Academic cheating has long been a problem in educational institutions. Research indicates that the majority of students have cheated at some point in their academic careers, and that cheating is highly influenced by both the demands of the learning situation and the students larger social context. The Psychology of Academic Cheating provides a summary of research findings on the personality and situational variables associated with cheating, the methods most commonly used to cheat, the motivation behind cheating behavior, and ways in which educators can remove opportunities for cheating.

The book is divided into four sections discussing

* Who cheats and how?

* What motivates cheating?

* How do students reason about cheating?

* How do educators respond to cheating?

The book discusses student cheating and teacher cheating, as well as the motivational profiles of students who report cheating. It also explores malleable definitions of dishonesty, whereby students frame cheating in to believe it is less morally reprehensible. Understanding this reasoning better presents educators and psychologists with opportunities for social-cognitive interventions. The book also explores at length how technology is being utilized to cheat in new ways, and what the cheating literature has to say about the increasing trend toward online testing.

Who cheats and why? How do they cheat? What are the consequences? What are the ways of stopping it before it starts? These questions and more are answered in this research based investigation into the nature and circumstances of Academic Cheating. Cheaing has always been a problem in academic settings, and with advances in technology (camera cell phones, the internet) and more pressure than ever for students to test well and get into top rated schools, cheating has become epidemic. At the same time, it has been argued, the moral fiber of society as a whole has dampened to find cheating less villainous than it was once regarded. Who cheats? Why do they cheat? and Under what circumstances? The Psychology of Academic Cheating looks at personality variables of those likely to cheat, but also the circumstances that make one more likely than not to try cheating. Research on the motivational aspects of cheating, and what research has shown to prevent cheating is discussed across different student populations, ages and settings.

Part I: The Anatomy of Cheaters

Part II: Achievement Motivation and Cheating

Part III: Moral and Social Motivations for Dishonesty

Part IV: Prevention and Detection of Cheating