and which one least.
• For example, if you agree most with the opinion offered by Ava, second most with the
opinion offered by Conja and least with Zet’s opinion your response is Ava, Conja, Zet.
• A list of potential responses is provided. From this list, select the response that
corresponds to your response.

Please note the following:

• The work you submit has to be your own. In this examination you are not allowed to be
assisted by somebody else in formulating your responses, or to assist a fellow student in
formulating their responses.
• The work you submit may be subjected to automated integrity testing. If corresponding
response patterns are found between your work and one or more other student’s
submissions, your examination may be annulled.
• How to navigate questions when you write the online examination: Below the question you
will see three buttons: “Previous”, “Next” and “Save”. Remember to “Save” each question
before you move to the next question. Use “Next” to go to the next question. Use
“Previous” to go to the previous question. Do not press the “Done” button. Only press the
‘done’ button when you are ready to submit your examination.
• How to save your work: Remember to press the ‘save’ button after completing each
question. Do not press the ‘done’ button until you have completed each question and are
ready to submit your final examination. When you press the ‘done’ button your
examination is submitted and you will not be able to continue with the examination.
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Scenario context A
A municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, a province of South Africa, often contracts outside firms and these
firms have to submit tenders for the specific projects. The tender committee of the municipality
evaluates these tenders and then contracts the most suitable firm. Once the municipality accepts a
tender, it is binding to both the municipality and the person or company who won the tender. The
Executive Mayor and the Members of the Provincial Legislature has expressed concern
regarding the increase in bribery during the tender process. It has been decided that the members
of the tender committee will go through a screening process before being appointed to this
committee. As the Human Resources Officer of the municipality, you have to manage this
screening process. You realise that you have to identify individuals who are not susceptible to
bribery and corruption and you decide to use a questionnaire to do so. Individuals, who qualify in
terms of their performance on the questionnaire, could then be evaluated on the additional
requirements associated with serving on the tender committee.

You do a literature review on susceptibility to bribery and corruption and you find that there is a
correlation between this construct and integrity. If a person has integrity, it is unlikely that they will
be susceptible to bribery and corruption. You also notice that many of the publications refer to a
particular theory that explains how integrity can be determined. You think that the theory could be
important because it could help to predict if someone would decline bribes and avoid involvement
in corruption. You search the literature for papers on this theory, and come across two articles
explaining what the authors refer to as ‘the theory of socially acceptable behaviour’.

According to the theory of socially acceptable behaviour, there are psychological factors that
predict whether a person will behave according to a specific social norm. Behaviour is preceded by
socialisation factors. The stronger these factors the more likely a person is to behave according to
the norm. Three socialisation factors have been identified. These factors are the person’s attitude
towards the social norm, his/her perception of the norm as relevant to the circumstances, and
his/her perceived control with regard to the norm. Thus a person will behave according to a specific
social norm if he/she feels positive about the norm (positive attitude), thinks the norm is relevant to
the circumstances (high relevance) and that nothing stops him/her from adhering to the norm
(positive control).

You contact other municipalities and find a questionnaire that is often used in this type of
screening, namely the Integrity and Lifestyle Questionnaire (ILQ). You order the questionnaire from
the test publisher. When the ILQ arrives you decide to conduct a thorough analysis to determine
whether the questionnaire is a scientifically valid and reliable instrument. You contract a research
company who assigns experts in the field of psychometry to assist you with the analysis. You
provide them with the questionnaire (B) and its mini manual (C) and you schedule a meeting to
discuss the instrument.
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Questionnaire B
Integrity and Lifestyle Questionnaire (ILQ)

Instructions
Please read the following questions carefully and provide the answer that best describes your
circumstances and perceptions thereof. By answering these questions you indicate how you feel
about behaving with integrity. There are no right or wrong answers. Simply give your opinion. Be
as honest as possible. Only the psychologist has access to your answers. The questionnaire
should not take long to complete.

