THE APPROPRIATION OF OTHERS’ PROPERTY AS DEVIANT BEHAVIOR AMONG LAW STUDENTS

Abstract

His observational experiment was designed to analyze the reactions of Law students when encountering a "lost" wallet on campus. The main objective was to identify the factors influencing their behavior, differentiating internal factors (values, empathy) from external ones (environment, lighting, presence of security). The research used a qualitative approach and the hypothetical-deductive method in a controlled environment, placing the wallet in different locations on campus to observe the students' decisions. Behaviors were classified into two categories: those showing empathy, who turned the wallet in to a lost-and-found station or looked for the owner, and opportunistic behavior, from those who decided to keep it. The results support the opportunity theory, showing that the perception of surveillance reduces the opportunities for misappropriation. However, social control theory predominated in the ethical decisions of those who returned the wallet, where family values and early socialization had greater influence than academic training in Law. It is concluded that internal and external factors coexist and shape behavior, with personal values and the environment being more determinant than formal (university) education