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Cheating, Reactions, and Performance in Remotely Proctored Testing: An Exploratory Experimental Study

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Abstract

Purpose

We sought to provide empirical insight and develop theory for a new organizational phenomenon: remote proctoring for Internet-based tests. We examined whether this technology is effective at decreasing cheating and whether it has unintended effects on test-taker reactions, performance, or selection procedures.

Design/methodology/approach

Participants (582) were randomly assigned to a webcam proctored or honor code condition and completed two (one searchable, one non-searchable) cognitive ability tests online. Complete data were collected from 295 participants. We indirectly determined levels of cheating by examining the pattern of test-score differences across the two conditions. We directly measured dropout rates, test performance, and participants’ perceived tension and invasion of privacy.

Findings

The use of remote proctoring was associated with more negative test-taker reactions and decreased cheating. Remote proctoring did not directly affect test performance or interact with individual differences to predict test performance or test-taker reactions.

Implications

Technological advances in selection should be accompanied by empirical evidence. Although remote proctoring may be effective at decreasing cheating, it may also have unintended effects on test-taker reactions. By outlining an initial classification of remote proctoring technology, we contribute to the theoretical understanding of technology-enhanced assessment, while providing timely insight into the practice of Internet-based testing.

Originality/value

We provide timely insight into the development and evaluation of remotely proctored tests. The current study utilizes a unique randomized experimental design in order to indirectly determine levels of cheating across two conditions. Following the results of the current study, we outline an integrative model for future research on remotely proctored tests.

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Notes

  1. HIT refers to a Mechanical Turk Human Intelligence Task. Further information on Mechanical Turk is provided in the following section.

  2. Conducting three independent samples t tests inflates the family-wise Type I error rate to 0.14. Applying a family-wise error correction procedure, such as a Bonferonni correction renders this test non-significant. However, family-wise error corrections may come at the cost of Type II error. Given the assumptions of family-wise error correction procedures, the pattern of mean differences, the strength of the theoretical justification for this effect, and the estimated effect size, we chose not to apply this correction.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Michael Acquah, Cecilia Ramirez, and The George Washington University’s Workplaces and Virtual Environments (WAVE) lab for their assistance in study design and to Shedon Zedeck, Frederick Oswald, and two anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments and feedback on earlier revisions of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Organizational Sciences and Communication, The George Washington University, 600 21st St. NW, Washington, DC, 20052, USA

    Michael N. Karim, Samuel E. Kaminsky & Tara S. Behrend

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  1. Michael N. Karim
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  2. Samuel E. Kaminsky
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  3. Tara S. Behrend
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Correspondence to Michael N. Karim.

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Karim, M.N., Kaminsky, S.E. & Behrend, T.S. Cheating, Reactions, and Performance in Remotely Proctored Testing: An Exploratory Experimental Study. J Bus Psychol 29, 555–572 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-014-9343-z

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