Section 1: Family history

1.1 My gender is:

(a) Female […]
(b) Male […]

1.2 We were …….. (number of) children in the house when I was a child

1.3 My parents suffered financial difficulties

(a) Yes […]
(b) No […]
If ‘No’ go to Question 2.1

1.4 One (or both) of my parents were consequently convicted of financial crime
(a) True […]
(b) False [ … ]

1.5 A family member (or members), other than my parents, were convicted of financial crime
(a) True […]
(b) False [ … ]

Section 2: Attitude towards behaving with integrity

Please indicate how you feel about the following statements:

Disagree Agree
Disagree Unsure Agree
strongly strongly
2.1 One should be honest when working
[ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ]
with money
2.2 I will not, not steal money when
[ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ]
necessary
2.3 An accountant should be honest if it
[ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ]
is not me
2.4 You should respect the company’s
[ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ]
property
2.5 Stealing and lying are sometimes
[ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ]
justifiable

2.6 Honesty shows good character [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ]
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2.7 You should not judge a dishonest

[ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ]
person harshly
2.8 I will be offended by a co-worker’s
[ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ]
mendacity
2.9 Dishonesty should benefit the group [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ]

2.10 I should not steal from my parents [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ] [ ... ]

Section 3: Relevance of behaving with integrity

Mark the answer that applies to you:

3.1 Integrity is important in all work environments

(a) true [ ... ]
(b) false [ ... ]

3.2 If I am dishonest, I will have more friends at work

(a) 20 more friends [ ... ]
(b) 10 more friends [ ... ]

3.3 I will be respected at work if I behave with integrity

(a) true [ ... ]
(b) false [ ... ]

3.4 Which of the following contributes to integrity (or a lack thereof)?

socio-economic circumstances [ … ]
educational level […]
family size […]
family history […]
culture […]

3.5 If you were in this job fifty years ago, you would have had integrity
(a) true [ ... ]
(b) false [ ... ]

3.6 Dishonesty at work is unacceptable. In your opinion, should someone who is dishonest be
given a written warning?
(a) yes [ ... ]
(b) no [ ... ]

3.7 How often do you find it necessary to lie at work?

(a) never [ ... ]
(b) once a day [ ... ]
(c) more than once a day [ ... ]
(d) once a week [ ... ]

3.8 There are levels of dishonesty. A person who takes ……… can be classified as reasonably
honest whereas someone who takes ………. is very dishonest.

3.9 In each of the following consider the two statements in question and tick the box that best
reflects your position between the two statements:

a
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a One may on occasion

be dishonest […] […] […] […] […] One should always be honest

b Dishonesty is harmless […] […] […] […] […] Dishonesty harms everyone

c Dishonesty reflects
high self-esteem […] […] […] […] […] Honesty reflects high self-esteem

d Dishonesty should
be encouraged […] […] […] […] […] Honesty should be encouraged

Section 4: Spiritual believes

4.1 Do you belong to a religious group? Yes / No

If ‘Yes’, go to Question 4.5

4.2 Mark the answers that apply to you

Because of my religion:
- I will not steal [ ... ]
- I will always tell the truth [ ... ]
- I treat others with respect [ ... ]

4.3 Participating in religious activities keeps you calm True / False

4.4 Participating in religious activities guide your actions True / False

4.5 People who belong to a religious group:

.........................................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................................

End of questionnaire
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Mini manual C
Mini manual for the Integrity and Lifestyle Questionnaire (ILQ)
1. Aim and design

The Integrity and Lifestyle Questionnaire (ILQ) can be used to determine if a person would behave
according to a specific social norm, namely integrity. The questionnaire is meant to be used in a
selection context to assess candidates who are considered for a position involving finances where
honesty and integrity are required. The aim is to identify an individual’s level of integrity. The ILQ is
based on the theory of socially acceptable behaviour. The theory of socially acceptable behaviour
predicts whether a person will behave according to a specific social norm. Therefore the ILQ can
be used to predict whether or not a person is likely to behave with integrity. According to the theory
of socially acceptable behaviour, there are psychological factors that can be used to predict
whether or not a person will behave according to a specific social norm. Three socialisation factors
have been identified. These factors are the person’s attitude towards the social norm, his/her
perception of the norm as relevant to the circumstances, and his/her perceived control with regard
to the norm. Thus a person will behave according to a specific social norm (integrity) if he/she feels
positive about the norm (positive attitude), thinks the norm is relevant to the circumstances (high
relevance) and that nothing stops him/her from adhering to the norm (positive control).

2. Procedures for administration, scoring and interpretation of the ILQ

Administration
Instructions for completing the questionnaire are given with the items of the questionnaire in the
ILQ. Individuals respond on the questionnaire and need a pencil to do so. The questionnaire is a
psychological test and this affects who is allowed to administer, score and interpret the
questionnaire. Respondents should be instructed to answer the questionnaire honestly. Words
may be explained but respondents should not be guided towards a specific answer.

