Are Auditors Really Independent in Making Professional Judgment?

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Reyhaneh Haghighi
• Mohamad Ali Bagherpour
• Ali Ghanaei Chamanabad
• Mohammad Reza Abbaszadeh

Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

10.22067/ijaaf.2024.44946.1432

Abstract

This study scrutinizes the independence of auditors in making professional judgments, exploring the influence of personal characteristics on audit quality. Utilizing a descriptive survey approach, the research examines a sample of 425 auditors from audit organizations and the Iranian Association of Certified Public Accountants (IACPA). Data collection occurred through field surveys and questionnaires administered in 2022, with analysis conducted using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in "R" software version 4.0.2. The results reveal a significant association between auditors' independence and personality characteristics, indicating a potential impact on audit quality. Specifically, the findings suggest that auditors may not consistently demonstrate independence in their professional judgments. This study pioneers an investigation into auditors' genuine independence concerning personal traits, offering valuable insights for regulators, standard setters, and policymakers to consider in refining regulations and standards. Moreover, the research contributes to the expansion of literature in this critical domain.

Keywords

• Anxiety
• emotional intelligence
• executive functioning
• Real independence
• personality traits

Main Subjects

• Auditing

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