Definition of Integrity by:Dr Sammy D.James

1.the quality or state of being complete; unbroken condition; wholeness; entirety
2.the quality or state of being unimpaired; perfect condition; soundness
3.the quality or state of being of sound moral principle; uprightness, honesty, and sincerity.


When someone is said to be a person of integrity, this generally means that he/she is considered to have a strong moral character. Integrity is thought by many to be one of the most important virtues a person can possess.

As an ethical concept, integrity depends upon consistency. To have integrity, a person must base his/her actions upon a well-thought out framework of moral principles. What he/she does should be the same as what he/she says. For example, a person who speaks about the need to improve the educational system in the United States would have integrity if he/she volunteered to tutor local schoolchildren, voted for a proposal to give raises to high performing teachers, or gave money to charities that provided scholarships for deserving students.

Since integrity is closely linked with honesty, it should come as no surprise that integrity tests are routinely used by businesses throughout the United States. These tests are particularly common among those seeking to hire people for low-skilled service positions that involve much public contact, such as convenience store employees and retail clerks. The tests ask a variety of questions designed to determine the applicant’s perception of ethical behavior, such as what he/she would do if a coworker was caught stealing or whether or not it is ever morally justifiable to conduct personal business during working hours. The tests claim to be able to help detect employees who would engage in counterproductive activities such as theft, tardiness, or excessive absenteeism. However, the tests are not perfect and different screening tools can often produce contradictory results.
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