Interpretation
A raw score total is calculated by adding the attitude and relevance scores. These are then
transformed by using norm tables to determine a person’s level of integrity. The norm tables
associate the raw scores that people obtain on the ILQ with different levels, namely ‘at risk’,
‘acceptable’ and ‘high’. Individuals with high levels of integrity could be considered for positions
involving finances where honesty and integrity are required.

3. Properties of the ILQ

The ILQ was pilot tested by a large South African banking group. A sample of 250 employees from
different branches of the banking group took part in the pilot study. The sample details are
provided in Table 1. The employees were tested on two occasions with two weeks between the
testing occasions. The scores of 5 of the employees who partook in the pilot test study are given in
Table 2 and Table 3. Table 2 shows their test scores for the first application of the ILQ. For each of
the 5 employees it lists the total for even numbered items and the total for odd numbered items in
the ILQ. Table 3 contains the test scores for the first and second applications of the ILQ.
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Table 1: Sample used in the development of the ILQ

Gender Age (in years)
20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-65 Total
Female 25 25 25 25 25 125
Male 25 25 25 25 25 125
Total 50 50 50 50 50 250

Table 2: Five employees’ test scores for 2 halves of the ILQ

Employee 1 2 3 4 5
Totals for even items 36 38 29 42 24
Totals for odd items 34 38 32 38 19

Table 3: Five employees’ test scores for 2 applications of the ILQ

Employee 1 2 3 4 5
First application 70 76 61 80 43
Second application 48 88 72 54 32

The researchers were also interested in how the employees’ item scores correlated with their total scores.
Table 4 shows this information for 10 of the 250 employees who partook in the pilot study. For each of these
10 employees the table shows the item scores for four items together with the employee’s total test score.

Table 4: Item scores and total test scores

Employee Item 2.1 Item 2.2 Item 2.7 Item 2.9 Total Score
1 3 5 2 4 58
2 2 3 1 5 40
3 4 4 1 1 82
4 3 1 3 4 53
5 1 2 1 3 29
6 5 5 1 2 72
7 2 4 1 5 33
8 4 2 3 3 49
9 5 1 2 2 81
10 4 2 1 3 62

Note: A total score is the sum of a person’s items scores for all items in the questionnaire. Only four of the
items scores are shown in this table.
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The scatter plots for the items listed in Table 4 are shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4.

100
90
80 ■ ■
70 ■
60 ■ ■
50 ■ ■
Total scores 40 ■
30 ■ ■
20
10
1 2 3 4 5
Item scores

Figure 1: Scatter plot for Item 2.1 — each ■ represents a research

participant
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100
90
80 ■ ■
70 ■
60 ■ ■
Total scores 50 ■ ■
40 ■
30 ■ ■
20
10
1 2 3 4 5
Item scores
Figure 2: Scatter plot for Item 2.2 — each ■ represents a research
participant

100
90
80 ■ ■
70 ■
60 ■
Total scores 50 ■ ■
40 ■ ■
30 ■
20 ■
10
1 2 3 4 5
Item scores
Figure 3: Scatter plot for Item 2.7 — each ■ represents a research
participant

100
90
80 ■ ■
70 ■
60 ■ ■
Total scores 50 ■ ■
40 ■
30 ■ ■
20
10
1 2 3 4 5
Item scores
Figure 4: Scatter plot for Item 2.9 — each ■ represents a research
participant
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Another aspect of the ILQ the researchers were interested in concerned the inter-correlations
among the various factors of the ILQ. This information is provided in Table 5.

Table 5: Inter-correlations of four factors of the ILQ

Factor History Attitude Relevance Spiritual
History 1.0
Attitude 0.15 1.0
Relevance 0.08 0.85 1.0
Spiritual -0.12 0.08 -0.12 1.0

The employees who partook in the pilot study were asked to complete two additional
questionnaires, the Pro-rule Questionnaire (PQ) and the Numerical Ability Questionnaire (NAQ).
The PQ was used to assess whether a person had a tendency to conform to rules and regulations.
The NAQ was used to determine a person’s level of ability in numerical problem solving. The latter
is one of the functions of positions involving finances. Each employee was also rated by his/her
supervisor in terms of the employee’s suitability for a committee dealing with finances. They used a
questionnaire called the Finance-related Suitability Rating (FSR).

The results of these measurements are shown in Table 6. It contains the inter-correlations among
the questionnaires and the Finance-related Suitability Rating.

Table 6: Correlations between ILQ and other questionnaires

ILQ PQ NAQ FSR
ILQ 1.0
PQ 0.84 1.0
NAQ 0.17 0.10 1.0
FSR 0.86 0.80 0.12 1.0

End of manual