The Influence of Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Self‐Determined Motivation on Plagiarism Attitudes in Online Learning Environments

ABSTRACT Guided by self‐determination theory, this study examined how the online learning climate, university students' satisfaction with basic psychological needs, self‐determined motivation and plagiarism attitudes interrelate in an online setting. A total of 990 university students from 30 provinces in China participated in the survey. The findings suggest that a supportive online classroom climate enhances satisfaction with autonomy, competence and relatedness; moreover, self‐determined motivation mediates the relationship between these basic psychological needs and plagiarism attitudes. The results also align with the self‐determination continuum of motivation, showing that Chinese university students exhibit autonomous, controlled and general self‐determined motivations concurrently in online learning. Finally, by boosting students' sense of competence and relatedness, instructors can foster autonomous motivation, which in turn reduces students' justification of plagiarism. This study further provides guidance on enhancing university students' understanding of academic integrity and creating a supportive online learning climate for teachers, while confirming the applicability of self‐determination theory in a Chinese online context.