Posted on 08/16/2008 10:35:29 AM PDT by decimon
COLUMBUS, Ohio – While many studies have examined cheating among college students, new research looks at the issue from a different perspective – identifying students who are least likely to cheat.
The study of students at one Ohio university found that students who scored high on measures of courage, empathy and honesty were less likely than others to report their cheating in the past – or intending to cheat in the future
Moreover, those students who reported less cheating were also less likely to believe that their fellow students regularly committed academic dishonesty.
People who don’t cheat “have a more positive view of others,” said Sara Staats, co-author of the research and professor of psychology at Ohio State University’s Newark campus.
“They don’t see as much difference between themselves and others.”
In contrast, those who scored lower on courage, empathy and honesty – and who are more likely to report that they have cheated -- see other students as cheating much more often than they do, rationalizing their own behavior, Staats said.
The issue is important because most recent studies suggest cheating is common on college campuses. Typically, more than half – and sometimes up to 80 percent – of college students report that they have cheated.
Staats conducted the research with Julie Hupp, assistant professor of psychology and Heidi Wallace, an undergraduate psychology student, both at Ohio State-Newark.
They presented their results Aug. 16 and 17 in Boston at two poster sessions at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association.
Staats said this continuing research project aimed to find out more about the students who don’t cheat – a group that Staats and her colleagues called “academic heroes.”
“Students who don’t cheat seem to be in the minority, and have plenty of opportunities to see their peers cheat and receive the rewards with little risk of punishment,” Staats said. “We see avoiding cheating as a form of everyday heroism in an academic setting.”
The research presented at APA involved two separate but related studies done among undergraduates at Ohio State’s Newark campus. One study included 383 students and another 73 students.
The students completed measures that examined their bravery, honesty and empathy. The researchers separated those who scored in the top half of those measures and contrasted them with those in the bottom half.
Those who scored in the top half – whom the researchers called “academic heroes” – were less likely to have reported cheating in the past 30 days and the last year compared to the non-heroes. They also indicated they would be less likely to cheat in the next 30 days in one of their classes.
The academic heroes also reported they would feel more guilt if they cheated compared to non-heroes.
“The heroes didn’t rationalize cheating the way others did, they didn’t come up with excuses and say it was OK because lots of other students were doing it,” Staats said.
Staats said one reason to study cheating at colleges and universities is to try to figure out ways to reduce academic dishonesty. The results from this research suggest a good target audience for anti-cheating messages.
When the researchers asked students if they intended to cheat in the future, nearly half -- 47 percent -- said they did not intend to cheat but nearly one in four -- 24 percent -- agreed or strongly agreed that they would cheat.
The remaining 29 percent indicated that they were uncertain whether or not they would cheat.
“These 29 percent are like undecided voters – they would be an especially good focus for intervention,” Staats said. “Our results suggest that interventions may have a real opportunity to influence at least a quarter of the student population.”
Staats said more work needs to be done to identify the best ways to prevent cheating. But this research, with its focus on positive psychology, suggests one avenue, she said.
“We need to do more to recognize integrity among our students, and find ways to tap into the bravery, honest and empathy that was found in the academic heroes in our study,” she said.
I cheated and just read the headline.
Does honesty and morals exist in the liberal's dictionary.
You think just liberals cheat?
“The heroes didn’t rationalize cheating the way others did, they didn’t come up with excuses and say it was OK because lots of other students were doing it,” Staats said.
Sure wish this group would run for congress
This explains why Democrats have such a negative opinion of other people. Liberals tend to project their dishonesty on to other people because that is how they think.
Well, you're a headliner. :-)
During one of my computer classes in college some students knew what the output was supposed to look like and they just typed it up on the screen using xedit and printed it out. The teacher "said" that he would run your porgrams to see if they worked. Obviously, he didn't. Those of us who got their programs to worked learned, the cheaters didn't. I know who is better off in the long run.
Now if I am elected, I promise to . . . ;-)
(Batman ejects from Batplane, enemy shoots off his parachute, begins nose-diving)
“Batman to all points...I could you some air support...being as how I can’t fly...at all.”
(5 secs from impact)
“Now would be good”
“Those of us who got their programs to worked learned, the cheaters didn’t. I know who is better off in the long run. “
No, the cheaters will be promoted to management much faster but they’ll keep you around because they can’t actually do the work themselves. :)
Any Catholic could have told them that. This article is like watching liberals discover honor, thinking that it's something new.
LOL!
I’m betting the factors they didn’t study were religious affiliation and 2 parent homes.
Well, there’s your problem. That’s not cheating, LOL.
Sophomore year I took a history class, and after the end of the semester we received a group email from the TA saying we were a great class, we all did well, she hoped we took the following class the next semester, blah blah blah... then at the end she said she was very happy because it was the first class in six or seven classes she had ever been a TA for where she didn’t have to report someone for an ‘academic integrity issue’. I was surprised that cheating was that rampant in my school, seeing how I never knew anyone who admitted to it.
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